Portland North vs Portland

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Portland North, most households are couple families. In Portland, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Portland North: a median of $710,000, against $470,000 in Portland, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Portland North tends to suit couples, while Portland suits people living alone and 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

Portland

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (21 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (9 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 1)
  • But Portland North carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 86/100)

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

First-home buyers

Portland

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($470,000 vs $710,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Portland

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (28% vs 6%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $300/wk)
  • But Portland North leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 22%)

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

Commuting to the city

Portland North

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (261 min vs 268 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (352.2 km vs 358.5 km)
  • But Portland is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Portland

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • But Portland North carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 86/100)

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

Investors

Portland North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.3% vs 3.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Portland North Portland
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.

Portland North Portland
Walkability 0 / 63
Portland North — Walkability: 0/100 Portland — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 49 / 14
Portland North — Safety: 49/100 Portland — Safety: 14/100
Low fire risk 4 / 6
Portland North — Low fire risk: 4/100 Portland — Low fire risk: 6/100
Low flood risk 100 / 61
Portland North — Low flood risk: 100/100 Portland — Low flood risk: 61/100

Demographics

Portland has more residents (10,016 vs 708); Portland North has higher household incomes ($98,072 vs $59,592).

Portland North Portland
Population 708 10,016
+1315% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.3% +3.1%
Median age 46 47
Median household income $98,072/yr
+39% vs other
 $59,592/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+17% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Portland North Portland
0-4 5.1% / 4.6%
Portland North — 0-4: 5.1% Portland — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 11.2% / 11.1%
Portland North — 5-14: 11.2% Portland — 5-14: 11.1%
15-19 5.8% / 5.6%
Portland North — 15-19: 5.8% Portland — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 4.2% / 4.9%
Portland North — 20-24: 4.2% Portland — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 11.0% / 9.6%
Portland North — 25-34: 11.0% Portland — 25-34: 9.6%
35-44 12.0% / 10.7%
Portland North — 35-44: 12.0% Portland — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 12.1% / 13.0%
Portland North — 45-54: 12.1% Portland — 45-54: 13.0%
55-64 14.8% / 15.5%
Portland North — 55-64: 14.8% Portland — 55-64: 15.5%
65-74 17.1% / 14.2%
Portland North — 65-74: 17.1% Portland — 65-74: 14.2%
75-84 4.5% / 7.5%
Portland North — 75-84: 4.5% Portland — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 2.5% / 3.3%
Portland North — 85+: 2.5% Portland — 85+: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Portland North 55.7% couple families
Portland North — Couple Families: 55.7% Portland North — Lone Person: 23.5% Portland North — One Parent Families: 18.1% Portland North — Group Household: 2.7% Portland North — Other Families: 0.0%
Portland 29.2% couple families
Portland — Couple Families: 29.2% Portland — Lone Person: 48.0% Portland — One Parent Families: 17.5% Portland — Group Household: 4.1% Portland — 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.

Portland North 6.4% renting
Portland North — Owned Outright: 50.0% Portland North — Mortgage: 43.6% Portland North — Renting: 6.4%
Portland 27.6% renting
Portland — Owned Outright: 41.8% Portland — Mortgage: 30.6% Portland — Renting: 27.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Portland North Portland
Certificate III & IV 21.3% / 17.9%
Portland North — Certificate III & IV: 21.3% Portland — Certificate III & IV: 17.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.6% / 6.5%
Portland North — Bachelor Degree: 8.6% Portland — Bachelor Degree: 6.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 6.4%
Portland North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Portland — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.4%
Portland North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Portland — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 1.2%
Portland North — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Portland — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.3%).

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.

