Cowes vs Ventnor

Cowes is the younger of the two, with a median age of 55 against 58 in Ventnor. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Ventnor: a median of $821,000, against $700,000 in Cowes.

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

Cowes

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 5)
  • But Ventnor carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 69/100)

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

First-home buyers

Cowes

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($446,000 vs $592,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($700,000 vs $820,600)
  • But Ventnor leaves households under less mortgage stress (30% vs 35%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Cowes has a bigger rental market to choose from (28% vs 14%)
  • Ventnor leaves renters under less rental stress (25% vs 32%)

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

Commuting to the city

Cowes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (16/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cowes

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (16/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (17% vs 1%)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • But Ventnor carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 69/100)

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

Investors

Cowes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.6% vs 3.1%)

Weighs house yield.

Where they sit

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

Cowes Ventnor
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.

Cowes Ventnor
Walkability 16 / 0
Cowes — Walkability: 16/100 Ventnor — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 31 / 63
Cowes — Safety: 31/100 Ventnor — Safety: 63/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Cowes — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ventnor — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 77 / 78
Cowes — Low flood risk: 77/100 Ventnor — Low flood risk: 78/100

Demographics

Cowes has more residents (6,593 vs 982); Ventnor has higher household incomes ($67,184 vs $53,352).

Cowes Ventnor
Population 6,593
+85% vs other
 982
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +36.2% —
Median age 55 58
Median household income $53,352/yr $67,184/yr
+26% vs other
Median weekly rent $331/wk $328/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cowes Ventnor
0-4 4.2% / 2.5%
Cowes — 0-4: 4.2% Ventnor — 0-4: 2.5%
5-14 10.0% / 10.6%
Cowes — 5-14: 10.0% Ventnor — 5-14: 10.6%
15-19 3.6% / 3.8%
Cowes — 15-19: 3.6% Ventnor — 15-19: 3.8%
20-24 2.8% / 1.5%
Cowes — 20-24: 2.8% Ventnor — 20-24: 1.5%
25-34 8.0% / 6.3%
Cowes — 25-34: 8.0% Ventnor — 25-34: 6.3%
35-44 9.6% / 8.2%
Cowes — 35-44: 9.6% Ventnor — 35-44: 8.2%
45-54 11.1% / 11.8%
Cowes — 45-54: 11.1% Ventnor — 45-54: 11.8%
55-64 15.7% / 21.2%
Cowes — 55-64: 15.7% Ventnor — 55-64: 21.2%
65-74 19.8% / 21.3%
Cowes — 65-74: 19.8% Ventnor — 65-74: 21.3%
75-84 10.8% / 10.3%
Cowes — 75-84: 10.8% Ventnor — 75-84: 10.3%
85+ 4.3% / 2.7%
Cowes — 85+: 4.3% Ventnor — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cowes 53.0% lone person
Cowes — Lone Person: 53.0% Cowes — Couple Families: 27.1% Cowes — One Parent Families: 15.5% Cowes — Group Household: 3.6% Cowes — Other Families: 0.8%
Ventnor 51.1% lone person
Ventnor — Lone Person: 51.1% Ventnor — Couple Families: 32.1% Ventnor — One Parent Families: 12.7% Ventnor — Group Household: 4.2% Ventnor — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cowes 27.9% renting
Cowes — Owned Outright: 48.8% Cowes — Mortgage: 23.3% Cowes — Renting: 27.9%
Ventnor 14.0% renting
Ventnor — Owned Outright: 57.5% Ventnor — Mortgage: 28.5% Ventnor — Renting: 14.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cowes Ventnor
Certificate III & IV 16.2% / 15.8%
Cowes — Certificate III & IV: 16.2% Ventnor — Certificate III & IV: 15.8%
Bachelor Degree 9.1% / 14.7%
Cowes — Bachelor Degree: 9.1% Ventnor — Bachelor Degree: 14.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 11.3%
Cowes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Ventnor — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 4.8%
Cowes — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Ventnor — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.9%
Cowes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Ventnor — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

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

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.

