Wandana Heights vs Ceres

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Ceres: a median of $1.13 million, against $955,000 in Wandana Heights, though rent is higher in Wandana Heights. On these figures, Wandana Heights tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Ceres suits families with children.

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

Ceres

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Wandana Heights has cheaper houses ($955,000 vs $1,131,250)
  • Ceres leaves households under less mortgage stress (13% vs 18%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Ceres

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (8% vs 16%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $410/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Wandana Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 21/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wandana Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 21/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Wandana Heights Ceres
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.

Wandana Heights Ceres
Walkability 35 / 21
Wandana Heights — Walkability: 35/100 Ceres — Walkability: 21/100
Safety 81 / 73
Wandana Heights — Safety: 81/100 Ceres — Safety: 73/100
Low fire risk 100 / 67
Wandana Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ceres — Low fire risk: 67/100
Low flood risk 71 / 33
Wandana Heights — Low flood risk: 71/100 Ceres — Low flood risk: 33/100

Demographics

Wandana Heights has more residents (2,195 vs 266); Wandana Heights rents higher ($410/wk vs $250/wk).

Wandana Heights Ceres
Population 2,195
+88% vs other
 266
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.8% +4.7%
Median age 41
same for both
Median household income $132,548/yr $162,500/yr
+23% vs other
Median weekly rent $410/wk
+39% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wandana Heights Ceres
0-4 4.9% / 4.9%
Wandana Heights — 0-4: 4.9% Ceres — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 13.3% / 20.7%
Wandana Heights — 5-14: 13.3% Ceres — 5-14: 20.7%
15-19 8.2% / 7.1%
Wandana Heights — 15-19: 8.2% Ceres — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 6.2% / 4.1%
Wandana Heights — 20-24: 6.2% Ceres — 20-24: 4.1%
25-34 10.9% / 6.0%
Wandana Heights — 25-34: 10.9% Ceres — 25-34: 6.0%
35-44 11.3% / 10.9%
Wandana Heights — 35-44: 11.3% Ceres — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 14.2% / 17.7%
Wandana Heights — 45-54: 14.2% Ceres — 45-54: 17.7%
55-64 15.2% / 15.4%
Wandana Heights — 55-64: 15.2% Ceres — 55-64: 15.4%
65-74 11.3% / 7.9%
Wandana Heights — 65-74: 11.3% Ceres — 65-74: 7.9%
75-84 4.0% / 3.0%
Wandana Heights — 75-84: 4.0% Ceres — 75-84: 3.0%
85+ 1.1% / 1.5%
Wandana Heights — 85+: 1.1% Ceres — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wandana Heights 68.4% couple families
Wandana Heights — Couple Families: 68.4% Wandana Heights — Lone Person: 19.0% Wandana Heights — One Parent Families: 9.3% Wandana Heights — Group Household: 2.4% Wandana Heights — Other Families: 1.0%
Ceres 66.2% couple families
Ceres — Couple Families: 66.2% Ceres — Lone Person: 27.7% Ceres — One Parent Families: 6.2% Ceres — Group Household: 0.0% Ceres — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wandana Heights 10.5% renting
Wandana Heights — Owned Outright: 43.7% Wandana Heights — Mortgage: 45.8% Wandana Heights — Renting: 10.5%
Ceres 3.3% renting
Ceres — Owned Outright: 51.1% Ceres — Mortgage: 45.6% Ceres — Renting: 3.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wandana Heights Ceres
Bachelor Degree 20.8% / 27.1%
Wandana Heights — Bachelor Degree: 20.8% Ceres — Bachelor Degree: 27.1%
Certificate III & IV 11.3% / 7.9%
Wandana Heights — Certificate III & IV: 11.3% Ceres — Certificate III & IV: 7.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 6.0%
Wandana Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Ceres — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0%
Postgraduate Degree 6.0% / 5.3%
Wandana Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0% Ceres — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.5% / 4.9%
Wandana Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5% Ceres — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.1%).