Portland North Portland
England 3.2% / 2.4%
Portland North — England: 3.2% Portland — England: 2.4%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.3%
Portland North — New Zealand: 1.6% Portland — New Zealand: 1.3%
Philippines 0.6% / 0.7%
Portland North — Philippines: 0.6% Portland — Philippines: 0.7%
Netherlands 0.7% / 0.5%
Portland North — Netherlands: 0.7% Portland — Netherlands: 0.5%
India 0.6% / 0.3%
Portland North — India: 0.6% Portland — India: 0.3%
Scotland 0.4% / 0.4%
Portland North — Scotland: 0.4% Portland — Scotland: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Portland North 96.9% houses
Portland North — Houses: 96.9% Portland North — Townhouses: 3.1% Portland North — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Portland 88.2% houses
Portland — Houses: 88.2% Portland — Townhouses: 9.4% Portland — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Portland North Portland
Median house price $710,000 $470,000
Median unit price — $297,500
Median land price $230,000 $220,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 56 days
from 137 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Portland North Portland
3 bed $578K / $430K
Portland North — 3 bed: $578K (8 sales) Portland — 3 bed: $430K (221 sales)

8 vs 221 sales

4 bed $785K / $575K
Portland North — 4 bed: $785K (12 sales) Portland — 4 bed: $575K (79 sales)

12 vs 79 sales

Zoning mix

Portland North has more rural and farming land (71% vs 11%); Portland has more industrially zoned land (28% vs 14%).

Portland North Portland
Rural and farming 71% 11%
Industrial 14% 28%
Residential 2% 27%
Parks and recreation 3% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 10%
Environmental 7% 2%
Commercial 0% 5%
Other and special use 0% 2%
Planning zones cover 100% of Portland North and 97% of Portland. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Portland North Portland
New dwellings approved 60
across Glenelg
same for both
Approvals change year on year -65%
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.

Portland North Portland
Houses — 5.2%
$580/wk on $580K
Units — 4.9%
$380/wk on $400K

Ranking within VIC

Portland North Portland
House price — Higher than 8% of VIC
Income Higher than 71% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 76% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 17% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 82% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 6% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 99% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 58% of VIC

Liveability

Portland is more walkable (63 vs 0).

Portland North Portland
Grade D
same for both
Score 28/100 29/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Portland carries more flood risk (39 vs 0); Portland carries more crime risk (86 vs 51).

Portland North Portland
Bushfire High
96/100
 High
94/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
86/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
39/100
Coastal erosion Low
27/100
 Moderate
60/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Portland North Portland
Inside the suburb 1 9
Rated above peers 1 3
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Portland North

  • Portland North Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Portland

  • Bayview College Independent · Secondary above peers
  • Portland Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St John's Lutheran School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Bundarra Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Portland Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Portland South Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Portland North Portland
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 8
Parks & reserves 2 21
Childcare 1 7
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 7
Fuel stations 0 4
EV chargers 0 1
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 0 3

Mobility

Portland sits further from the CBD (358.5 km vs 352.2 km).

Portland North Portland
Walkability score 0/100 63/100
Distance to Melbourne 352.2 km 358.5 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 261 min 268 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 3305
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 3305
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.

Portland North Portland
Car (driver) 83.2% / 82.3%
Portland North — Car (driver): 83.2% Portland — Car (driver): 82.3%
Worked from Home 10.7% / 6.8%
Portland North — Worked from Home: 10.7% Portland — Worked from Home: 6.8%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 6.0%
Portland North — Car (passenger): 6.2% Portland — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Walked Only — / 4.2%
Portland North — Walked Only: not among its largest Portland — Walked Only: 4.2%
Bicycle — / 0.6%
Portland North — Bicycle: not among its largest Portland — Bicycle: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.2%).

Setting

Portland North Portland
Elevation 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.1 km 1.2 km
2.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Portland North Portland
Connectivity score 62/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
376 premises
 39%
5,892 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

Portland North Portland
Average residential rate $1,852/yr
same for both
Council Glenelg
same for both

Federal electorate

Portland North Portland
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Portland North

Acreage

Portland

Affordable Coastal Parks Regional Centre Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Portland North

Portland North vs Bolwarra Portland North vs Portland West Portland North vs Gorae West Portland North vs Gorae Portland North vs Cashmore Portland North vs Dutton Way

Other comparisons with Portland

Portland vs Portland West
Full data on Portland North Full data on Portland
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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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