Swan Marsh vs Stonyford

Swan Marsh is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 56 in Stonyford. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Swan Marsh, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Swan Marsh tends to suit young adults and couples, while Stonyford suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Swan Marsh

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 75/100)

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

First-home buyers

Stonyford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (8% vs 16%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Swan Marsh

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $260/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Swan Marsh

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (174.6 km vs 177.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Swan Marsh carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 75/100)
  • Stonyford has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 13%)

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

Investors

Stonyford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (27.5% vs 5.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Swan Marsh Stonyford
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.

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Walkability 0 / 0
Swan Marsh — Walkability: 0/100 Stonyford — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 67 / 25
Swan Marsh — Safety: 67/100 Stonyford — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 38 / 32
Swan Marsh — Low fire risk: 38/100 Stonyford — Low fire risk: 32/100
Low flood risk 15 / 75
Swan Marsh — Low flood risk: 15/100 Stonyford — Low flood risk: 75/100

Demographics

Swan Marsh has more residents (127 vs 65); Stonyford has higher household incomes ($105,820 vs $75,816).

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Population 127
+49% vs other
 65
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.0% +27.5%
Median age 45 56
Median household income $75,816/yr $105,820/yr
+40% vs other
Median weekly rent $200/wk $260/wk
+30% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Swan Marsh Stonyford
0-4 7.1% / —
Swan Marsh — 0-4: 7.1% Stonyford — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 7.9% / —
Swan Marsh — 5-14: 7.9% Stonyford — 5-14: not among its largest
15-19 6.3% / 4.6%
Swan Marsh — 15-19: 6.3% Stonyford — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 11.0% / 6.2%
Swan Marsh — 20-24: 11.0% Stonyford — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 17.3% / 12.3%
Swan Marsh — 25-34: 17.3% Stonyford — 25-34: 12.3%
35-44 4.7% / —
Swan Marsh — 35-44: 4.7% Stonyford — 35-44: not among its largest
45-54 19.7% / 15.4%
Swan Marsh — 45-54: 19.7% Stonyford — 45-54: 15.4%
55-64 15.0% / 29.2%
Swan Marsh — 55-64: 15.0% Stonyford — 55-64: 29.2%
65-74 10.2% / 7.7%
Swan Marsh — 65-74: 10.2% Stonyford — 65-74: 7.7%
75-84 2.4% / 4.6%
Swan Marsh — 75-84: 2.4% Stonyford — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ — / 9.2%
Swan Marsh — 85+: not among its largest Stonyford — 85+: 9.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Swan Marsh 46.7% couple families
Swan Marsh — Couple Families: 46.7% Swan Marsh — Lone Person: 20.0% Swan Marsh — One Parent Families: 20.0% Swan Marsh — Group Household: 13.3%
Stonyford 27.3% couple families
Stonyford — Couple Families: 27.3% Stonyford — Lone Person: 36.4% Stonyford — One Parent Families: 36.4% Stonyford — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Swan Marsh 16.7% renting
Swan Marsh — Owned Outright: 44.4% Swan Marsh — Mortgage: 38.9% Swan Marsh — Renting: 16.7%
Stonyford 20.0% renting
Stonyford — Owned Outright: 60.0% Stonyford — Mortgage: 20.0% Stonyford — Renting: 20.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Swan Marsh 100.0% houses
Swan Marsh — Houses: 100.0%
Stonyford 100.0% houses
Stonyford — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Qualifications

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

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Certificate III & IV 20.5% / 15.4%
Swan Marsh — Certificate III & IV: 20.5% Stonyford — Certificate III & IV: 15.4%
Bachelor Degree 6.3% / 12.3%
Swan Marsh — Bachelor Degree: 6.3% Stonyford — Bachelor Degree: 12.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.9% / 6.2%
Swan Marsh — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9% Stonyford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2%
Postgraduate Degree 2.4% / 4.6%
Swan Marsh — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4% Stonyford — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / —
Swan Marsh — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Stonyford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.5%).

Zoning mix

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Rural and farming 100% 98%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
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

Swan Marsh Stonyford
New dwellings approved 226
across Colac Otway
same for both
Approvals change year on year +64%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Swan Marsh Stonyford
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 43% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 4% of VIC Higher than 8% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 63% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC

Liveability

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Swan Marsh carries more flood risk (85 vs 25); Stonyford carries more crime risk (75 vs 33).

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Bushfire Moderate
62/100
 Moderate
68/100
Crime Low
33/100
 High
75/100
Flood High
85/100
 Low
25/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Stonyford sits further from the CBD (177.2 km vs 174.6 km).

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 174.6 km 177.2 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 131 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 3249
 0.2%
postcode 3260
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3249
 29
postcode 3260

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.

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Car (driver) 57.6% / 66.7%
Swan Marsh — Car (driver): 57.6% Stonyford — Car (driver): 66.7%
Worked from Home 37.9% / 33.3%
Swan Marsh — Worked from Home: 37.9% Stonyford — Worked from Home: 33.3%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / —
Swan Marsh — Car (passenger): 4.5% Stonyford — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.7%).

Setting

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Elevation 134 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 161 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 38.6 km 40.7 km

NBN connectivity

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
82 premises
 0%
39 premises

Climate

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Annual rainfall 607 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Average residential rate $2,023/yr
same for both
Council Colac Otway
same for both

Federal electorate

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Swan Marsh Stonyford
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Swan Marsh

Rural

Stonyford

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Swan Marsh

Swan Marsh vs Pirron Yallock Swan Marsh vs Carpendeit Swan Marsh vs Irrewillipe Swan Marsh vs Bungador

Other comparisons with Stonyford

Stonyford vs Pirron Yallock Stonyford vs South Purrumbete Stonyford vs Carpendeit Stonyford vs Pomborneit
Full data on Swan Marsh Full data on Stonyford
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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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