Point Lonsdale vs Swan Bay

In both, the large majority of households own their home. In Point Lonsdale, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are people living alone. In Swan Bay, most homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. On these figures, Point Lonsdale tends to suit older residents, while Swan Bay 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

Point Lonsdale

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 1)
  • carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 42/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 39%)

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

First-home buyers

Point Lonsdale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (30% vs 68%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Swan Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Point Lonsdale

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 42/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (43% vs 30%)
  • But Swan Bay has more units and townhouses to downsize into (61% vs 12%)

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

Investors

Swan Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (74.6% vs 41.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
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.

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Walkability 6 / 10
Point Lonsdale — Walkability: 6/100 Swan Bay — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 82 / 58
Point Lonsdale — Safety: 82/100 Swan Bay — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Point Lonsdale — Low fire risk: 100/100 Swan Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 37 / 24
Point Lonsdale — Low flood risk: 37/100 Swan Bay — Low flood risk: 24/100

Demographics

Point Lonsdale has more residents (3,788 vs 103); Point Lonsdale has higher household incomes ($80,808 vs $40,768).

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Population 3,788
+97% vs other
 103
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +41.1% +74.6%
Median age 61
same for both
Median household income $80,808/yr
+50% vs other
 $40,768/yr
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+40% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
0-4 3.9% / —
Point Lonsdale — 0-4: 3.9% Swan Bay — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 8.4% / 14.6%
Point Lonsdale — 5-14: 8.4% Swan Bay — 5-14: 14.6%
15-19 3.5% / 7.8%
Point Lonsdale — 15-19: 3.5% Swan Bay — 15-19: 7.8%
20-24 2.9% / 3.9%
Point Lonsdale — 20-24: 2.9% Swan Bay — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 5.3% / 3.9%
Point Lonsdale — 25-34: 5.3% Swan Bay — 25-34: 3.9%
35-44 7.8% / 6.8%
Point Lonsdale — 35-44: 7.8% Swan Bay — 35-44: 6.8%
45-54 9.8% / 12.6%
Point Lonsdale — 45-54: 9.8% Swan Bay — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 14.8% / 23.3%
Point Lonsdale — 55-64: 14.8% Swan Bay — 55-64: 23.3%
65-74 22.6% / 22.3%
Point Lonsdale — 65-74: 22.6% Swan Bay — 65-74: 22.3%
75-84 14.7% / 7.8%
Point Lonsdale — 75-84: 14.7% Swan Bay — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 6.1% / —
Point Lonsdale — 85+: 6.1% Swan Bay — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Point Lonsdale 53.6% lone person
Point Lonsdale — Lone Person: 53.6% Point Lonsdale — Couple Families: 35.3% Point Lonsdale — One Parent Families: 10.0% Point Lonsdale — Group Household: 0.8% Point Lonsdale — Other Families: 0.3%
Swan Bay 64.9% lone person
Swan Bay — Lone Person: 64.9% Swan Bay — Couple Families: 24.3% Swan Bay — One Parent Families: 10.8% Swan Bay — Group Household: 0.0% Swan Bay — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Point Lonsdale 14.2% renting
Point Lonsdale — Owned Outright: 61.3% Point Lonsdale — Mortgage: 24.5% Point Lonsdale — Renting: 14.2%
Swan Bay 22.2% renting
Swan Bay — Owned Outright: 66.7% Swan Bay — Mortgage: 11.1% Swan Bay — Renting: 22.2%
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.

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
England 3.7% / 3.9%
Point Lonsdale — England: 3.7% Swan Bay — England: 3.9%
New Zealand 1.2% / 2.9%
Point Lonsdale — New Zealand: 1.2% Swan Bay — New Zealand: 2.9%
Netherlands 0.7% / —
Point Lonsdale — Netherlands: 0.7% Swan Bay — Netherlands: not among its largest
Scotland 0.6% / —
Point Lonsdale — Scotland: 0.6% Swan Bay — Scotland: not among its largest
India 0.3% / —
Point Lonsdale — India: 0.3% Swan Bay — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

Qualifications

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

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Bachelor Degree 21.8% / 25.2%
Point Lonsdale — Bachelor Degree: 21.8% Swan Bay — Bachelor Degree: 25.2%
Certificate III & IV 9.6% / 11.7%
Point Lonsdale — Certificate III & IV: 9.6% Swan Bay — Certificate III & IV: 11.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.9% / 8.7%
Point Lonsdale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.9% Swan Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.1% / 2.9%
Point Lonsdale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.1% Swan Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%
Postgraduate Degree 6.8% / —
Point Lonsdale — Postgraduate Degree: 6.8% Swan Bay — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Point Lonsdale 87.5% houses
Point Lonsdale — Houses: 87.5% Point Lonsdale — Flats / Apartments: 1.7% Point Lonsdale — Townhouses: 10.8%
Swan Bay 38.8% houses
Swan Bay — Houses: 38.8% Swan Bay — Flats / Apartments: 61.2% Swan Bay — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Median house price $1,111,500 —
Median unit price $820,000 —
Median land price $690,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 88 days
from 52 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Swan Bay has more rural and farming land (81% vs 44%).

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Rural and farming 44% 81%
Residential 22% 0%
Parks and recreation 18% 9%
Environmental 9% 10%
Other and special use 4% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 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

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
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.

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Houses 2.8%
$708/wk on $1.3M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
House price Higher than 80% of VIC —
Income Higher than 48% of VIC Higher than 4% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 9% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 8% of VIC —

Liveability

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Grade B —
Score 66/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Swan Bay carries more crime risk (42 vs 18); Swan Bay carries more flood risk (76 vs 63).

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
18/100
 Moderate
42/100
Flood Moderate
63/100
 High
76/100
Coastal erosion Low
30/100
 Low
14/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Point Lonsdale

  • Point Lonsdale Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Swan Bay

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

Amenities in the suburb

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 7 1
Childcare 2 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Walkability score 6/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 104 km 104.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 98 min 96 min
Electric vehicle share 1.9%
postcode 3225
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3225
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.

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Car (driver) 57.7% / 47.6%
Point Lonsdale — Car (driver): 57.7% Swan Bay — Car (driver): 47.6%
Worked from Home 36.0% / 40.5%
Point Lonsdale — Worked from Home: 36.0% Swan Bay — Worked from Home: 40.5%
Walked Only 1.6% / 11.9%
Point Lonsdale — Walked Only: 1.6% Swan Bay — Walked Only: 11.9%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / —
Point Lonsdale — Car (passenger): 3.2% Swan Bay — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 1.2% / —
Point Lonsdale — Bicycle: 1.2% Swan Bay — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (57.7%).

Setting

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Elevation 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 1.8 km
2.1 km to a named beach
 155 m
4.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Connectivity score 75/100 33/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 55%
3,240 premises
 6%
36 premises

Climate

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
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)

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Division Corangamite
same for both
Member Libby Coker
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Point Lonsdale Swan Bay
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Point Lonsdale

Acreage Coastal Professionals Retirees

Swan Bay

Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Point Lonsdale

Point Lonsdale vs Ocean Grove Point Lonsdale vs Queenscliff Point Lonsdale vs Marcus Hill Point Lonsdale vs Mannerim

Other comparisons with Swan Bay

Swan Bay vs Drysdale Swan Bay vs St Leonards Swan Bay vs Queenscliff Swan Bay vs Mannerim
Full data on Point Lonsdale Full data on Swan Bay
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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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