St Leonards vs Swan Bay

St Leonards is the younger of the two, with a median age of 56 against 61 in Swan Bay. In both, the large majority of households own their home. In St Leonards, 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, Swan Bay 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

St Leonards

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 1)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (92% vs 39%)

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

First-home buyers

St Leonards

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (32% vs 68%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Swan Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Swan Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Swan Bay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (61% vs 8%)

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 42.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

St Leonards 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.

St Leonards 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.

St Leonards Swan Bay
Walkability 0 / 10
St Leonards — Walkability: 0/100 Swan Bay — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 50 / 58
St Leonards — Safety: 50/100 Swan Bay — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
St Leonards — Low fire risk: 100/100 Swan Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 36 / 24
St Leonards — Low flood risk: 36/100 Swan Bay — Low flood risk: 24/100

Demographics

St Leonards has more residents (3,542 vs 103); St Leonards has higher household incomes ($61,516 vs $40,768).

St Leonards Swan Bay
Population 3,542
+97% vs other
 103
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +42.8% +74.6%
Median age 56 61
Median household income $61,516/yr
+34% vs other
 $40,768/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+29% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

St Leonards Swan Bay
0-4 3.7% / —
St Leonards — 0-4: 3.7% Swan Bay — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 7.5% / 14.6%
St Leonards — 5-14: 7.5% Swan Bay — 5-14: 14.6%
15-19 3.2% / 7.8%
St Leonards — 15-19: 3.2% Swan Bay — 15-19: 7.8%
20-24 3.0% / 3.9%
St Leonards — 20-24: 3.0% Swan Bay — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 9.0% / 3.9%
St Leonards — 25-34: 9.0% Swan Bay — 25-34: 3.9%
35-44 8.7% / 6.8%
St Leonards — 35-44: 8.7% Swan Bay — 35-44: 6.8%
45-54 12.9% / 12.6%
St Leonards — 45-54: 12.9% Swan Bay — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 19.1% / 23.3%
St Leonards — 55-64: 19.1% Swan Bay — 55-64: 23.3%
65-74 21.4% / 22.3%
St Leonards — 65-74: 21.4% Swan Bay — 65-74: 22.3%
75-84 9.3% / 7.8%
St Leonards — 75-84: 9.3% Swan Bay — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 2.3% / —
St Leonards — 85+: 2.3% Swan Bay — 85+: not among its largest

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

St Leonards 50.7% lone person
St Leonards — Lone Person: 50.7% St Leonards — Couple Families: 28.0% St Leonards — One Parent Families: 14.7% St Leonards — Group Household: 4.6% St Leonards — Other Families: 2.1%
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.

St Leonards 24.4% renting
St Leonards — Owned Outright: 50.1% St Leonards — Mortgage: 25.6% St Leonards — Renting: 24.4%
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.

St Leonards Swan Bay
England 4.5% / 3.9%
St Leonards — England: 4.5% Swan Bay — England: 3.9%
New Zealand 1.6% / 2.9%
St Leonards — New Zealand: 1.6% Swan Bay — New Zealand: 2.9%
Italy 1.6% / —
St Leonards — Italy: 1.6% Swan Bay — Italy: not among its largest
Greece 1.4% / —
St Leonards — Greece: 1.4% Swan Bay — Greece: not among its largest
Scotland 0.8% / —
St Leonards — Scotland: 0.8% Swan Bay — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

Qualifications

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

St Leonards Swan Bay
Bachelor Degree 10.1% / 25.2%
St Leonards — Bachelor Degree: 10.1% Swan Bay — Bachelor Degree: 25.2%
Certificate III & IV 18.0% / 11.7%
St Leonards — Certificate III & IV: 18.0% Swan Bay — Certificate III & IV: 11.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 8.7%
St Leonards — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Swan Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 2.9%
St Leonards — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Swan Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%
Postgraduate Degree 3.6% / —
St Leonards — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6% 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.

St Leonards 91.9% houses
St Leonards — Houses: 91.9% St Leonards — Flats / Apartments: 1.1% St Leonards — Townhouses: 7.0%
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

St Leonards Swan Bay
Median house price $725,000 —
Median unit price $432,000 —
Median land price $480,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 52 days
from 92 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Swan Bay has more rural and farming land (81% vs 70%).

St Leonards Swan Bay
Rural and farming 70% 81%
Residential 13% 0%
Parks and recreation 13% 9%
Environmental 1% 10%
Other and special use 2% 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

St Leonards 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.

St Leonards Swan Bay
Houses 3.7%
$540/wk on $760K
 —
Units 4.8%
$525/wk on $570K
 —

Ranking within VIC

St Leonards Swan Bay
House price Higher than 43% of VIC —
Income Higher than 22% of VIC Higher than 4% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 13% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 27% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 68% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 46% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 51% of VIC —

Liveability

Swan Bay is more walkable (10 vs 0).

St Leonards Swan Bay
Grade C —
Score 39/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Swan Bay carries more flood risk (76 vs 64).

St Leonards Swan Bay
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
50/100
 Moderate
42/100
Flood Moderate
64/100
 High
76/100
Coastal erosion High
70/100
 Low
14/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

St Leonards Swan Bay
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in St Leonards

  • St Leonards Primary School Government · Primary below 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

St Leonards Swan Bay
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 7 1
Childcare 1 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 2 3

Mobility

St Leonards Swan Bay
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 104.6 km 104.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 95 min 96 min
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 3223
 1.9%
postcode 3225
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 3223
 39
postcode 3225

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.

St Leonards Swan Bay
Car (driver) 66.6% / 47.6%
St Leonards — Car (driver): 66.6% Swan Bay — Car (driver): 47.6%
Worked from Home 27.0% / 40.5%
St Leonards — Worked from Home: 27.0% Swan Bay — Worked from Home: 40.5%
Walked Only 1.5% / 11.9%
St Leonards — Walked Only: 1.5% Swan Bay — Walked Only: 11.9%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / —
St Leonards — Car (passenger): 3.2% Swan Bay — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.7% / —
St Leonards — Bus: 0.7% Swan Bay — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.6%).

Setting

St Leonards Swan Bay
Elevation 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.0 km
2.6 km to a named beach
 155 m
4.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

St Leonards Swan Bay
Connectivity score 81/100 33/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 65%
4,039 premises
 6%
36 premises

Climate

St Leonards 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)

St Leonards 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

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

Federal electorate

St Leonards Swan Bay
Division Corangamite
same for both
Member Libby Coker
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

St Leonards

Acreage Coastal Outer Retirees

Swan Bay

Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with St Leonards

St Leonards vs Drysdale St Leonards vs Portarlington St Leonards vs Indented Head St Leonards vs Mannerim

Other comparisons with Swan Bay

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