Seaford vs Carrum Downs

Carrum Downs is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 40 in Seaford. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Seaford: a median of $870,000, against $786,000 in Carrum Downs, though rent is higher in Carrum Downs. On these figures, Seaford tends to suit 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

Carrum Downs

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (25 vs 18)
  • is already more of a family suburb (60% vs 50%)
  • has more childcare (20 vs 17)
  • But Seaford has more schools inside the suburb (9 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

Carrum Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($786,000 vs $870,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Carrum Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (47.3 km vs 51.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Carrum Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (10 vs 5)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Seaford Carrum Downs
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.

Seaford Carrum Downs
Walkability 62 / 64
Seaford — Walkability: 62/100 Carrum Downs — Walkability: 64/100
Safety 17 / 21
Seaford — Safety: 17/100 Carrum Downs — Safety: 21/100
Low fire risk 100 / 66
Seaford — Low fire risk: 100/100 Carrum Downs — Low fire risk: 66/100
Low flood risk 27 / 27
Seaford — Low flood risk: 27/100 Carrum Downs — Low flood risk: 27/100

Demographics

Carrum Downs has more residents (21,976 vs 17,215); Seaford skews older (40 vs 36).

Seaford Carrum Downs
Population 17,215 21,976
+28% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.6% +6.1%
Median age 40 36
Median household income $78,000/yr $86,216/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $351/wk $370/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Seaford Carrum Downs
0-4 6.8% / 6.9%
Seaford — 0-4: 6.8% Carrum Downs — 0-4: 6.9%
5-14 10.8% / 12.3%
Seaford — 5-14: 10.8% Carrum Downs — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 4.5% / 5.3%
Seaford — 15-19: 4.5% Carrum Downs — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 4.7% / 6.0%
Seaford — 20-24: 4.7% Carrum Downs — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 13.7% / 16.8%
Seaford — 25-34: 13.7% Carrum Downs — 25-34: 16.8%
35-44 15.6% / 14.6%
Seaford — 35-44: 15.6% Carrum Downs — 35-44: 14.6%
45-54 14.2% / 13.1%
Seaford — 45-54: 14.2% Carrum Downs — 45-54: 13.1%
55-64 11.8% / 11.6%
Seaford — 55-64: 11.8% Carrum Downs — 55-64: 11.6%
65-74 9.8% / 7.7%
Seaford — 65-74: 9.8% Carrum Downs — 65-74: 7.7%
75-84 5.9% / 3.8%
Seaford — 75-84: 5.9% Carrum Downs — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 2.2% / 1.9%
Seaford — 85+: 2.2% Carrum Downs — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Seaford 43.3% lone person
Seaford — Lone Person: 43.3% Seaford — Couple Families: 32.6% Seaford — One Parent Families: 17.9% Seaford — Group Household: 4.4% Seaford — Other Families: 1.8%
Carrum Downs 34.1% lone person
Carrum Downs — Lone Person: 34.1% Carrum Downs — Couple Families: 40.2% Carrum Downs — One Parent Families: 20.2% Carrum Downs — Group Household: 3.9% Carrum Downs — Other Families: 1.6%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Seaford 34.4% renting
Seaford — Owned Outright: 28.7% Seaford — Mortgage: 36.9% Seaford — Renting: 34.4%
Carrum Downs 28.1% renting
Carrum Downs — Owned Outright: 22.9% Carrum Downs — Mortgage: 49.0% Carrum Downs — Renting: 28.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Seaford Carrum Downs
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 18.0%
Seaford — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% Carrum Downs — Certificate III & IV: 18.0%
Bachelor Degree 11.5% / 8.5%
Seaford — Bachelor Degree: 11.5% Carrum Downs — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 8.3%
Seaford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Carrum Downs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 2.2%
Seaford — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Carrum Downs — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.3%
Seaford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Carrum Downs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

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.

Seaford Carrum Downs
England 5.0% / 3.6%
Seaford — England: 5.0% Carrum Downs — England: 3.6%
New Zealand 2.3% / 2.7%
Seaford — New Zealand: 2.3% Carrum Downs — New Zealand: 2.7%
India 0.6% / 2.8%
Seaford — India: 0.6% Carrum Downs — India: 2.8%
Philippines 0.6% / 2.1%
Seaford — Philippines: 0.6% Carrum Downs — Philippines: 2.1%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.7%
Seaford — Scotland: 0.8% Carrum Downs — Scotland: 0.7%
China 0.7% / 0.7%
Seaford — China: 0.7% Carrum Downs — China: 0.7%
Sri Lanka — / 0.9%
Seaford — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Carrum Downs — Sri Lanka: 0.9%
Germany 0.8% / —
Seaford — Germany: 0.8% Carrum Downs — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Seaford 73.6% houses
Seaford — Houses: 73.6% Seaford — Townhouses: 23.2% Seaford — Flats / Apartments: 3.2%
Carrum Downs 79.0% houses
Carrum Downs — Houses: 79.0% Carrum Downs — Townhouses: 19.6% Carrum Downs — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Seaford Carrum Downs
Median house price $870,000 $786,000
Median unit price $610,000 $605,000
Median land price $850,000 $750,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 188 sales
 11 days
from 209 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Seaford Carrum Downs
2 bed $540K / $550K
Seaford — 2 bed: $540K (91 sales) Carrum Downs — 2 bed: $550K (55 sales)

91 vs 55 sales

3 bed $720K / $645K
Seaford — 3 bed: $720K (55 sales) Carrum Downs — 3 bed: $645K (79 sales)

55 vs 79 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.

