Marcus Hill vs Ocean Grove

Ocean Grove is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 48 in Marcus Hill. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Marcus Hill, the large majority of households are couple families. In Ocean Grove, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Marcus Hill tends to suit couples, while Ocean Grove suits people living alone and families with children.

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

Ocean Grove

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (10 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • But Marcus Hill is already more of a family suburb (90% vs 62%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Marcus Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Ocean Grove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (75/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Ocean Grove

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (75/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 67/100)
  • But Marcus Hill has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 22%)

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

Investors

Ocean Grove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (25.1% vs 3.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
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.

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Walkability 0 / 75
Marcus Hill — Walkability: 0/100 Ocean Grove — Walkability: 75/100
Safety 33 / 74
Marcus Hill — Safety: 33/100 Ocean Grove — Safety: 74/100
Low fire risk 100 / 64
Marcus Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ocean Grove — Low fire risk: 64/100
Low flood risk 82 / 35
Marcus Hill — Low flood risk: 82/100 Ocean Grove — Low flood risk: 35/100

Demographics

Ocean Grove has more residents (17,714 vs 164); Ocean Grove rents higher ($420/wk vs $300/wk).

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Population 164 17,714
+10701% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.1% +25.1%
Median age 48 43
Median household income $123,448/yr
+23% vs other
 $95,524/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $420/wk
+40% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
0-4 2.4% / 5.7%
Marcus Hill — 0-4: 2.4% Ocean Grove — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 7.9% / 14.4%
Marcus Hill — 5-14: 7.9% Ocean Grove — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 3.7% / 5.3%
Marcus Hill — 15-19: 3.7% Ocean Grove — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 7.3% / 3.8%
Marcus Hill — 20-24: 7.3% Ocean Grove — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 11.0% / 8.9%
Marcus Hill — 25-34: 11.0% Ocean Grove — 25-34: 8.9%
35-44 7.3% / 13.6%
Marcus Hill — 35-44: 7.3% Ocean Grove — 35-44: 13.6%
45-54 12.2% / 12.9%
Marcus Hill — 45-54: 12.2% Ocean Grove — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 18.3% / 13.2%
Marcus Hill — 55-64: 18.3% Ocean Grove — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 20.7% / 13.7%
Marcus Hill — 65-74: 20.7% Ocean Grove — 65-74: 13.7%
75-84 5.5% / 6.2%
Marcus Hill — 75-84: 5.5% Ocean Grove — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 1.8% / 2.4%
Marcus Hill — 85+: 1.8% Ocean Grove — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Marcus Hill 75.9% couple families
Marcus Hill — Couple Families: 75.9% Marcus Hill — Lone Person: 10.3% Marcus Hill — One Parent Families: 13.8% Marcus Hill — Group Household: 0.0% Marcus Hill — Other Families: 0.0%
Ocean Grove 48.2% couple families
Ocean Grove — Couple Families: 48.2% Ocean Grove — Lone Person: 34.2% Ocean Grove — One Parent Families: 13.6% Ocean Grove — Group Household: 3.3% Ocean Grove — Other Families: 0.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Marcus Hill 13.6% renting
Marcus Hill — Owned Outright: 61.4% Marcus Hill — Mortgage: 25.0% Marcus Hill — Renting: 13.6%
Ocean Grove 19.1% renting
Ocean Grove — Owned Outright: 42.4% Ocean Grove — Mortgage: 38.6% Ocean Grove — Renting: 19.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
England 4.9% / 4.2%
Marcus Hill — England: 4.9% Ocean Grove — England: 4.2%
New Zealand — / 0.9%
Marcus Hill — New Zealand: not among its largest Ocean Grove — New Zealand: 0.9%
Netherlands — / 0.5%
Marcus Hill — Netherlands: not among its largest Ocean Grove — Netherlands: 0.5%
Scotland — / 0.5%
Marcus Hill — Scotland: not among its largest Ocean Grove — Scotland: 0.5%
Germany — / 0.5%
Marcus Hill — Germany: not among its largest Ocean Grove — Germany: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.9%).

