Norlane vs North Shore

Norlane is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 45 in North Shore. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Norlane, most households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In North Shore, about half of households rent and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in North Shore: a median of $703,000, against $535,000 in Norlane, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Norlane tends to suit renters and buyers on a tighter budget, while North Shore suits people living alone.

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

Norlane

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Norlane

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($535,000 vs $702,600)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Norlane

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (57% vs 45%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $310/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Norlane

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 46/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Norlane

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 46/100)

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

Investors

Norlane

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (4.5% vs -9.0%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.3% vs 3.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Norlane North Shore
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.

Norlane North Shore
Walkability 76 / 46
Norlane — Walkability: 76/100 North Shore — Walkability: 46/100
Safety 5 / 3
Norlane — Safety: 5/100 North Shore — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Norlane — Low fire risk: 100/100 North Shore — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 76 / 72
Norlane — Low flood risk: 76/100 North Shore — Low flood risk: 72/100

Demographics

Norlane has more residents (8,682 vs 325); North Shore has higher household incomes ($69,004 vs $47,268).

Norlane North Shore
Population 8,682
+96% vs other
 325
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.5% -9.0%
Median age 37 45
Median household income $47,268/yr $69,004/yr
+46% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $310/wk
+24% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Norlane North Shore
0-4 5.6% / 1.2%
Norlane — 0-4: 5.6% North Shore — 0-4: 1.2%
5-14 10.4% / 11.1%
Norlane — 5-14: 10.4% North Shore — 5-14: 11.1%
15-19 5.4% / 5.2%
Norlane — 15-19: 5.4% North Shore — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 7.5% / 4.3%
Norlane — 20-24: 7.5% North Shore — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 17.3% / 11.7%
Norlane — 25-34: 17.3% North Shore — 25-34: 11.7%
35-44 11.6% / 16.6%
Norlane — 35-44: 11.6% North Shore — 35-44: 16.6%
45-54 12.0% / 16.6%
Norlane — 45-54: 12.0% North Shore — 45-54: 16.6%
55-64 12.0% / 15.7%
Norlane — 55-64: 12.0% North Shore — 55-64: 15.7%
65-74 10.0% / 10.8%
Norlane — 65-74: 10.0% North Shore — 65-74: 10.8%
75-84 5.7% / 4.9%
Norlane — 75-84: 5.7% North Shore — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 2.7% / 1.2%
Norlane — 85+: 2.7% North Shore — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Norlane 47.2% lone person
Norlane — Lone Person: 47.2% Norlane — One Parent Families: 24.4% Norlane — Couple Families: 18.9% Norlane — Group Household: 6.6% Norlane — Other Families: 2.8%
North Shore 64.0% lone person
North Shore — Lone Person: 64.0% North Shore — One Parent Families: 14.0% North Shore — Couple Families: 13.2% North Shore — Group Household: 8.8% North Shore — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person One Parent Families Couple Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Norlane 56.7% renting
Norlane — Owned Outright: 24.3% Norlane — Mortgage: 19.0% Norlane — Renting: 56.7%
North Shore 45.2% renting
North Shore — Owned Outright: 27.7% North Shore — Mortgage: 27.1% North Shore — Renting: 45.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Norlane North Shore
Certificate III & IV 14.2% / 17.5%
Norlane — Certificate III & IV: 14.2% North Shore — Certificate III & IV: 17.5%
Bachelor Degree 5.0% / 12.6%
Norlane — Bachelor Degree: 5.0% North Shore — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 11.1%
Norlane — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% North Shore — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 5.2%
Norlane — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% North Shore — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / 3.1%
Norlane — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% North Shore — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.5%).

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.

