Highton vs Waurn Ponds

Waurn Ponds is the younger of the two, with a median age of 27 against 39 in Highton. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Highton, about half of households are couple families. In Waurn Ponds, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Highton: a median of $900,000, against $790,000 in Waurn Ponds, though rent is higher in Waurn Ponds. On these figures, Highton tends to suit people living alone, while Waurn Ponds suits young adults 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

Highton

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (13 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (22 vs 5)
  • But Waurn Ponds 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

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Highton has cheaper land ($456,250 vs $638,000)
  • Waurn Ponds has cheaper houses ($790,000 vs $900,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Highton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($360/wk vs $430/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Highton

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 18/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (82.2 km vs 87.9 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Highton

ahead on 5 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (13% vs 2%)
  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 18/100)
  • has more GPs (6 vs 2)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Highton is growing faster (9.4% vs -1.8%)
  • Waurn Ponds returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.7% vs 3.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Highton Waurn Ponds
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.

Highton Waurn Ponds
Walkability 76 / 18
Highton — Walkability: 76/100 Waurn Ponds — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 73 / 42
Highton — Safety: 73/100 Waurn Ponds — Safety: 42/100
Low fire risk 100 / 69
Highton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Waurn Ponds — Low fire risk: 69/100
Low flood risk 42 / 67
Highton — Low flood risk: 42/100 Waurn Ponds — Low flood risk: 67/100

Demographics

Highton has more residents (20,736 vs 4,956); Highton skews older (39 vs 27).

Highton Waurn Ponds
Population 20,736
+76% vs other
 4,956
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.4% -1.8%
Median age 39 27
Median household income $106,808/yr $118,872/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $360/wk $430/wk
+19% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Highton Waurn Ponds
0-4 5.3% / 3.9%
Highton — 0-4: 5.3% Waurn Ponds — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 13.5% / 12.2%
Highton — 5-14: 13.5% Waurn Ponds — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 6.1% / 13.0%
Highton — 15-19: 6.1% Waurn Ponds — 15-19: 13.0%
20-24 7.3% / 16.5%
Highton — 20-24: 7.3% Waurn Ponds — 20-24: 16.5%
25-34 12.0% / 12.1%
Highton — 25-34: 12.0% Waurn Ponds — 25-34: 12.1%
35-44 13.2% / 10.5%
Highton — 35-44: 13.2% Waurn Ponds — 35-44: 10.5%
45-54 12.9% / 13.4%
Highton — 45-54: 12.9% Waurn Ponds — 45-54: 13.4%
55-64 11.4% / 8.5%
Highton — 55-64: 11.4% Waurn Ponds — 55-64: 8.5%
65-74 9.8% / 6.1%
Highton — 65-74: 9.8% Waurn Ponds — 65-74: 6.1%
75-84 6.4% / 3.1%
Highton — 75-84: 6.4% Waurn Ponds — 75-84: 3.1%
85+ 2.1% / 0.5%
Highton — 85+: 2.1% Waurn Ponds — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Highton 50.6% couple families
Highton — Couple Families: 50.6% Highton — Lone Person: 32.2% Highton — One Parent Families: 11.2% Highton — Group Household: 5.1% Highton — Other Families: 0.9%
Waurn Ponds 61.0% couple families
Waurn Ponds — Couple Families: 61.0% Waurn Ponds — Lone Person: 19.2% Waurn Ponds — One Parent Families: 12.6% Waurn Ponds — Group Household: 6.0% Waurn Ponds — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Highton 21.8% renting
Highton — Owned Outright: 39.3% Highton — Mortgage: 39.0% Highton — Renting: 21.8%
Waurn Ponds 21.3% renting
Waurn Ponds — Owned Outright: 34.7% Waurn Ponds — Mortgage: 44.0% Waurn Ponds — Renting: 21.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Highton Waurn Ponds
Bachelor Degree 19.2% / 13.9%
Highton — Bachelor Degree: 19.2% Waurn Ponds — Bachelor Degree: 13.9%
Certificate III & IV 11.4% / 13.5%
Highton — Certificate III & IV: 11.4% Waurn Ponds — Certificate III & IV: 13.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 8.1%
Highton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Waurn Ponds — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 6.8% / 5.6%
Highton — Postgraduate Degree: 6.8% Waurn Ponds — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 2.4%
Highton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Waurn Ponds — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

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.

