Wandana Heights vs Waurn Ponds

Waurn Ponds is the younger of the two, with a median age of 27 against 41 in Wandana Heights. 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 Wandana Heights: a median of $955,000, against $790,000 in Waurn Ponds. On these figures, Waurn Ponds tends to suit young adults 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Wandana Heights carries lower crime risk (19/100 vs 58/100)
  • Waurn Ponds has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Waurn Ponds

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($638,000 vs $865,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($790,000 vs $955,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Waurn Ponds

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (21% vs 10%)

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

Commuting to the city

Wandana Heights

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 18/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (63 min vs 68 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (81.7 km vs 87.9 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Wandana Heights

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (19/100 vs 58/100)
  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 18/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (16% vs 10%)
  • But Waurn Ponds has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Wandana Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.8% vs -1.8%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Wandana Heights and Waurn Ponds 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 Waurn Ponds
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 Waurn Ponds
Walkability 35 / 18
Wandana Heights — Walkability: 35/100 Waurn Ponds — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 81 / 42
Wandana Heights — Safety: 81/100 Waurn Ponds — Safety: 42/100
Low fire risk 100 / 69
Wandana Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Waurn Ponds — Low fire risk: 69/100
Low flood risk 71 / 67
Wandana Heights — Low flood risk: 71/100 Waurn Ponds — Low flood risk: 67/100

Demographics

Waurn Ponds has more residents (4,956 vs 2,195); Wandana Heights skews older (41 vs 27).

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Population 2,195 4,956
+126% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.8% -1.8%
Median age 41 27
Median household income $132,548/yr
+10% vs other
 $118,872/yr
Median weekly rent $410/wk $430/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
0-4 4.9% / 3.9%
Wandana Heights — 0-4: 4.9% Waurn Ponds — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 13.3% / 12.2%
Wandana Heights — 5-14: 13.3% Waurn Ponds — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 8.2% / 13.0%
Wandana Heights — 15-19: 8.2% Waurn Ponds — 15-19: 13.0%
20-24 6.2% / 16.5%
Wandana Heights — 20-24: 6.2% Waurn Ponds — 20-24: 16.5%
25-34 10.9% / 12.1%
Wandana Heights — 25-34: 10.9% Waurn Ponds — 25-34: 12.1%
35-44 11.3% / 10.5%
Wandana Heights — 35-44: 11.3% Waurn Ponds — 35-44: 10.5%
45-54 14.2% / 13.4%
Wandana Heights — 45-54: 14.2% Waurn Ponds — 45-54: 13.4%
55-64 15.2% / 8.5%
Wandana Heights — 55-64: 15.2% Waurn Ponds — 55-64: 8.5%
65-74 11.3% / 6.1%
Wandana Heights — 65-74: 11.3% Waurn Ponds — 65-74: 6.1%
75-84 4.0% / 3.1%
Wandana Heights — 75-84: 4.0% Waurn Ponds — 75-84: 3.1%
85+ 1.1% / 0.5%
Wandana Heights — 85+: 1.1% Waurn Ponds — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

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%
Waurn Ponds 61.0% couple families
Waurn Ponds — Couple Families: 61.0% Waurn Ponds — Lone Person: 19.2% Waurn Ponds — One Parent Families: 12.6% Waurn Ponds — Group Household: 6.0% Waurn Ponds — Other Families: 1.1%
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%
Waurn Ponds 21.3% renting
Waurn Ponds — Owned Outright: 34.7% Waurn Ponds — Mortgage: 44.0% Waurn Ponds — Renting: 21.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Bachelor Degree 20.8% / 13.9%
Wandana Heights — Bachelor Degree: 20.8% Waurn Ponds — Bachelor Degree: 13.9%
Certificate III & IV 11.3% / 13.5%
Wandana Heights — Certificate III & IV: 11.3% Waurn Ponds — Certificate III & IV: 13.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 8.1%
Wandana Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Waurn Ponds — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 6.0% / 5.6%
Wandana Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0% Waurn Ponds — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.5% / 2.4%
Wandana Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5% Waurn Ponds — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