Norlane North Shore
India 3.5% / 1.5%
Norlane — India: 3.5% North Shore — India: 1.5%
England 1.7% / 3.1%
Norlane — England: 1.7% North Shore — England: 3.1%
New Zealand 0.9% / 3.1%
Norlane — New Zealand: 0.9% North Shore — New Zealand: 3.1%
Afghanistan 1.5% / —
Norlane — Afghanistan: 1.5% North Shore — Afghanistan: not among its largest
Philippines 1.5% / —
Norlane — Philippines: 1.5% North Shore — Philippines: not among its largest
Sri Lanka — / 1.2%
Norlane — Sri Lanka: not among its largest North Shore — Sri Lanka: 1.2%
Netherlands — / 1.2%
Norlane — Netherlands: not among its largest North Shore — Netherlands: 1.2%
Pakistan 1.0% / —
Norlane — Pakistan: 1.0% North Shore — Pakistan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Norlane 84.8% houses
Norlane — Houses: 84.8% Norlane — Townhouses: 13.6% Norlane — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
North Shore 83.4% houses
North Shore — Houses: 83.4% North Shore — Townhouses: 19.7% North Shore — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Norlane North Shore
Median house price $535,000 $702,600
Median unit price $432,500 —
Median land price $425,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 83 sales
 68 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

North Shore has more industrially zoned land (54% vs 14%); North Shore has more commercially zoned land (25% vs 3%).

Norlane North Shore
Residential 65% 8%
Industrial 14% 54%
Commercial 3% 25%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 10%
Parks and recreation 9% 3%
Other and special use 1% 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

Norlane North Shore
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.

Norlane North Shore
Houses 4.3%
$450/wk on $550K
 3.0%
$460/wk on $804K
Units 4.5%
$410/wk on $479K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Norlane North Shore
House price Higher than 14% of VIC Higher than 29% of VIC
Income Higher than 8% of VIC Higher than 31% of VIC
Schools Higher than 32% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 37% of VIC Higher than 54% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 18% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 12% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 29% of VIC —

Liveability

Norlane is more walkable (76 vs 46).

Norlane North Shore
Grade C —
Score 35/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Norlane North Shore
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
95/100
 High
97/100
Flood Low
24/100
 Low
28/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Moderate
69/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 17
within 5 km
 18
within 5 km

Schools

Norlane North Shore
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 6.5 km
 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 6.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 0.9% 1.2%

Schools in Norlane

  • St Thomas Aquinas School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Northern Bay P-12 College-Peacock Avenue P-8 Campus Government · Combined
  • Northern Bay P-12 College-Tallis Street P-8 Campus Government · Combined
  • Sirius College - Geelong Campus Independent · Combined

Schools in North Shore

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

Amenities in the suburb

Norlane North Shore
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 1
Parks & reserves 10 0
Childcare 6 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 3 0

Mobility

Norlane North Shore
Walkability score 76/100 46/100
Distance to Melbourne 67.5 km 67.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 56 min
same for both
Public transport score 76/100 88/100
Rail
Peak arrivals per hour 167.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 28.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 3214
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 30
postcode 3214
same for both

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.

Norlane North Shore
Car (driver) 77.2% / 72.4%
Norlane — Car (driver): 77.2% North Shore — Car (driver): 72.4%
Worked from Home 9.2% / 18.6%
Norlane — Worked from Home: 9.2% North Shore — Worked from Home: 18.6%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 4.1%
Norlane — Car (passenger): 7.1% North Shore — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Bus 2.8% / 2.1%
Norlane — Bus: 2.8% North Shore — Bus: 2.1%
Walked Only 1.5% / 2.8%
Norlane — Walked Only: 1.5% North Shore — Walked Only: 2.8%
Train 1.6% / —
Norlane — Train: 1.6% North Shore — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.2%).

Setting

Norlane North Shore
Elevation 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km
4.9 km to a named beach
 659 m
3.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Norlane North Shore
Connectivity score 78/100 83/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 59%
5,146 premises
 67%
430 premises

Climate

Norlane North Shore
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)

Norlane North Shore
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Norlane North Shore
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Norlane North Shore
Division Corio
same for both
Member Richard Marles
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Norlane North Shore
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Norlane

Affordable Coastal Parks Regional Centre

North Shore

Coastal Quiet Trains Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Norlane

Norlane vs Corio Norlane vs Bell Park Norlane vs Bell Post Hill Norlane vs North Geelong Norlane vs Lovely Banks

Other comparisons with North Shore

North Shore vs Corio North Shore vs North Geelong
Full data on Norlane Full data on North Shore
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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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