Carrum vs Patterson Lakes

Carrum is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 46 in Patterson Lakes. In both, most households own their home. In Patterson Lakes, most homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Patterson Lakes: a median of $1.34 million, against $1.09 million in Carrum, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Carrum tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Patterson Lakes suits couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Patterson Lakes

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 4)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (60% vs 45%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (61% vs 52%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Carrum

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,087,500 vs $1,338,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Carrum

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (31% vs 16%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Carrum

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (85/100 vs 74/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Carrum

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (55% vs 40%)
  • is more walkable (85/100 vs 74/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Patterson Lakes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.7% vs 3.4%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Carrum and Patterson Lakes drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Walkability 85 / 74
Carrum — Walkability: 85/100 Patterson Lakes — Walkability: 74/100
Safety 38 / 40
Carrum — Safety: 38/100 Patterson Lakes — Safety: 40/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Carrum — Low fire risk: 100/100 Patterson Lakes — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 38 / 14
Carrum — Low flood risk: 38/100 Patterson Lakes — Low flood risk: 14/100

Demographics

Patterson Lakes has more residents (7,793 vs 4,239); Patterson Lakes skews older (46 vs 40).

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Population 4,239 7,793
+84% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.5% +3.0%
Median age 40 46
Median household income $90,064/yr $100,464/yr
+12% vs other
Median weekly rent $406/wk $430/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
0-4 7.8% / 4.9%
Carrum — 0-4: 7.8% Patterson Lakes — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 10.2% / 11.0%
Carrum — 5-14: 10.2% Patterson Lakes — 5-14: 11.0%
15-19 4.3% / 5.8%
Carrum — 15-19: 4.3% Patterson Lakes — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 4.2% / 4.9%
Carrum — 20-24: 4.2% Patterson Lakes — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 14.0% / 9.0%
Carrum — 25-34: 14.0% Patterson Lakes — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 15.3% / 11.7%
Carrum — 35-44: 15.3% Patterson Lakes — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 13.8% / 16.1%
Carrum — 45-54: 13.8% Patterson Lakes — 45-54: 16.1%
55-64 13.3% / 15.1%
Carrum — 55-64: 13.3% Patterson Lakes — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 10.2% / 12.7%
Carrum — 65-74: 10.2% Patterson Lakes — 65-74: 12.7%
75-84 5.3% / 6.4%
Carrum — 75-84: 5.3% Patterson Lakes — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 1.7% / 2.4%
Carrum — 85+: 1.7% Patterson Lakes — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Carrum 33.8% couple families
Carrum — Couple Families: 33.8% Carrum — Lone Person: 42.6% Carrum — One Parent Families: 18.0% Carrum — Group Household: 4.3% Carrum — Other Families: 1.2%
Patterson Lakes 45.4% couple families
Patterson Lakes — Couple Families: 45.4% Patterson Lakes — Lone Person: 36.2% Patterson Lakes — One Parent Families: 15.8% Patterson Lakes — Group Household: 2.1% Patterson Lakes — Other Families: 0.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Carrum 31.2% renting
Carrum — Owned Outright: 31.6% Carrum — Mortgage: 37.2% Carrum — Renting: 31.2%
Patterson Lakes 16.0% renting
Patterson Lakes — Owned Outright: 40.8% Patterson Lakes — Mortgage: 43.3% Patterson Lakes — Renting: 16.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
England 5.1% / 4.9%
Carrum — England: 5.1% Patterson Lakes — England: 4.9%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.7%
Carrum — New Zealand: 1.7% Patterson Lakes — New Zealand: 1.7%
China 0.7% / 2.5%
Carrum — China: 0.7% Patterson Lakes — China: 2.5%
India 0.9% / 1.3%
Carrum — India: 0.9% Patterson Lakes — India: 1.3%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.9%
Carrum — South Africa: 0.8% Patterson Lakes — South Africa: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Certificate III & IV 16.4% / 15.7%
Carrum — Certificate III & IV: 16.4% Patterson Lakes — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Bachelor Degree 14.6% / 13.2%
Carrum — Bachelor Degree: 14.6% Patterson Lakes — Bachelor Degree: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 9.3%
Carrum — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Patterson Lakes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.0% / 3.9%
Carrum — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0% Patterson Lakes — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 2.2%
Carrum — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Patterson Lakes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Carrum 45.1% houses
Carrum — Houses: 45.1% Carrum — Townhouses: 41.6% Carrum — Flats / Apartments: 13.4%
Patterson Lakes 59.9% houses
Patterson Lakes — Houses: 59.9% Patterson Lakes — Townhouses: 24.7% Patterson Lakes — Flats / Apartments: 15.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Median house price $1,087,500 $1,338,000
Median unit price $725,000 $675,000
Median land price $1,400,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 17 sales
 24 days
from 65 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
3 bed $1.03M / $1.09M
Carrum — 3 bed: $1.03M (41 sales) Patterson Lakes — 3 bed: $1.09M (53 sales)

