Lara vs Anakie

Lara is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 43 in Anakie. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Lara, about half of households are couple families. In Anakie, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Anakie: a median of $821,000, against $695,000 in Lara, though rent is higher in Lara. On these figures, Lara tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Anakie suits 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

Lara

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (13 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 3)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • But Anakie carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 60/100)

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

First-home buyers

Lara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($695,000 vs $821,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Lara has a bigger rental market to choose from (22% vs 5%)
  • Anakie has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $370/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Lara

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (61.5 km vs 80.7 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Lara

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • But Anakie carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 60/100)

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

Investors

Lara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.3% vs 6.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lara Anakie
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.

Lara Anakie
Walkability 23 / 0
Lara — Walkability: 23/100 Anakie — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 40 / 71
Lara — Safety: 40/100 Anakie — Safety: 71/100
Low fire risk 41 / 34
Lara — Low fire risk: 41/100 Anakie — Low fire risk: 34/100
Low flood risk 39 / 76
Lara — Low flood risk: 39/100 Anakie — Low flood risk: 76/100

Demographics

Lara has more residents (19,014 vs 734); Lara rents higher ($370/wk vs $300/wk).

Lara Anakie
Population 19,014
+96% vs other
 734
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.3% +6.4%
Median age 37 43
Median household income $102,388/yr
+1% vs other
 $100,880/yr
Median weekly rent $370/wk
+19% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lara Anakie
0-4 6.3% / 4.9%
Lara — 0-4: 6.3% Anakie — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 12.9% / 15.0%
Lara — 5-14: 12.9% Anakie — 5-14: 15.0%
15-19 5.6% / 5.2%
Lara — 15-19: 5.6% Anakie — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 5.5% / 4.5%
Lara — 20-24: 5.5% Anakie — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 15.8% / 9.7%
Lara — 25-34: 15.8% Anakie — 25-34: 9.7%
35-44 15.0% / 11.6%
Lara — 35-44: 15.0% Anakie — 35-44: 11.6%
45-54 13.4% / 15.0%
Lara — 45-54: 13.4% Anakie — 45-54: 15.0%
55-64 10.5% / 16.5%
Lara — 55-64: 10.5% Anakie — 55-64: 16.5%
65-74 9.0% / 12.3%
Lara — 65-74: 9.0% Anakie — 65-74: 12.3%
75-84 4.2% / 3.5%
Lara — 75-84: 4.2% Anakie — 75-84: 3.5%
85+ 1.5% / 1.5%
Lara — 85+: 1.5% Anakie — 85+: 1.5%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lara 51.1% couple families
Lara — Couple Families: 51.1% Lara — Lone Person: 28.2% Lara — One Parent Families: 16.4% Lara — Group Household: 3.1% Lara — Other Families: 1.2%
Anakie 62.4% couple families
Anakie — Couple Families: 62.4% Anakie — Lone Person: 28.2% Anakie — One Parent Families: 7.6% Anakie — Group Household: 1.8% Anakie — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lara 22.1% renting
Lara — Owned Outright: 31.2% Lara — Mortgage: 46.7% Lara — Renting: 22.1%
Anakie 5.4% renting
Anakie — Owned Outright: 44.4% Anakie — Mortgage: 50.2% Anakie — Renting: 5.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lara Anakie
Certificate III & IV 16.6% / 18.9%
Lara — Certificate III & IV: 16.6% Anakie — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 9.7% / 9.9%
Lara — Bachelor Degree: 9.7% Anakie — Bachelor Degree: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 8.4%
Lara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Anakie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.5% / 1.6%
Lara — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5% Anakie — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 0.8%
Lara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Anakie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

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.

