Freshwater Creek vs Paraparap

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Freshwater Creek, most households are couple families. In Paraparap, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Freshwater Creek tends to suit couples and older residents, while Paraparap suits families with children.

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

Freshwater Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 62%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Freshwater Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (75 min vs 83 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (96.1 km vs 105 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Freshwater Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 14%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
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.

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Walkability 0 / 0
Freshwater Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Paraparap — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 43 / 43
Freshwater Creek — Safety: 43/100 Paraparap — Safety: 43/100
Low fire risk 100 / 18
Freshwater Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100 Paraparap — Low fire risk: 18/100
Low flood risk 47 / 46
Freshwater Creek — Low flood risk: 47/100 Paraparap — Low flood risk: 46/100

Demographics

Freshwater Creek has more residents (454 vs 167); Paraparap has higher household incomes ($120,224 vs $108,524).

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Population 454
+63% vs other
 167
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.7% +10.6%
Median age 45 44
Median household income $108,524/yr $120,224/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
0-4 3.7% / 4.8%
Freshwater Creek — 0-4: 3.7% Paraparap — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 14.3% / 19.2%
Freshwater Creek — 5-14: 14.3% Paraparap — 5-14: 19.2%
15-19 8.6% / 5.4%
Freshwater Creek — 15-19: 8.6% Paraparap — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 3.7% / 4.2%
Freshwater Creek — 20-24: 3.7% Paraparap — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 6.6% / 4.2%
Freshwater Creek — 25-34: 6.6% Paraparap — 25-34: 4.2%
35-44 12.1% / 15.0%
Freshwater Creek — 35-44: 12.1% Paraparap — 35-44: 15.0%
45-54 16.5% / 14.4%
Freshwater Creek — 45-54: 16.5% Paraparap — 45-54: 14.4%
55-64 13.0% / 19.8%
Freshwater Creek — 55-64: 13.0% Paraparap — 55-64: 19.8%
65-74 14.5% / 11.4%
Freshwater Creek — 65-74: 14.5% Paraparap — 65-74: 11.4%
75-84 6.2% / —
Freshwater Creek — 75-84: 6.2% Paraparap — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 2.0% / 3.0%
Freshwater Creek — 85+: 2.0% Paraparap — 85+: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek 61.4% couple families
Freshwater Creek — Couple Families: 61.4% Freshwater Creek — Lone Person: 25.7% Freshwater Creek — One Parent Families: 12.9% Freshwater Creek — Group Household: 0.0%
Paraparap 47.9% couple families
Paraparap — Couple Families: 47.9% Paraparap — Lone Person: 31.2% Paraparap — One Parent Families: 14.6% Paraparap — Group Household: 6.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek 14.8% renting
Freshwater Creek — Owned Outright: 51.7% Freshwater Creek — Mortgage: 33.6% Freshwater Creek — Renting: 14.8%
Paraparap 23.2% renting
Paraparap — Owned Outright: 53.6% Paraparap — Mortgage: 23.2% Paraparap — Renting: 23.2%
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.

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
England 3.3% / 3.6%
Freshwater Creek — England: 3.3% Paraparap — England: 3.6%
New Zealand 1.3% / —
Freshwater Creek — New Zealand: 1.3% Paraparap — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Freshwater Creek — Scotland: 0.7% Paraparap — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.6%).

Qualifications

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

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Bachelor Degree 16.3% / 18.6%
Freshwater Creek — Bachelor Degree: 16.3% Paraparap — Bachelor Degree: 18.6%
Certificate III & IV 13.2% / 12.6%
Freshwater Creek — Certificate III & IV: 13.2% Paraparap — Certificate III & IV: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 5.4%
Freshwater Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Paraparap — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4%
Postgraduate Degree 4.8% / 1.8%
Freshwater Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8% Paraparap — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 2.4%
Freshwater Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Paraparap — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek 94.2% houses
Freshwater Creek — Houses: 94.2% Freshwater Creek — Flats / Apartments: 5.8%
Paraparap 85.7% houses
Paraparap — Houses: 85.7% Paraparap — Flats / Apartments: 14.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Zoning mix

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Rural and farming 99% 96%
Parks and recreation 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

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
New dwellings approved 300
across Surf Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +57%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC

Liveability

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Paraparap carries more bushfire risk (82 vs 0).

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
82/100
Crime Moderate
57/100
same for both
Flood Moderate
53/100
 Moderate
54/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Freshwater Creek

  • Freshwater Creek Steiner School Independent · Primary below peers

Schools in Paraparap

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Parks & reserves 0 1
Waterways 27 2

Mobility

Paraparap sits further from the CBD (105 km vs 96.1 km).

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 96.1 km 105 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 75 min 83 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 3217
 1.6%
postcode 3240
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 3217
 62
postcode 3240

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.

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Car (driver) 58.3% / 62.8%
Freshwater Creek — Car (driver): 58.3% Paraparap — Car (driver): 62.8%
Worked from Home 33.3% / 37.2%
Freshwater Creek — Worked from Home: 33.3% Paraparap — Worked from Home: 37.2%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / —
Freshwater Creek — Car (passenger): 3.4% Paraparap — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 3.4% / —
Freshwater Creek — Walked Only: 3.4% Paraparap — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 1.5% / —
Freshwater Creek — Bicycle: 1.5% Paraparap — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.8%).

Setting

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Elevation 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 90 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.3 km 11.5 km

NBN connectivity

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Connectivity score 30/100 27/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
183 premises
 0%
66 premises

Climate

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Annual rainfall 599 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Average residential rate $2,314/yr
same for both
Council Surf Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Freshwater Creek Paraparap
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Freshwater Creek

Rural

Paraparap

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Freshwater Creek

Freshwater Creek vs Torquay Freshwater Creek vs Mount Duneed Freshwater Creek vs Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek vs Bellbrae Freshwater Creek vs Moriac Freshwater Creek vs Mount Moriac

Other comparisons with Paraparap

Paraparap vs Anglesea Paraparap vs Bellbrae Paraparap vs Moriac Paraparap vs Gherang Paraparap vs Modewarre
Full data on Freshwater Creek Full data on Paraparap
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