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.

Wandana Heights Ceres
England 3.6% / 5.6%
Wandana Heights — England: 3.6% Ceres — England: 5.6%
India 1.5% / —
Wandana Heights — India: 1.5% Ceres — India: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.3% / —
Wandana Heights — New Zealand: 1.3% Ceres — New Zealand: not among its largest
Singapore — / 1.1%
Wandana Heights — Singapore: not among its largest Ceres — Singapore: 1.1%
South Africa 0.9% / —
Wandana Heights — South Africa: 0.9% Ceres — South Africa: not among its largest
China 0.7% / —
Wandana Heights — China: 0.7% Ceres — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wandana Heights 97.1% houses
Wandana Heights — Houses: 97.1% Wandana Heights — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Wandana Heights — Townhouses: 3.2%
Ceres 96.6% houses
Ceres — Houses: 96.6% Ceres — Flats / Apartments: 3.4% Ceres — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Wandana Heights Ceres
Median house price $955,000 $1,131,250
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $865,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 66 days
from 6 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Ceres has more rural and farming land (96% vs 29%).

Wandana Heights Ceres
Rural and farming 29% 96%
Residential 51% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 17% 2%
Parks and recreation 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

Wandana Heights Ceres
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.

Wandana Heights Ceres
Houses 3.9%
$885/wk on $1.17M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Wandana Heights Ceres
House price Higher than 65% of VIC —
Income Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 82% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 63% of VIC —

Liveability

Wandana Heights is more walkable (35 vs 21).

Wandana Heights Ceres
Grade A —
Score 77/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Ceres carries more bushfire risk (33 vs 0); Ceres carries more flood risk (67 vs 29).

Wandana Heights Ceres
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
33/100
Crime Low
19/100
 Low
27/100
Flood Low
29/100
 Moderate
67/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Wandana Heights Ceres
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 6.2 km
 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 7.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.5% 3.8%

Schools in Wandana Heights

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

Schools in Ceres

  • Ceres Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Woodline Primary Independent · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Wandana Heights Ceres
Parks & reserves 2
same for both
Childcare 0 1

Mobility

Wandana Heights Ceres
Walkability score 35/100 21/100
Distance to Melbourne 81.7 km 82.6 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 63 min 65 min
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 3216
 0.9%
postcode 3221
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 3216
 —
postcode 3221

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.

Wandana Heights Ceres
Car (driver) 65.4% / 60.9%
Wandana Heights — Car (driver): 65.4% Ceres — Car (driver): 60.9%
Worked from Home 28.5% / 32.0%
Wandana Heights — Worked from Home: 28.5% Ceres — Worked from Home: 32.0%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 7.0%
Wandana Heights — Car (passenger): 4.1% Ceres — Car (passenger): 7.0%
Walked Only 1.0% / —
Wandana Heights — Walked Only: 1.0% Ceres — Walked Only: not among its largest
Train 0.7% / —
Wandana Heights — Train: 0.7% Ceres — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.4%).

Setting

Wandana Heights Ceres
Elevation 121 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 137 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.6 km 7.9 km

NBN connectivity

Wandana Heights Ceres
Connectivity score 76/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 57%
776 premises
 0%
99 premises

Climate

Wandana Heights Ceres
Annual rainfall — 454 mm
Summer max (Jan) 22.8°C 26.1°C
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C 5.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Wandana Heights Ceres
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Wandana Heights Ceres
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Wandana Heights Ceres
Division Corio Corangamite
Member Richard Marles Libby Coker
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wandana Heights Ceres
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wandana Heights

Large Blocks Professionals

Ceres

Family Professionals Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wandana Heights

Wandana Heights vs Highton Wandana Heights vs Waurn Ponds

Other comparisons with Ceres

Ceres vs Highton Ceres vs Waurn Ponds Ceres vs Fyansford Ceres vs Barrabool Ceres vs Stonehaven
Full data on Wandana Heights Full data on Ceres
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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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