Highton Waurn Ponds
India 2.4% / 4.0%
Highton — India: 2.4% Waurn Ponds — India: 4.0%
England 3.4% / 2.9%
Highton — England: 3.4% Waurn Ponds — England: 2.9%
China 1.5% / 1.4%
Highton — China: 1.5% Waurn Ponds — China: 1.4%
Sri Lanka 0.6% / 1.4%
Highton — Sri Lanka: 0.6% Waurn Ponds — Sri Lanka: 1.4%
New Zealand 1.1% / 0.8%
Highton — New Zealand: 1.1% Waurn Ponds — New Zealand: 0.8%
South Africa 0.8% / —
Highton — South Africa: 0.8% Waurn Ponds — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Highton 87.3% houses
Highton — Houses: 87.3% Highton — Townhouses: 12.4% Highton — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Waurn Ponds 97.6% houses
Waurn Ponds — Houses: 97.6% Waurn Ponds — Townhouses: 2.4% Waurn Ponds — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Highton Waurn Ponds
Median house price $900,000 $790,000
Median unit price $500,000 $510,000
Median land price $456,250 $638,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 218 sales
 28 days
from 58 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.

Highton Waurn Ponds
3 bed $811K / $740K
Highton — 3 bed: $811K (167 sales) Waurn Ponds — 3 bed: $740K (45 sales)

167 vs 45 sales

4 bed $1M / $820K
Highton — 4 bed: $1M (180 sales) Waurn Ponds — 4 bed: $820K (53 sales)

180 vs 53 sales

Zoning mix

Waurn Ponds has more rural and farming land (75% vs 0%).

Highton Waurn Ponds
Residential 76% 8%
Rural and farming 0% 75%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 14%
Parks and recreation 12% 1%
Other and special use 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

Highton Waurn Ponds
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.

Highton Waurn Ponds
Houses 3.2%
$618/wk on $1M
 3.7%
$610/wk on $855K
Units 4.2%
$450/wk on $555K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Highton Waurn Ponds
House price Higher than 62% of VIC Higher than 48% of VIC
Income Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
Schools Higher than 11% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 64% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 23% of VIC Higher than 47% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 16% of VIC —

Liveability

Highton is more walkable (76 vs 18); Highton scores higher overall (60 vs 55).

Highton Waurn Ponds
Grade B
same for both
Score 60/100 55/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Waurn Ponds carries more bushfire risk (31 vs 0); Waurn Ponds carries more crime risk (58 vs 27).

Highton Waurn Ponds
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
31/100
Crime Low
27/100
 Moderate
58/100
Flood Moderate
58/100
 Low
33/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Highton Waurn Ponds
Inside the suburb 5 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 5.0 km
 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 9.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.7% 16.8%

Schools in Highton

  • Bellaire Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Highton Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Montpellier Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Christian College Geelong - Junior School – Belmont Independent · Combined
  • Christian College Geelong - Middle School – Highton Independent · Combined

Schools in Waurn Ponds

  • Christian College Geelong - Senior School – Waurn Ponds Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Highton Waurn Ponds
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 8 3
Parks & reserves 22 5
Childcare 13 2
GPs 6 2
Pharmacies 3 1
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 3 1
Fuel stations 2 1
EV chargers 1
same for both
Waterways 17 14

Mobility

Waurn Ponds sits further from the CBD (87.9 km vs 82.2 km).

Highton Waurn Ponds
Walkability score 76/100 18/100
Distance to Melbourne 82.2 km 87.9 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 64 min 68 min
Public transport score 76/100
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 163.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 91.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 3216
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 3216
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.

Highton Waurn Ponds
Car (driver) 64.6% / 70.2%
Highton — Car (driver): 64.6% Waurn Ponds — Car (driver): 70.2%
Worked from Home 27.0% / 19.7%
Highton — Worked from Home: 27.0% Waurn Ponds — Worked from Home: 19.7%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.8%
Highton — Car (passenger): 4.6% Waurn Ponds — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Bus 1.0% / 2.2%
Highton — Bus: 1.0% Waurn Ponds — Bus: 2.2%
Walked Only 1.3% / 1.4%
Highton — Walked Only: 1.3% Waurn Ponds — Walked Only: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.2%).

Setting

Highton Waurn Ponds
Elevation 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 104 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.3 km 10.1 km

NBN connectivity

Highton Waurn Ponds
Connectivity score 76/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 56%
9,304 premises
 46%
1,552 premises

Climate

Highton Waurn Ponds
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)

Highton Waurn Ponds
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Highton Waurn Ponds
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Highton Waurn Ponds
Division Corio Corangamite
Member Richard Marles Libby Coker
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Highton Waurn Ponds
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Highton

Parks Professionals Regional Centre

Waurn Ponds

Acreage River Students

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Highton

Highton vs Belmont Highton vs Grovedale Highton vs Newtown Highton vs Wandana Heights Highton vs Fyansford Highton vs Ceres

Other comparisons with Waurn Ponds

Waurn Ponds vs Grovedale Waurn Ponds vs Mount Duneed Waurn Ponds vs Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds vs Freshwater Creek Waurn Ponds vs Ceres Waurn Ponds vs Mount Moriac
Full data on Highton Full data on Waurn Ponds
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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