Clifton Springs vs Curlewis

Curlewis is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 48 in Clifton Springs. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Curlewis, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Clifton Springs tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Curlewis suits families with children and 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

Clifton Springs

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (4 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 4)
  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 43/100)
  • But Curlewis has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Clifton Springs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($385,000 vs $600,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Clifton Springs has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $405/wk)
  • Curlewis has a bigger rental market to choose from (31% vs 18%)

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

Commuting to the city

Curlewis

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (81 min vs 89 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (90.7 km vs 96.3 km)
  • But Clifton Springs is more walkable (34/100 vs 6/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Clifton Springs

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 6/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 13%)
  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 43/100)

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

Investors

Curlewis

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (169.2% vs 1.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Clifton Springs Curlewis
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.

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Walkability 34 / 6
Clifton Springs — Walkability: 34/100 Curlewis — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 69 / 57
Clifton Springs — Safety: 69/100 Curlewis — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Clifton Springs — Low fire risk: 100/100 Curlewis — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Clifton Springs — Low flood risk: 100/100 Curlewis — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Clifton Springs has more residents (7,646 vs 4,175); Clifton Springs skews older (48 vs 34).

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Population 7,646
+45% vs other
 4,175
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.7% +169.2%
Median age 48 34
Median household income $70,096/yr $95,160/yr
+36% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $405/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Clifton Springs Curlewis
0-4 4.7% / 8.6%
Clifton Springs — 0-4: 4.7% Curlewis — 0-4: 8.6%
5-14 10.8% / 15.2%
Clifton Springs — 5-14: 10.8% Curlewis — 5-14: 15.2%
15-19 5.1% / 5.7%
Clifton Springs — 15-19: 5.1% Curlewis — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 4.4% / 4.8%
Clifton Springs — 20-24: 4.4% Curlewis — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 9.6% / 16.0%
Clifton Springs — 25-34: 9.6% Curlewis — 25-34: 16.0%
35-44 11.2% / 15.1%
Clifton Springs — 35-44: 11.2% Curlewis — 35-44: 15.1%
45-54 12.4% / 10.7%
Clifton Springs — 45-54: 12.4% Curlewis — 45-54: 10.7%
55-64 15.2% / 10.7%
Clifton Springs — 55-64: 15.2% Curlewis — 55-64: 10.7%
65-74 16.2% / 9.0%
Clifton Springs — 65-74: 16.2% Curlewis — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 8.4% / 3.5%
Clifton Springs — 75-84: 8.4% Curlewis — 75-84: 3.5%
85+ 2.0% / 0.6%
Clifton Springs — 85+: 2.0% Curlewis — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Clifton Springs 37.9% couple families
Clifton Springs — Couple Families: 37.9% Clifton Springs — Lone Person: 40.9% Clifton Springs — One Parent Families: 16.9% Clifton Springs — Group Household: 3.0% Clifton Springs — Other Families: 1.2%
Curlewis 50.9% couple families
Curlewis — Couple Families: 50.9% Curlewis — Lone Person: 22.3% Curlewis — One Parent Families: 21.3% Curlewis — Group Household: 4.1% Curlewis — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Clifton Springs 18.3% renting
Clifton Springs — Owned Outright: 43.8% Clifton Springs — Mortgage: 37.9% Clifton Springs — Renting: 18.3%
Curlewis 30.8% renting
Curlewis — Owned Outright: 25.7% Curlewis — Mortgage: 43.4% Curlewis — Renting: 30.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Certificate III & IV 20.1% / 18.3%
Clifton Springs — Certificate III & IV: 20.1% Curlewis — Certificate III & IV: 18.3%
Bachelor Degree 9.7% / 11.2%
Clifton Springs — Bachelor Degree: 9.7% Curlewis — Bachelor Degree: 11.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 9.6%
Clifton Springs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Curlewis — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6%
Postgraduate Degree 2.6% / 2.8%
Clifton Springs — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6% Curlewis — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.4%
Clifton Springs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Curlewis — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

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.

