Little River vs Balliang

Comparing Little River and Balliang, VIC: Little River has more residents (1,353 vs 254); Balliang sits further from the CBD (70.3 km vs 55.5 km); and Little River carries more crime risk (87 vs 69).

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

Little River

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 2)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Balliang carries lower crime risk (69/100 vs 87/100)

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

First-home buyers

Little River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 39%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Balliang

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $427/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Little River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (48 min vs 64 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (55.5 km vs 70.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Balliang

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (69/100 vs 87/100)

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

Investors

Little River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.3% vs -12.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Little River Balliang
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.

Little River Balliang
Walkability 0 / 0
Little River — Walkability: 0/100 Balliang — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 13 / 31
Little River — Safety: 13/100 Balliang — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 44 / 41
Little River — Low fire risk: 44/100 Balliang — Low fire risk: 41/100
Low flood risk 62 / 57
Little River — Low flood risk: 62/100 Balliang — Low flood risk: 57/100

Demographics

Little River has more residents (1,353 vs 254); Little River rents higher ($427/wk vs $300/wk).

Little River Balliang
Population 1,353
+81% vs other
 254
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.3% -12.4%
Median age 42 44
Median household income $104,260/yr
+27% vs other
 $76,336/yr
Median weekly rent $427/wk
+30% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Little River Balliang
0-4 4.1% / 5.5%
Little River — 0-4: 4.1% Balliang — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 15.2% / 14.6%
Little River — 5-14: 15.2% Balliang — 5-14: 14.6%
15-19 7.4% / 5.9%
Little River — 15-19: 7.4% Balliang — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 7.2% / 2.0%
Little River — 20-24: 7.2% Balliang — 20-24: 2.0%
25-34 7.2% / 8.7%
Little River — 25-34: 7.2% Balliang — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 12.3% / 16.9%
Little River — 35-44: 12.3% Balliang — 35-44: 16.9%
45-54 16.1% / 16.5%
Little River — 45-54: 16.1% Balliang — 45-54: 16.5%
55-64 16.3% / 15.0%
Little River — 55-64: 16.3% Balliang — 55-64: 15.0%
65-74 10.1% / 13.8%
Little River — 65-74: 10.1% Balliang — 65-74: 13.8%
75-84 3.8% / 3.1%
Little River — 75-84: 3.8% Balliang — 75-84: 3.1%
85+ 1.2% / —
Little River — 85+: 1.2% Balliang — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Little River 59.4% couple families
Little River — Couple Families: 59.4% Little River — Lone Person: 21.5% Little River — One Parent Families: 14.4% Little River — Group Household: 4.7%
Balliang 57.1% couple families
Balliang — Couple Families: 57.1% Balliang — Lone Person: 26.5% Balliang — One Parent Families: 16.3% Balliang — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Little River 11.1% renting
Little River — Owned Outright: 46.5% Little River — Mortgage: 42.4% Little River — Renting: 11.1%
Balliang 15.3% renting
Balliang — Owned Outright: 52.8% Balliang — Mortgage: 31.9% Balliang — Renting: 15.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Little River Balliang
Certificate III & IV 16.0% / 19.7%
Little River — Certificate III & IV: 16.0% Balliang — Certificate III & IV: 19.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 7.5%
Little River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Balliang — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Bachelor Degree 6.6% / 8.3%
Little River — Bachelor Degree: 6.6% Balliang — Bachelor Degree: 8.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.8%
Little River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Balliang — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 1.2%
Little River — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Balliang — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.7%).

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.

Little River Balliang
England 2.3% / 2.0%
Little River — England: 2.3% Balliang — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.6%
Little River — New Zealand: 1.0% Balliang — New Zealand: 1.6%
Italy — / 2.0%
Little River — Italy: not among its largest Balliang — Italy: 2.0%
Lebanon 1.6% / —
Little River — Lebanon: 1.6% Balliang — Lebanon: not among its largest
India 1.2% / —
Little River — India: 1.2% Balliang — India: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Little River — Scotland: 0.7% Balliang — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Little River 98.5% houses
Little River — Houses: 98.5% Little River — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Balliang 93.9% houses
Balliang — Houses: 93.9% Balliang — Flats / Apartments: 6.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Little River Balliang
Median house price $1,155,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,752,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 44 days
from 7 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Balliang has more rural and farming land (85% vs 61%); Little River has more land zoned for conservation (17% vs 1%).

Little River Balliang
Rural and farming 61% 85%
Environmental 17% 1%
Parks and recreation 11% 14%
Other and special use 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 0%
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

Little River Balliang
New dwellings approved 3,468
across Greater Geelong
 338
across Moorabool
Approvals change year on year +56% +4%

Ranking within VIC

Little River Balliang
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 44% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 11% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 71% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC

Liveability

Little River Balliang
Grade D —
Score 29/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Little River carries more crime risk (87 vs 69).

Little River Balliang
Bushfire Moderate
56/100
 Moderate
59/100
Crime High
87/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood Low
38/100
 Moderate
43/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
70/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Little River Balliang
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Little River

  • Little River Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Parkville College-Cherry Creek Campus Government · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Balliang

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

Amenities in the suburb

Little River Balliang
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 9 2
Childcare 3 0
GPs 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 18 8

Mobility

Balliang sits further from the CBD (70.3 km vs 55.5 km).

Little River Balliang
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 55.5 km 70.3 km
+27% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 48 min 64 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3211
 0.7%
postcode 3340
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 3211
 42
postcode 3340

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.

Little River Balliang
Car (driver) 62.9% / 60.4%
Little River — Car (driver): 62.9% Balliang — Car (driver): 60.4%
Worked from Home 28.9% / 34.2%
Little River — Worked from Home: 28.9% Balliang — Worked from Home: 34.2%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 5.4%
Little River — Car (passenger): 4.9% Balliang — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Train 2.1% / —
Little River — Train: 2.1% Balliang — Train: not among its largest
Walked Only 1.2% / —
Little River — Walked Only: 1.2% Balliang — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.9%).

Setting

Little River Balliang
Elevation 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 138 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.3 km 27.8 km

NBN connectivity

Little River Balliang
Connectivity score 29/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
539 premises
 0%
114 premises

Climate

Little River Balliang
Annual rainfall 454 mm 578 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.1°C —
Winter min (Jul) 5.5°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Little River Balliang
PM2.5 — 4.4 µg/m³
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Little River Balliang
Average residential rate $1,802/yr $1,979/yr
Council Greater Geelong Moorabool

Federal electorate

Little River Balliang
Division Corio Hawke
Member Richard Marles Sam Rae
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Little River Balliang
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Little River

Outer Trains

Balliang

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Little River

Little River vs Werribee Little River vs Lara Little River vs Anakie Little River vs Mambourin Little River vs Avalon

Other comparisons with Balliang

Balliang vs Anakie Balliang vs Rowsley Balliang vs Balliang East Balliang vs Parwan Balliang vs Beremboke Balliang vs Mount Wallace
Full data on Little River Full data on Balliang
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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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