Qualifications

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

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Certificate III & IV 24.4% / 13.6%
Marcus Hill — Certificate III & IV: 24.4% Ocean Grove — Certificate III & IV: 13.6%
Bachelor Degree 14.6% / 15.8%
Marcus Hill — Bachelor Degree: 14.6% Ocean Grove — Bachelor Degree: 15.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.0% / 10.0%
Marcus Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.0% Ocean Grove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0%
Postgraduate Degree 7.3% / 4.7%
Marcus Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 7.3% Ocean Grove — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 3.7%
Marcus Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Ocean Grove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Marcus Hill 108.0% houses
Marcus Hill — Houses: 108.0% Marcus Hill — Townhouses: 6.0% Marcus Hill — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Ocean Grove 93.4% houses
Ocean Grove — Houses: 93.4% Ocean Grove — Townhouses: 6.0% Ocean Grove — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Median house price — $940,000
Median unit price — $685,000
Median land price — $827,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 49 days
from 230 sales

Zoning mix

Marcus Hill has more rural and farming land (92% vs 11%).

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Rural and farming 92% 11%
Residential 0% 56%
Parks and recreation 3% 19%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 3%
Other and special use 0% 4%
Environmental 0% 4%
Commercial 0% 2%
Industrial 0% 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

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
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.

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Houses — 3.7%
$750/wk on $1.05M
Units — 4.0%
$550/wk on $722K

Ranking within VIC

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
House price — Higher than 65% of VIC
Income Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 56% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 52% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 44% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 61% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 48% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 9% of VIC

Liveability

Ocean Grove is more walkable (75 vs 0).

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Grade — B
Score — 60/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Ocean Grove carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); Ocean Grove carries more flood risk (65 vs 18).

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
36/100
Crime Moderate
67/100
 Low
26/100
Flood Low
18/100
 Moderate
65/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
28/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Inside the suburb 0 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Marcus Hill

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

Schools in Ocean Grove

  • Ocean Grove Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Our Lady Star of the Sea School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Surfside Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Bellarine Secondary College-Ocean Grove Campus Government · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Supermarkets 0 4
Cafes & restaurants 1 15
Parks & reserves 1 16
Childcare 0 10
GPs 0 6
Pharmacies 0 3
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 6
Fuel stations 0 4
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 4 2

Mobility

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Walkability score 0/100 75/100
Distance to Melbourne 96.9 km 96.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 90 min 89 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3222
 1.4%
postcode 3226
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 3222
 42
postcode 3226

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.

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Car (driver) 70.8% / 63.9%
Marcus Hill — Car (driver): 70.8% Ocean Grove — Car (driver): 63.9%
Worked from Home 20.8% / 28.8%
Marcus Hill — Worked from Home: 20.8% Ocean Grove — Worked from Home: 28.8%
Car (passenger) 8.3% / 3.6%
Marcus Hill — Car (passenger): 8.3% Ocean Grove — Car (passenger): 3.6%
Walked Only — / 2.2%
Marcus Hill — Walked Only: not among its largest Ocean Grove — Walked Only: 2.2%
Bicycle — / 0.7%
Marcus Hill — Bicycle: not among its largest Ocean Grove — Bicycle: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.8%).

Setting

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Elevation 36 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.0 km 1.3 km
3.8 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Connectivity score 30/100 76/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
71 premises
 57%
10,378 premises

Climate

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
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)

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Division Corangamite
same for both
Member Libby Coker
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Marcus Hill Ocean Grove
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Marcus Hill

Quiet Retirees Rural

Ocean Grove

Coastal Large Blocks Parks Regional Centre

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Marcus Hill

Marcus Hill vs Point Lonsdale Marcus Hill vs Wallington Marcus Hill vs Mannerim

Other comparisons with Ocean Grove

Ocean Grove vs Barwon Heads Ocean Grove vs Point Lonsdale Ocean Grove vs Wallington
Full data on Marcus Hill Full data on Ocean Grove
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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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