Clifton Springs Curlewis
England 6.0% / 4.2%
Clifton Springs — England: 6.0% Curlewis — England: 4.2%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.3%
Clifton Springs — New Zealand: 1.3% Curlewis — New Zealand: 1.3%
Scotland 0.9% / 0.4%
Clifton Springs — Scotland: 0.9% Curlewis — Scotland: 0.4%
Philippines — / 1.0%
Clifton Springs — Philippines: not among its largest Curlewis — Philippines: 1.0%
South Africa 0.5% / 0.5%
Clifton Springs — South Africa: 0.5% Curlewis — South Africa: 0.5%
Netherlands 0.5% / 0.3%
Clifton Springs — Netherlands: 0.5% Curlewis — Netherlands: 0.3%
India — / 0.8%
Clifton Springs — India: not among its largest Curlewis — India: 0.8%
Germany 0.7% / —
Clifton Springs — Germany: 0.7% Curlewis — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Clifton Springs 98.2% houses
Clifton Springs — Houses: 98.2% Clifton Springs — Townhouses: 1.8%
Curlewis 99.1% houses
Curlewis — Houses: 99.1% Curlewis — Townhouses: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Median house price $702,500 $697,500
Median unit price $530,000 —
Median land price $385,000 $600,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 31 days
from 125 sales
 33 days
from 100 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.

Clifton Springs Curlewis
3 bed $675K / $645K
Clifton Springs — 3 bed: $675K (154 sales) Curlewis — 3 bed: $645K (38 sales)

154 vs 38 sales

4 bed $758K / $710K
Clifton Springs — 4 bed: $758K (68 sales) Curlewis — 4 bed: $710K (116 sales)

68 vs 116 sales

5 bed $810K / $1.02M
Clifton Springs — 5 bed: $810K (13 sales) Curlewis — 5 bed: $1.02M (8 sales)

13 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Curlewis has more rural and farming land (75% vs 10%).

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Rural and farming 10% 75%
Residential 70% 15%
Parks and recreation 19% 2%
Other and special use 0% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
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

Clifton Springs Curlewis
New dwellings approved 3,468
across Greater Geelong
same for both
Approvals change year on year +56%
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.

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Houses 3.8%
$535/wk on $735K
 4.0%
$560/wk on $730K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Clifton Springs Curlewis
House price Higher than 34% of VIC Higher than 39% of VIC
Income Higher than 32% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 25% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 61% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 53% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC

Liveability

Clifton Springs is more walkable (34 vs 6); Clifton Springs scores higher overall (58 vs 47).

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Grade B C
Score 58/100 47/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Curlewis carries more crime risk (43 vs 31).

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
31/100
 Moderate
43/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion High
73/100
 Low
35/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Clifton Springs

  • Clifton Springs Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Curlewis

  • Bellarine Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Saint Ignatius College Geelong Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • St Thomas Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 8 4
Childcare 4 1
GPs 1 2
Pharmacies 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Clifton Springs sits further from the CBD (96.3 km vs 90.7 km).

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Walkability score 34/100 6/100
Distance to Melbourne 96.3 km
+6% vs other
 90.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 89 min 81 min
Public transport score 75/100 72/100
Peak arrivals per hour 36.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 27.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3222
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 3222
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.

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Car (driver) 74.0% / 73.6%
Clifton Springs — Car (driver): 74.0% Curlewis — Car (driver): 73.6%
Worked from Home 18.3% / 19.3%
Clifton Springs — Worked from Home: 18.3% Curlewis — Worked from Home: 19.3%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.5%
Clifton Springs — Car (passenger): 4.6% Curlewis — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Bus 1.0% / 0.9%
Clifton Springs — Bus: 1.0% Curlewis — Bus: 0.9%
Walked Only 0.9% / 0.9%
Clifton Springs — Walked Only: 0.9% Curlewis — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.0%).

Setting

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Elevation 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 624 m 1.9 km
3.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Connectivity score 72/100 79/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 49%
3,791 premises
 74%
1,014 premises

Climate

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Annual rainfall —
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 22.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Clifton Springs Curlewis
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Division Corangamite
same for both
Member Libby Coker
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Clifton Springs Curlewis
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Clifton Springs

Coastal Large Blocks Retirees

Curlewis

Acreage Coastal Family Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Clifton Springs

Clifton Springs vs Drysdale Clifton Springs vs Bellarine

Other comparisons with Curlewis

Curlewis vs Leopold Curlewis vs Drysdale Curlewis vs Wallington
Full data on Clifton Springs Full data on Curlewis
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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