Lara Anakie
England 3.6% / 4.5%
Lara — England: 3.6% Anakie — England: 4.5%
New Zealand 1.2% / 0.8%
Lara — New Zealand: 1.2% Anakie — New Zealand: 0.8%
India 1.9% / —
Lara — India: 1.9% Anakie — India: not among its largest
Germany 0.5% / 1.4%
Lara — Germany: 0.5% Anakie — Germany: 1.4%
Philippines 1.7% / —
Lara — Philippines: 1.7% Anakie — Philippines: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.5% / 0.5%
Lara — Vietnam: 0.5% Anakie — Vietnam: 0.5%
Scotland 0.7% / —
Lara — Scotland: 0.7% Anakie — Scotland: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.7%
Lara — South Africa: not among its largest Anakie — South Africa: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lara 89.5% houses
Lara — Houses: 89.5% Lara — Townhouses: 9.4% Lara — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Anakie 100.4% houses
Anakie — Houses: 100.4% Anakie — Townhouses: 0.0% Anakie — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Lara Anakie
Median house price $695,000 $821,000
Median unit price $515,000 —
Median land price $387,900 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 31 days
from 278 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Anakie has more land zoned for conservation (13% vs 0%); Anakie has more rural and farming land (85% vs 73%).

Lara Anakie
Rural and farming 73% 85%
Environmental 0% 13%
Residential 12% 0%
Parks and recreation 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 0%
Industrial 3% 0%
Other and special use 2% 1%
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

Lara Anakie
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.

Lara Anakie
Houses 4.1%
$595/wk on $750K
 —
Units 4.4%
$450/wk on $528K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Lara Anakie
House price Higher than 36% of VIC —
Income Higher than 75% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
Schools Higher than 61% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 88% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 64% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of VIC Higher than 35% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 75% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 28% of VIC —

Liveability

Lara is more walkable (23 vs 0); Anakie scores higher overall (48 vs 40).

Lara Anakie
Grade C
same for both
Score 40/100 48/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Lara carries more flood risk (61 vs 24); Lara carries more crime risk (60 vs 29).

Lara Anakie
Bushfire Moderate
59/100
 Moderate
66/100
Crime Moderate
60/100
 Low
29/100
Flood Moderate
61/100
 Low
24/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
83/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Lara Anakie
Inside the suburb 4 1
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in Lara

  • St Anthony's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Lara Lake Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Lara Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Lara Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Anakie

  • Anakie Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Lara Anakie
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 10 1
Parks & reserves 16 3
Childcare 13 1
GPs 6 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 1
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 13 4

Mobility

Anakie sits further from the CBD (80.7 km vs 61.5 km).

Lara Anakie
Walkability score 23/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 61.5 km 80.7 km
+31% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 64 min 67 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3212
 0.8%
postcode 3213
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 3212
 47
postcode 3213

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.

Lara Anakie
Car (driver) 70.6% / 64.4%
Lara — Car (driver): 70.6% Anakie — Car (driver): 64.4%
Worked from Home 20.8% / 25.0%
Lara — Worked from Home: 20.8% Anakie — Worked from Home: 25.0%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / 3.5%
Lara — Car (passenger): 4.7% Anakie — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Walked Only 1.0% / 4.8%
Lara — Walked Only: 1.0% Anakie — Walked Only: 4.8%
Train 2.5% / 2.2%
Lara — Train: 2.5% Anakie — Train: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.6%).

Setting

Lara Anakie
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 137 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.5 km 17.9 km

NBN connectivity

Lara Anakie
Connectivity score 78/100 28/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 55%
7,737 premises
 0%
326 premises

Climate

Lara Anakie
Annual rainfall 454 mm 502 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.1°C 25.8°C
Winter min (Jul) 5.5°C 5.3°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Lara Anakie
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Lara Anakie
Division Corio
same for both
Member Richard Marles
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lara Anakie
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lara

Regional Centre Transport Hub

Anakie

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lara

Lara vs Corio Lara vs Lovely Banks Lara vs Little River Lara vs Avalon

Other comparisons with Anakie

Anakie vs Lovely Banks Anakie vs Little River Anakie vs Balliang Anakie vs Maude Anakie vs Sutherlands Creek Anakie vs Staughton Vale
Full data on Lara Full data on Anakie
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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