Seaford Carrum Downs
2 bed $740K / $610K
Seaford — 2 bed: $740K (31 sales) Carrum Downs — 2 bed: $610K (12 sales)

31 vs 12 sales

3 bed $850K / $760K
Seaford — 3 bed: $850K (262 sales) Carrum Downs — 3 bed: $760K (342 sales)

262 vs 342 sales

4 bed $1M / $850K
Seaford — 4 bed: $1M (65 sales) Carrum Downs — 4 bed: $850K (137 sales)

65 vs 137 sales

5 bed $1.06M / $861K
Seaford — 5 bed: $1.06M (18 sales) Carrum Downs — 5 bed: $861K (11 sales)

18 vs 11 sales

Zoning mix

Carrum Downs has more rural and farming land (14% vs 1%).

Seaford Carrum Downs
Residential 45% 33%
Infrastructure and transport 24% 31%
Parks and recreation 17% 7%
Industrial 13% 14%
Rural and farming 1% 14%
Commercial 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

Seaford Carrum Downs
New dwellings approved 725
across Frankston
same for both
Approvals change year on year -47%
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.

Seaford Carrum Downs
Houses 4.0%
$680/wk on $890K
 4.3%
$630/wk on $760K
Units 4.7%
$550/wk on $605K
 4.5%
$560/wk on $642K

Ranking within VIC

Seaford Carrum Downs
House price Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 53% of VIC
Income Higher than 45% of VIC Higher than 56% of VIC
Schools Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 51% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 88% of VIC
same for both
Affordability Higher than 25% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 66% of VIC Higher than 58% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 46% of VIC Higher than 34% of VIC

Liveability

Seaford Carrum Downs
Grade C
same for both
Score 41/100 37/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Carrum Downs carries more bushfire risk (34 vs 0).

Seaford Carrum Downs
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
34/100
Crime High
83/100
 High
79/100
Flood High
73/100
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
50/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Seaford Carrum Downs
Inside the suburb 9 5
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 4 2
Rated below peers 2 1

Schools in Seaford

  • Kananook Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Belvedere Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Patterson River Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Seaford North Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Seaford Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Seaford Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Carrum Downs

  • St Joachim's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Carrum Downs Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Rowellyn Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Banyan Fields Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Flinders Christian Community College - Carrum Downs Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Seaford Carrum Downs
Supermarkets 4
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 18 14
Parks & reserves 18 25
Childcare 17 20
GPs 5 10
Pharmacies 2 4
Banks & Bank@Post 3 2
Fuel stations 7
same for both
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 1 9

Mobility

Seaford sits further from the CBD (51.9 km vs 47.3 km).

Seaford Carrum Downs
Walkability score 62/100 64/100
Distance to Melbourne 51.9 km
+9% vs other
 47.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 47 min 43 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 206.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 333.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3198
 0.6%
postcode 3201
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 29
postcode 3198
 39
postcode 3201

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.

Seaford Carrum Downs
Car (driver) 64.8% / 75.3%
Seaford — Car (driver): 64.8% Carrum Downs — Car (driver): 75.3%
Worked from Home 26.9% / 16.8%
Seaford — Worked from Home: 26.9% Carrum Downs — Worked from Home: 16.8%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 4.6%
Seaford — Car (passenger): 3.3% Carrum Downs — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Train 2.6% / 1.2%
Seaford — Train: 2.6% Carrum Downs — Train: 1.2%
Walked Only 1.1% / 1.0%
Seaford — Walked Only: 1.1% Carrum Downs — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.3%).

Setting

Seaford Carrum Downs
Elevation 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.2 km
1.3 km to a named beach
 4.5 km
4.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Seaford Carrum Downs
Connectivity score 89/100 90/100
Most common technology Fibre to the curb Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 46%
9,914 premises
 53%
11,873 premises

Climate

Seaford Carrum Downs
Annual rainfall —
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Seaford Carrum Downs
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.98 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Seaford Carrum Downs
Average residential rate $1,795/yr
same for both
Council Frankston
same for both

Federal electorate

Seaford Carrum Downs
Division Dunkley
same for both
Member Jodie Belyea
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Seaford Carrum Downs
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Seaford

Beach Coastal Easy Commute Outer Parks Townhouses Transport Hub

Carrum Downs

Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Seaford

Seaford vs Frankston Seaford vs Patterson Lakes Seaford vs Frankston North Seaford vs Carrum

Other comparisons with Carrum Downs

Carrum Downs vs Langwarrin Carrum Downs vs Lyndhurst Carrum Downs vs Skye Carrum Downs vs Patterson Lakes Carrum Downs vs Frankston North Carrum Downs vs Sandhurst
Full data on Seaford Full data on Carrum Downs
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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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