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 Waurn Ponds
England 3.6% / 2.9%
Wandana Heights — England: 3.6% Waurn Ponds — England: 2.9%
India 1.5% / 4.0%
Wandana Heights — India: 1.5% Waurn Ponds — India: 4.0%
New Zealand 1.3% / 0.8%
Wandana Heights — New Zealand: 1.3% Waurn Ponds — New Zealand: 0.8%
China 0.7% / 1.4%
Wandana Heights — China: 0.7% Waurn Ponds — China: 1.4%
Sri Lanka 0.5% / 1.4%
Wandana Heights — Sri Lanka: 0.5% Waurn Ponds — Sri Lanka: 1.4%
South Africa 0.9% / —
Wandana Heights — South Africa: 0.9% Waurn Ponds — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wandana Heights 97.1% houses
Wandana Heights — Houses: 97.1% Wandana Heights — Townhouses: 3.2%
Waurn Ponds 97.6% houses
Waurn Ponds — Houses: 97.6% Waurn Ponds — Townhouses: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Median house price $955,000 $790,000
Median unit price — $510,000
Median land price $865,000 $638,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 66 days
from 6 sales
 28 days
from 58 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.

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
3 bed $845K / $740K
Wandana Heights — 3 bed: $845K (6 sales) Waurn Ponds — 3 bed: $740K (45 sales)

6 vs 45 sales

4 bed $955K / $820K
Wandana Heights — 4 bed: $955K (18 sales) Waurn Ponds — 4 bed: $820K (53 sales)

18 vs 53 sales

Zoning mix

Waurn Ponds has more rural and farming land (75% vs 29%).

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Rural and farming 29% 75%
Residential 51% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 17% 14%
Parks and recreation 3% 1%
Other and special use 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

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
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 Waurn Ponds
Houses 3.9%
$885/wk on $1.17M
 3.7%
$610/wk on $855K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
House price Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 48% of VIC
Income Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 63% of VIC Higher than 47% of VIC

Liveability

Wandana Heights is more walkable (35 vs 18); Wandana Heights scores higher overall (77 vs 55).

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Grade A B
Score 77/100 55/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Waurn Ponds carries more bushfire risk (31 vs 0); Waurn Ponds carries more crime risk (58 vs 19).

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
31/100
Crime Low
19/100
 Moderate
58/100
Flood Low
29/100
 Low
33/100
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 Waurn Ponds
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 6.2 km
 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 9.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.5% 16.8%

Schools in Wandana Heights

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

Schools in Waurn Ponds

  • Christian College Geelong - Senior School – Waurn Ponds Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 2 5
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 0 14

Mobility

Waurn Ponds sits further from the CBD (87.9 km vs 81.7 km).

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Walkability score 35/100 18/100
Distance to Melbourne 81.7 km 87.9 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 63 min 68 min
Public transport score 25/100 76/100
Peak arrivals per hour 2.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 91.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 3216
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 3216
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.

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Car (driver) 65.4% / 70.2%
Wandana Heights — Car (driver): 65.4% Waurn Ponds — Car (driver): 70.2%
Worked from Home 28.5% / 19.7%
Wandana Heights — Worked from Home: 28.5% Waurn Ponds — Worked from Home: 19.7%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 4.8%
Wandana Heights — Car (passenger): 4.1% Waurn Ponds — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Bus 0.4% / 2.2%
Wandana Heights — Bus: 0.4% Waurn Ponds — Bus: 2.2%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.4%
Wandana Heights — Walked Only: 1.0% Waurn Ponds — Walked Only: 1.4%
Train 0.7% / 1.3%
Wandana Heights — Train: 0.7% Waurn Ponds — Train: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.2%).

Setting

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Elevation 121 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 104 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.6 km 10.1 km

NBN connectivity

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
Connectivity score 76/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 57%
776 premises
 46%
1,552 premises

Climate

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
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)

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds
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

Waurn Ponds

Acreage River Students

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wandana Heights

Wandana Heights vs Highton Wandana Heights vs Ceres

Other comparisons with Waurn Ponds

Waurn Ponds vs Highton Waurn Ponds vs Grovedale Waurn Ponds vs Mount Duneed Waurn Ponds vs Freshwater Creek Waurn Ponds vs Ceres Waurn Ponds vs Mount Moriac
Full data on Wandana Heights Full data on Waurn Ponds
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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