41 vs 53 sales

4 bed $1.31M / $1.45M
Carrum — 4 bed: $1.31M (16 sales) Patterson Lakes — 4 bed: $1.45M (51 sales)

16 vs 51 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
2 bed $676K / $635K
Carrum — 2 bed: $676K (34 sales) Patterson Lakes — 2 bed: $635K (25 sales)

34 vs 25 sales

3 bed $811K / $734K
Carrum — 3 bed: $811K (14 sales) Patterson Lakes — 3 bed: $734K (13 sales)

14 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Residential 72% 61%
Infrastructure and transport 15% 24%
Parks and recreation 13% 9%
Other and special use 0% 5%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Carrum Patterson Lakes
New dwellings approved 465
across Kingston (Vic.)
same for both
Approvals change year on year -36%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Houses 4.1%
$825/wk on $1.05M
 3.9%
$1,200/wk on $1.6M
Units 3.4%
$598/wk on $920K
 4.7%
$620/wk on $679K

Ranking within VIC

Carrum Patterson Lakes
House price Higher than 75% of VIC
same for both
Income Higher than 60% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 20% of VIC Higher than 29% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 80% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 73% of VIC Higher than 61% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 1% of VIC Higher than 48% of VIC

Liveability

Carrum is more walkable (85 vs 74).

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Grade B
same for both
Score 62/100 58/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Patterson Lakes carries more flood risk (86 vs 62).

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
62/100
 Moderate
60/100
Flood Moderate
62/100
 High
86/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
45/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Carrum

  • Carrum Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Patterson Lakes

  • Patterson Lakes Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Supermarkets 2
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 3 2
Parks & reserves 4 8
Childcare 4 3
GPs 2
same for both
Pharmacies 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 1 4

Mobility

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Walkability score 85/100 74/100
Distance to Melbourne 48.4 km
+4% vs other
 46.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 45 min 42 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 77.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 43.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 3197
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 29
postcode 3197
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Car (driver) 59.8% / 64.0%
Carrum — Car (driver): 59.8% Patterson Lakes — Car (driver): 64.0%
Worked from Home 31.2% / 28.7%
Carrum — Worked from Home: 31.2% Patterson Lakes — Worked from Home: 28.7%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 3.5%
Carrum — Car (passenger): 3.3% Patterson Lakes — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Train 4.3% / 1.7%
Carrum — Train: 4.3% Patterson Lakes — Train: 1.7%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.0%
Carrum — Walked Only: 1.0% Patterson Lakes — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.0%).

Setting

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 620 m
700 m to a named beach
 2.0 km
2.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Connectivity score 89/100 87/100
Most common technology Fibre to the curb
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
2,293 premises
 39%
3,612 premises

Climate

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Annual rainfall —
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Carrum Patterson Lakes
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.98 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Average residential rate $1,940/yr
same for both
Council Kingston (Vic.)
same for both

Federal electorate

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Division Dunkley
same for both
Member Jodie Belyea
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Carrum Patterson Lakes
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Carrum

Beach Coastal Easy Commute Outer Parks River Townhouses Trains Transport Hub

Patterson Lakes

Coastal Outer Parks Premium River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Carrum

Carrum vs Seaford Carrum vs Bonbeach

Other comparisons with Patterson Lakes

Patterson Lakes vs Carrum Downs Patterson Lakes vs Seaford Patterson Lakes vs Bonbeach Patterson Lakes vs Chelsea Heights Patterson Lakes vs Bangholme
Full data on Carrum Full data on Patterson Lakes
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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