Geelong West vs Geelong

Geelong West is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 40 in Geelong. In both, about half of households are people living alone. In Geelong West, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Geelong, about half of households rent. On these figures, Geelong tends to suit people living alone.

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

Geelong West

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (74% vs 52%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (45% vs 34%)
  • But Geelong has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Geelong West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($430,000 vs $566,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Geelong

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (15 vs 2)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 26%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 14%)
  • But Geelong West carries lower crime risk (84/100 vs 99/100)

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

Investors

Geelong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.5% vs 5.4%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Geelong West Geelong
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.

Geelong West Geelong
Walkability 93 / 90
Geelong West — Walkability: 93/100 Geelong — Walkability: 90/100
Safety 16 / 1
Geelong West — Safety: 16/100 Geelong — Safety: 1/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Geelong West — Low fire risk: 100/100 Geelong — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 62 / 63
Geelong West — Low flood risk: 62/100 Geelong — Low flood risk: 63/100

Demographics

Geelong West has more residents (7,345 vs 5,811); Geelong skews older (40 vs 36).

Geelong West Geelong
Population 7,345
+21% vs other
 5,811
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.4% +11.5%
Median age 36 40
Median household income $93,444/yr
+7% vs other
 $86,840/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk $370/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Geelong West Geelong
0-4 6.8% / 3.5%
Geelong West — 0-4: 6.8% Geelong — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 10.3% / 6.7%
Geelong West — 5-14: 10.3% Geelong — 5-14: 6.7%
15-19 4.1% / 5.0%
Geelong West — 15-19: 4.1% Geelong — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 6.8% / 8.9%
Geelong West — 20-24: 6.8% Geelong — 20-24: 8.9%
25-34 18.1% / 19.0%
Geelong West — 25-34: 18.1% Geelong — 25-34: 19.0%
35-44 16.0% / 10.6%
Geelong West — 35-44: 16.0% Geelong — 35-44: 10.6%
45-54 13.1% / 11.5%
Geelong West — 45-54: 13.1% Geelong — 45-54: 11.5%
55-64 10.8% / 13.9%
Geelong West — 55-64: 10.8% Geelong — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 8.6% / 12.5%
Geelong West — 65-74: 8.6% Geelong — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 3.9% / 5.8%
Geelong West — 75-84: 3.9% Geelong — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 1.3% / 2.6%
Geelong West — 85+: 1.3% Geelong — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Geelong West 45.5% lone person
Geelong West — Lone Person: 45.5% Geelong West — Couple Families: 32.3% Geelong West — One Parent Families: 12.9% Geelong West — Group Household: 7.9% Geelong West — Other Families: 1.4%
Geelong 54.7% lone person
Geelong — Lone Person: 54.7% Geelong — Couple Families: 24.9% Geelong — One Parent Families: 8.6% Geelong — Group Household: 10.3% Geelong — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Geelong West 41.2% renting
Geelong West — Owned Outright: 28.1% Geelong West — Mortgage: 30.6% Geelong West — Renting: 41.2%
Geelong 45.1% renting
Geelong — Owned Outright: 34.1% Geelong — Mortgage: 20.8% Geelong — Renting: 45.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Geelong West Geelong
Bachelor Degree 19.1% / 21.1%
Geelong West — Bachelor Degree: 19.1% Geelong — Bachelor Degree: 21.1%
Certificate III & IV 11.9% / 11.3%
Geelong West — Certificate III & IV: 11.9% Geelong — Certificate III & IV: 11.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 8.5%
Geelong West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Geelong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree 8.1% / 8.5%
Geelong West — Postgraduate Degree: 8.1% Geelong — Postgraduate Degree: 8.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.0% / 3.6%
Geelong West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0% Geelong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.1%).

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.

Geelong West Geelong
England 3.0% / 3.1%
Geelong West — England: 3.0% Geelong — England: 3.1%
India 2.0% / 2.8%
Geelong West — India: 2.0% Geelong — India: 2.8%
China 1.5% / 1.8%
Geelong West — China: 1.5% Geelong — China: 1.8%
Italy 1.5% / 1.7%
Geelong West — Italy: 1.5% Geelong — Italy: 1.7%
New Zealand 1.3% / 0.9%
Geelong West — New Zealand: 1.3% Geelong — New Zealand: 0.9%
Malaysia 0.4% / 1.1%
Geelong West — Malaysia: 0.4% Geelong — Malaysia: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Geelong West 73.7% houses
Geelong West — Houses: 73.7% Geelong West — Flats / Apartments: 17.2% Geelong West — Townhouses: 9.0%
Geelong 51.8% houses
Geelong — Houses: 51.8% Geelong — Flats / Apartments: 26.8% Geelong — Townhouses: 21.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Geelong West Geelong
Median house price $860,000 $895,750
Median unit price $430,000 $566,500
Median land price $725,500 $730,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 71 sales
 33 days
from 59 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.

