Little River vs Lara

Lara is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 42 in Little River. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Little River, most households are couple families. In Lara, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Little River: a median of $1.16 million, against $695,000 in Lara, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Lara tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (13 vs 3)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 2)
  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 9)

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

First-home buyers

Lara

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($387,900 vs $1,752,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($695,000 vs $1,155,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Lara

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (22% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($370/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 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (48 min vs 64 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (55.5 km vs 61.5 km)
  • But Lara is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Lara

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (6 vs 1)
  • carries lower crime risk (60/100 vs 87/100)

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

Investors

Lara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.3% vs 2.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Little River and Lara 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 Lara
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 Lara
Walkability 0 / 23
Little River — Walkability: 0/100 Lara — Walkability: 23/100
Safety 13 / 40
Little River — Safety: 13/100 Lara — Safety: 40/100
Low fire risk 44 / 41
Little River — Low fire risk: 44/100 Lara — Low fire risk: 41/100
Low flood risk 62 / 39
Little River — Low flood risk: 62/100 Lara — Low flood risk: 39/100

Demographics

Lara has more residents (19,014 vs 1,353); Little River rents higher ($427/wk vs $370/wk).

Little River Lara
Population 1,353 19,014
+1305% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.3% +16.3%
Median age 42 37
Median household income $104,260/yr
+2% vs other
 $102,388/yr
Median weekly rent $427/wk
+13% vs other
 $370/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Little River Lara
0-4 4.1% / 6.3%
Little River — 0-4: 4.1% Lara — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 15.2% / 12.9%
Little River — 5-14: 15.2% Lara — 5-14: 12.9%
15-19 7.4% / 5.6%
Little River — 15-19: 7.4% Lara — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 7.2% / 5.5%
Little River — 20-24: 7.2% Lara — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 7.2% / 15.8%
Little River — 25-34: 7.2% Lara — 25-34: 15.8%
35-44 12.3% / 15.0%
Little River — 35-44: 12.3% Lara — 35-44: 15.0%
45-54 16.1% / 13.4%
Little River — 45-54: 16.1% Lara — 45-54: 13.4%
55-64 16.3% / 10.5%
Little River — 55-64: 16.3% Lara — 55-64: 10.5%
65-74 10.1% / 9.0%
Little River — 65-74: 10.1% Lara — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 3.8% / 4.2%
Little River — 75-84: 3.8% Lara — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 1.2% / 1.5%
Little River — 85+: 1.2% Lara — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

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% Little River — Other Families: 0.0%
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%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

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%
Lara 22.1% renting
Lara — Owned Outright: 31.2% Lara — Mortgage: 46.7% Lara — Renting: 22.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Little River Lara
Certificate III & IV 16.0% / 16.6%
Little River — Certificate III & IV: 16.0% Lara — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 6.6% / 9.7%
Little River — Bachelor Degree: 6.6% Lara — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 8.2%
Little River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Lara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 2.5%
Little River — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Lara — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 1.8%
Little River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Lara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

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 Lara
England 2.3% / 3.6%
Little River — England: 2.3% Lara — England: 3.6%
India 1.2% / 1.9%
Little River — India: 1.2% Lara — India: 1.9%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.2%
Little River — New Zealand: 1.0% Lara — New Zealand: 1.2%
Philippines — / 1.7%
Little River — Philippines: not among its largest Lara — Philippines: 1.7%
Lebanon 1.6% / —
Little River — Lebanon: 1.6% Lara — Lebanon: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / 0.7%
Little River — Scotland: 0.7% Lara — Scotland: 0.7%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Little River 98.5% houses
Little River — Houses: 98.5% Little River — Townhouses: 0.0% Little River — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Lara 89.5% houses
Lara — Houses: 89.5% Lara — Townhouses: 9.4% Lara — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Little River Lara
Median house price $1,155,000 $695,000
Median unit price — $515,000
Median land price $1,752,000 $387,900
Typical days to sell (houses) 44 days
from 7 sales
 31 days
from 278 sales

Zoning mix

Little River has more land zoned for conservation (17% vs 0%); Lara has more rural and farming land (73% vs 61%).

Little River Lara
Rural and farming 61% 73%
Environmental 17% 0%
Residential 0% 12%
Parks and recreation 11% 5%
Other and special use 5% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 4%
Industrial 0% 3%
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 Lara
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.

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

Ranking within VIC

Little River Lara
House price — Higher than 36% of VIC
Income Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 61% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 11% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 88% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 71% of VIC Higher than 64% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 89% 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); Lara scores higher overall (40 vs 29).

Little River Lara
Grade D C
Score 29/100 40/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Lara carries more flood risk (61 vs 38); Little River carries more crime risk (87 vs 60).

Little River Lara
Bushfire Moderate
56/100
 Moderate
59/100
Crime High
87/100
 Moderate
60/100
Flood Low
38/100
 Moderate
61/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
70/100
 High
83/100
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

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

Schools in Little River

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

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

Amenities in the suburb

Little River Lara
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 1 10
Parks & reserves 9 16
Childcare 3 13
GPs 1 6
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 3
Fuel stations 1 2
Waterways 18 13

Mobility

Lara sits further from the CBD (61.5 km vs 55.5 km).

Little River Lara
Walkability score 0/100 23/100
Distance to Melbourne 55.5 km 61.5 km
+11% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 48 min 64 min
Public transport score 48/100
Rail
 90/100
Rail
Peak arrivals per hour 4.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 158.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 14 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3211
 0.7%
postcode 3212
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 3211
 54
postcode 3212

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 Lara
Car (driver) 62.9% / 70.6%
Little River — Car (driver): 62.9% Lara — Car (driver): 70.6%
Worked from Home 28.9% / 20.8%
Little River — Worked from Home: 28.9% Lara — Worked from Home: 20.8%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 4.7%
Little River — Car (passenger): 4.9% Lara — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Train 2.1% / 2.5%
Little River — Train: 2.1% Lara — Train: 2.5%
Walked Only 1.2% / 1.0%
Little River — Walked Only: 1.2% Lara — Walked Only: 1.0%

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

Setting

Little River Lara
Elevation 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.3 km 6.5 km

NBN connectivity

Little River Lara
Connectivity score 29/100 78/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
539 premises
 55%
7,737 premises

Climate

Little River Lara
Annual rainfall 454 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Little River Lara
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

Lara

Regional Centre Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Little River

Little River vs Werribee Little River vs Anakie Little River vs Mambourin Little River vs Avalon Little River vs Balliang

Other comparisons with Lara

Lara vs Corio Lara vs Lovely Banks Lara vs Anakie Lara vs Avalon
Full data on Little River Full data on Lara
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