Cowes Ventnor
England 6.4% / 5.8%
Cowes — England: 6.4% Ventnor — England: 5.8%
New Zealand 1.6% / 2.2%
Cowes — New Zealand: 1.6% Ventnor — New Zealand: 2.2%
Germany 0.6% / 1.1%
Cowes — Germany: 0.6% Ventnor — Germany: 1.1%
Scotland 0.7% / 1.0%
Cowes — Scotland: 0.7% Ventnor — Scotland: 1.0%
India 1.2% / 0.3%
Cowes — India: 1.2% Ventnor — India: 0.3%
Italy 0.9% / —
Cowes — Italy: 0.9% Ventnor — Italy: not among its largest
Greece — / 0.7%
Cowes — Greece: not among its largest Ventnor — Greece: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cowes 83.4% houses
Cowes — Houses: 83.4% Cowes — Townhouses: 11.8% Cowes — Flats / Apartments: 4.8%
Ventnor 99.0% houses
Ventnor — Houses: 99.0% Ventnor — Townhouses: 0.0% Ventnor — Flats / Apartments: 1.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cowes Ventnor
Median house price $700,000 $820,600
Median unit price $459,000 —
Median land price $446,000 $592,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 57 days
from 132 sales
 62 days
from 34 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.

Cowes Ventnor
2 bed $545K / $632K
Cowes — 2 bed: $545K (22 sales) Ventnor — 2 bed: $632K (8 sales)

22 vs 8 sales

3 bed $650K / $670K
Cowes — 3 bed: $650K (125 sales) Ventnor — 3 bed: $670K (23 sales)

125 vs 23 sales

4 bed $775K / $888K
Cowes — 4 bed: $775K (83 sales) Ventnor — 4 bed: $888K (32 sales)

83 vs 32 sales

5 bed $858K / $1.12M
Cowes — 5 bed: $858K (12 sales) Ventnor — 5 bed: $1.12M (5 sales)

12 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Ventnor has more rural and farming land (82% vs 57%).

Cowes Ventnor
Rural and farming 57% 82%
Residential 33% 4%
Parks and recreation 4% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 2%
Other and special use 0% 4%
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

Cowes Ventnor
New dwellings approved 393
across Bass Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
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.

Cowes Ventnor
Houses 3.6%
$520/wk on $760K
 3.1%
$530/wk on $877K
Units 4.5%
$420/wk on $489K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Cowes Ventnor
House price Higher than 46% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC
Income Higher than 12% of VIC Higher than 28% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 77% of VIC Higher than 9% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 15% of VIC Higher than 24% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 70% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 19% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 30% of VIC —

Liveability

Cowes is more walkable (16 vs 0); Ventnor scores higher overall (57 vs 45).

Cowes Ventnor
Grade C B
Score 45/100 57/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Cowes carries more crime risk (69 vs 37).

Cowes Ventnor
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
69/100
 Low
37/100
Flood Low
23/100
 Low
22/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
57/100
 Moderate
59/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Cowes Ventnor
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Cowes

  • Cowes Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Schools in Ventnor

  • Phillip Island Village School Independent · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cowes Ventnor
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 44 4
Parks & reserves 9 5
Childcare 6 0
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 0
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 1 3

Mobility

Cowes Ventnor
Walkability score 16/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 138.3 km 140.2 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 113 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 3922
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 29
postcode 3922
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.

Cowes Ventnor
Car (driver) 65.2% / 61.3%
Cowes — Car (driver): 65.2% Ventnor — Car (driver): 61.3%
Worked from Home 21.8% / 34.6%
Cowes — Worked from Home: 21.8% Ventnor — Worked from Home: 34.6%
Walked Only 5.8% / 2.9%
Cowes — Walked Only: 5.8% Ventnor — Walked Only: 2.9%
Car (passenger) 5.4% / 1.2%
Cowes — Car (passenger): 5.4% Ventnor — Car (passenger): 1.2%
Bicycle 1.6% / —
Cowes — Bicycle: 1.6% Ventnor — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.2%).

Setting

Cowes Ventnor
Elevation 31 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.4 km
2.6 km to a named beach
 2.5 km
2.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Cowes Ventnor
Connectivity score 75/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 54%
6,893 premises
 61%
1,135 premises

Climate

Cowes Ventnor
Annual rainfall 704 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Cowes Ventnor
Average residential rate $1,727/yr
same for both
Council Bass Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Cowes Ventnor
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cowes Ventnor
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cowes

Coastal Retirees

Ventnor

Acreage Coastal Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cowes

Cowes vs Rhyll Cowes vs Sunset Strip Cowes vs Wimbledon Heights Cowes vs Silverleaves Cowes vs Smiths Beach

Other comparisons with Ventnor

Ventnor vs Smiths Beach
Full data on Cowes Full data on Ventnor
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or