Narrawong vs Heathmere

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Narrawong, most households are couple families. In Heathmere, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Heathmere: a median of $810,000, against $635,000 in Narrawong, though rent is higher in Narrawong. On these figures, Narrawong tends to suit people living alone, families with children, 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

Heathmere

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (16/100 vs 28/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 66%)
  • But Narrawong has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Narrawong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($635,000 vs $810,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Heathmere

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $250/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Narrawong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (336.6 km vs 344.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Heathmere

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (16/100 vs 28/100)

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

Investors

Narrawong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (19.4% vs 0.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Narrawong Heathmere
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.

Narrawong Heathmere
Walkability 0 / 0
Narrawong — Walkability: 0/100 Heathmere — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 72 / 84
Narrawong — Safety: 72/100 Heathmere — Safety: 84/100
Low fire risk 6 / 9
Narrawong — Low fire risk: 6/100 Heathmere — Low fire risk: 9/100
Low flood risk 49 / 81
Narrawong — Low flood risk: 49/100 Heathmere — Low flood risk: 81/100

Demographics

Narrawong has more residents (462 vs 238); Narrawong rents higher ($250/wk vs $200/wk).

Narrawong Heathmere
Population 462
+48% vs other
 238
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +19.4% +0.4%
Median age 45
same for both
Median household income $94,432/yr
+19% vs other
 $76,648/yr
Median weekly rent $250/wk
+20% vs other
 $200/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Narrawong Heathmere
0-4 7.1% / 5.9%
Narrawong — 0-4: 7.1% Heathmere — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 13.4% / 7.6%
Narrawong — 5-14: 13.4% Heathmere — 5-14: 7.6%
15-19 6.5% / 5.0%
Narrawong — 15-19: 6.5% Heathmere — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 2.6% / 3.8%
Narrawong — 20-24: 2.6% Heathmere — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 4.8% / 18.5%
Narrawong — 25-34: 4.8% Heathmere — 25-34: 18.5%
35-44 15.8% / 7.1%
Narrawong — 35-44: 15.8% Heathmere — 35-44: 7.1%
45-54 12.8% / 16.0%
Narrawong — 45-54: 12.8% Heathmere — 45-54: 16.0%
55-64 14.7% / 14.7%
Narrawong — 55-64: 14.7% Heathmere — 55-64: 14.7%
65-74 14.9% / 13.9%
Narrawong — 65-74: 14.9% Heathmere — 65-74: 13.9%
75-84 5.8% / 4.6%
Narrawong — 75-84: 5.8% Heathmere — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 1.7% / 2.1%
Narrawong — 85+: 1.7% Heathmere — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Narrawong 58.7% couple families
Narrawong — Couple Families: 58.7% Narrawong — Lone Person: 33.9% Narrawong — One Parent Families: 7.3% Narrawong — Group Household: 0.0%
Heathmere 46.3% couple families
Heathmere — Couple Families: 46.3% Heathmere — Lone Person: 20.4% Heathmere — One Parent Families: 27.8% Heathmere — Group Household: 5.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Narrawong 7.1% renting
Narrawong — Owned Outright: 50.0% Narrawong — Mortgage: 42.9% Narrawong — Renting: 7.1%
Heathmere 7.9% renting
Heathmere — Owned Outright: 44.9% Heathmere — Mortgage: 47.2% Heathmere — Renting: 7.9%
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.

Narrawong Heathmere
England 4.1% / 1.7%
Narrawong — England: 4.1% Heathmere — England: 1.7%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.3%
Narrawong — New Zealand: 1.1% Heathmere — New Zealand: 1.3%
Sri Lanka 0.9% / —
Narrawong — Sri Lanka: 0.9% Heathmere — Sri Lanka: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

Qualifications

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

Narrawong Heathmere
Certificate III & IV 18.8% / 20.2%
Narrawong — Certificate III & IV: 18.8% Heathmere — Certificate III & IV: 20.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 9.7%
Narrawong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Heathmere — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7%
Bachelor Degree 10.6% / 5.0%
Narrawong — Bachelor Degree: 10.6% Heathmere — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / —
Narrawong — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Heathmere — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / —
Narrawong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Heathmere — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Narrawong 100.0% houses
Narrawong — Houses: 100.0%
Heathmere 100.0% houses
Heathmere — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Narrawong Heathmere
Median house price $635,000 $810,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $470,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 63 days
from 3 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Narrawong has more rural and farming land (87% vs 71%).

Narrawong Heathmere
Rural and farming 87% 71%
Parks and recreation 8% 28%
Residential 3% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
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

Narrawong Heathmere
New dwellings approved 60
across Glenelg
same for both
Approvals change year on year -65%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Narrawong Heathmere
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 44% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 47% of VIC Higher than 53% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 6% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 67% of VIC

Liveability

Narrawong Heathmere
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Narrawong carries more flood risk (51 vs 19); Narrawong carries more crime risk (28 vs 16).

Narrawong Heathmere
Bushfire High
94/100
 High
91/100
Crime Low
28/100
 Low
16/100
Flood Moderate
51/100
 Low
19/100
Coastal erosion High
79/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Narrawong Heathmere
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Narrawong

  • Narrawong District Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Heathmere

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

Amenities in the suburb

Narrawong Heathmere
Parks & reserves 2 3
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 2 5

Mobility

Heathmere sits further from the CBD (344.3 km vs 336.6 km).

Narrawong Heathmere
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 336.6 km 344.3 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 254 min 258 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3285
 0.2%
postcode 3305
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3285
 33
postcode 3305

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.

Narrawong Heathmere
Car (driver) 75.6% / 76.9%
Narrawong — Car (driver): 75.6% Heathmere — Car (driver): 76.9%
Worked from Home 16.6% / 11.5%
Narrawong — Worked from Home: 16.6% Heathmere — Worked from Home: 11.5%
Walked Only 1.6% / 7.7%
Narrawong — Walked Only: 1.6% Heathmere — Walked Only: 7.7%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 3.8%
Narrawong — Car (passenger): 4.1% Heathmere — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Bus 2.1% / —
Narrawong — Bus: 2.1% Heathmere — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.9%).

Setting

Narrawong Heathmere
Elevation 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.1 km 7.7 km

NBN connectivity

Narrawong Heathmere
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
212 premises
 0%
106 premises

Climate

Narrawong Heathmere
Annual rainfall 661 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Narrawong Heathmere
Average residential rate $1,852/yr
same for both
Council Glenelg
same for both

Federal electorate

Narrawong Heathmere
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Narrawong Heathmere
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Narrawong

Coastal Rural

Heathmere

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Narrawong

Narrawong vs Heywood Narrawong vs Tyrendarra Narrawong vs Allestree

Other comparisons with Heathmere

Heathmere vs Heywood Heathmere vs Bolwarra Heathmere vs Gorae Heathmere vs Allestree
Full data on Narrawong Full data on Heathmere
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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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