Geelong West Geelong
1 bed $305K / $430K
Geelong West — 1 bed: $305K (17 sales) Geelong — 1 bed: $430K (23 sales)

17 vs 23 sales

2 bed $515K / $591K
Geelong West — 2 bed: $515K (27 sales) Geelong — 2 bed: $591K (65 sales)

27 vs 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.

Geelong West Geelong
2 bed $685K / $665K
Geelong West — 2 bed: $685K (33 sales) Geelong — 2 bed: $665K (23 sales)

33 vs 23 sales

3 bed $860K / $905K
Geelong West — 3 bed: $860K (86 sales) Geelong — 3 bed: $905K (48 sales)

86 vs 48 sales

4 bed $1.05M / $1.12M
Geelong West — 4 bed: $1.05M (34 sales) Geelong — 4 bed: $1.12M (30 sales)

34 vs 30 sales

Zoning mix

Geelong has more commercially zoned land (38% vs 12%).

Geelong West Geelong
Residential 78% 41%
Commercial 12% 38%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 14%
Parks and recreation 3% 7%
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

Geelong West Geelong
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.

Geelong West Geelong
Houses 3.1%
$558/wk on $925K
 3.2%
$640/wk on $1.04M
Units 5.1%
$460/wk on $472K
 4.9%
$580/wk on $620K

Ranking within VIC

Geelong West Geelong
House price Higher than 61% of VIC Higher than 59% of VIC
Income Higher than 63% of VIC Higher than 57% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 15% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 44% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 19% of VIC Higher than 21% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 66% of VIC Higher than 54% of VIC

Liveability

Geelong West scores higher overall (66 vs 51).

Geelong West Geelong
Grade B
same for both
Score 66/100 51/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Geelong carries more crime risk (99 vs 84).

Geelong West Geelong
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
84/100
 High
99/100
Flood Low
38/100
 Low
37/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
78/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 14
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Geelong West Geelong
Inside the suburb 2 5
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 1.9 km
 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 0.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.4% 6.1%

Schools in Geelong West

  • St Patrick's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Ashby Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Geelong

  • Geelong South Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Newcomb Secondary College-Victorian Sailing Water Safety School Government · Secondary
  • SEDA College (Victoria) - AFL- Geelong Independent · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Geelong West Geelong
Supermarkets 4 1
Cafes & restaurants 41 123
Parks & reserves 6 14
Childcare 5 4
GPs 2 15
Pharmacies 5 7
Hospitals 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 7 8
Fuel stations 2
same for both
Beaches 0 1

Mobility

Geelong West Geelong
Walkability score 93/100 90/100
Distance to Melbourne 73.4 km 74.3 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 63 min 64 min
Public transport score 76/100 89/100
Rail
Peak arrivals per hour 129.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 318.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 3218
 1.9%
postcode 3220
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 24
postcode 3218
 24
postcode 3220

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.

Geelong West Geelong
Car (driver) 56.8% / 49.6%
Geelong West — Car (driver): 56.8% Geelong — Car (driver): 49.6%
Worked from Home 30.1% / 25.1%
Geelong West — Worked from Home: 30.1% Geelong — Worked from Home: 25.1%
Walked Only 5.4% / 16.5%
Geelong West — Walked Only: 5.4% Geelong — Walked Only: 16.5%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 3.7%
Geelong West — Car (passenger): 3.6% Geelong — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Bicycle 1.6% / 1.6%
Geelong West — Bicycle: 1.6% Geelong — Bicycle: 1.6%
Bus 1.4% / 1.7%
Geelong West — Bus: 1.4% Geelong — Bus: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (56.8%).

Setting

Geelong West Geelong
Elevation 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 996 m
2.3 km to a named beach
 639 m
774 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Geelong West Geelong
Connectivity score 78/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
4,462 premises
 35%
6,219 premises

Climate

Geelong West Geelong
Annual rainfall 454 mm —
Summer max (Jan) 26.1°C 22.8°C
Winter min (Jul) 5.5°C 7.8°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Geelong West Geelong
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Geelong West Geelong
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Geelong West Geelong
Division Corio
same for both
Member Richard Marles
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Geelong West Geelong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Geelong West

Cafe Culture Coastal Parks Professionals Urban Village Feel

Geelong

Beach Cafe Culture Coastal Nightlife Parks Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Geelong West

Geelong West vs Newtown Geelong West vs Hamlyn Heights Geelong West vs North Geelong Geelong West vs Manifold Heights Geelong West vs Drumcondra

Other comparisons with Geelong

Geelong vs Newtown Geelong vs East Geelong Geelong vs North Geelong Geelong vs South Geelong Geelong vs Drumcondra
Full data on Geelong West Full data on Geelong
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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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