Winchelsea vs Inverleigh

Inverleigh is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 41 in Winchelsea. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Inverleigh, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Inverleigh: a median of $1.18 million, against $650,000 in Winchelsea. On these figures, Winchelsea tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Inverleigh suits families with children and couples.

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

Inverleigh

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 59/100)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 55%)
  • But Winchelsea has more parks and reserves (6 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Winchelsea

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($650,000 vs $1,180,000)
  • has cheaper land ($292,500 vs $530,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Winchelsea has a bigger rental market to choose from (20% vs 6%)
  • Inverleigh leaves renters under less rental stress (14% vs 20%)

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

Commuting to the city

Inverleigh

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (105.6 km vs 118.1 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (80 min vs 88 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Winchelsea

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 1)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 12%)
  • But Inverleigh carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 59/100)

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

Investors

Winchelsea

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (25.7% vs 18.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Winchelsea Inverleigh
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.

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Walkability 4 / 0
Winchelsea — Walkability: 4/100 Inverleigh — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 41 / 80
Winchelsea — Safety: 41/100 Inverleigh — Safety: 80/100
Low fire risk 78 / 71
Winchelsea — Low fire risk: 78/100 Inverleigh — Low fire risk: 71/100
Low flood risk 29 / 32
Winchelsea — Low flood risk: 29/100 Inverleigh — Low flood risk: 32/100

Demographics

Inverleigh has higher household incomes ($112,320 vs $74,984); Winchelsea has more residents (2,456 vs 1,746).

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Population 2,456
+29% vs other
 1,746
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +25.7% +18.5%
Median age 41 38
Median household income $74,984/yr $112,320/yr
+50% vs other
Median weekly rent $295/wk $300/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Winchelsea Inverleigh
0-4 7.0% / 7.7%
Winchelsea — 0-4: 7.0% Inverleigh — 0-4: 7.7%
5-14 10.6% / 17.0%
Winchelsea — 5-14: 10.6% Inverleigh — 5-14: 17.0%
15-19 5.1% / 6.8%
Winchelsea — 15-19: 5.1% Inverleigh — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 4.4% / 3.7%
Winchelsea — 20-24: 4.4% Inverleigh — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 14.1% / 8.7%
Winchelsea — 25-34: 14.1% Inverleigh — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 12.7% / 15.2%
Winchelsea — 35-44: 12.7% Inverleigh — 35-44: 15.2%
45-54 10.9% / 14.9%
Winchelsea — 45-54: 10.9% Inverleigh — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 13.6% / 14.4%
Winchelsea — 55-64: 13.6% Inverleigh — 55-64: 14.4%
65-74 12.5% / 8.6%
Winchelsea — 65-74: 12.5% Inverleigh — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 6.4% / 3.0%
Winchelsea — 75-84: 6.4% Inverleigh — 75-84: 3.0%
85+ 2.6% / 0.4%
Winchelsea — 85+: 2.6% Inverleigh — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Winchelsea 40.5% couple families
Winchelsea — Couple Families: 40.5% Winchelsea — Lone Person: 41.1% Winchelsea — One Parent Families: 14.8% Winchelsea — Group Household: 3.2% Winchelsea — Other Families: 0.5%
Inverleigh 73.6% couple families
Inverleigh — Couple Families: 73.6% Inverleigh — Lone Person: 17.4% Inverleigh — One Parent Families: 9.0% Inverleigh — Group Household: 0.0% Inverleigh — 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.

Winchelsea 20.3% renting
Winchelsea — Owned Outright: 35.5% Winchelsea — Mortgage: 44.2% Winchelsea — Renting: 20.3%
Inverleigh 6.2% renting
Inverleigh — Owned Outright: 35.2% Inverleigh — Mortgage: 58.7% Inverleigh — Renting: 6.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Certificate III & IV 18.8% / 17.5%
Winchelsea — Certificate III & IV: 18.8% Inverleigh — Certificate III & IV: 17.5%
Bachelor Degree 9.0% / 13.2%
Winchelsea — Bachelor Degree: 9.0% Inverleigh — Bachelor Degree: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 9.2%
Winchelsea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Inverleigh — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 2.8%
Winchelsea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Inverleigh — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.8% / 2.3%
Winchelsea — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8% Inverleigh — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

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.

Winchelsea Inverleigh
England 2.8% / 3.8%
Winchelsea — England: 2.8% Inverleigh — England: 3.8%
New Zealand 1.2% / 0.5%
Winchelsea — New Zealand: 1.2% Inverleigh — New Zealand: 0.5%
Philippines 0.7% / —
Winchelsea — Philippines: 0.7% Inverleigh — Philippines: not among its largest
Scotland 0.2% / 0.5%
Winchelsea — Scotland: 0.2% Inverleigh — Scotland: 0.5%
Netherlands — / 0.6%
Winchelsea — Netherlands: not among its largest Inverleigh — Netherlands: 0.6%
Germany 0.5% / —
Winchelsea — Germany: 0.5% Inverleigh — Germany: not among its largest
India 0.5% / —
Winchelsea — India: 0.5% Inverleigh — India: not among its largest
Ireland — / 0.5%
Winchelsea — Ireland: not among its largest Inverleigh — Ireland: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Winchelsea 94.9% houses
Winchelsea — Houses: 94.9% Winchelsea — Townhouses: 4.5% Winchelsea — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Inverleigh 99.3% houses
Inverleigh — Houses: 99.3% Inverleigh — Townhouses: 0.0% Inverleigh — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Median house price $650,000 $1,180,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $292,500 $530,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 50 days
from 37 sales
 80 days
from 17 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.

Winchelsea Inverleigh
3 bed $632K / $888K
Winchelsea — 3 bed: $632K (39 sales) Inverleigh — 3 bed: $888K (8 sales)

39 vs 8 sales

4 bed $678K / $1.2M
Winchelsea — 4 bed: $678K (26 sales) Inverleigh — 4 bed: $1.2M (25 sales)

26 vs 25 sales

Zoning mix

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Rural and farming 92% 91%
Parks and recreation 4% 5%
Residential 2% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 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

Winchelsea Inverleigh
New dwellings approved 300
across Surf Coast
 186
across Golden Plains
Approvals change year on year +57% +10%

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.

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Houses 3.9%
$560/wk on $738K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Winchelsea Inverleigh
House price Higher than 37% of VIC —
Income Higher than 41% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 30% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 54% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 47% of VIC Higher than 42% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 64% of VIC —

Liveability

Inverleigh scores higher overall (50 vs 31).

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Grade C B
Score 31/100 50/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Winchelsea carries more crime risk (59 vs 20).

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Bushfire Low
22/100
 Low
29/100
Crime Moderate
59/100
 Low
20/100
Flood High
71/100
 Moderate
68/100
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

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Winchelsea

  • Winchelsea Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Inverleigh

  • Inverleigh Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 6 2
Childcare 3 2
GPs 3 1
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 2 1
Fuel stations 2 1
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 4 9

Mobility

Winchelsea sits further from the CBD (118.1 km vs 105.6 km).

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Walkability score 4/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 118.1 km
+11% vs other
 105.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 88 min 80 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3241
 0.5%
postcode 3321
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 3241
 64
postcode 3321

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.

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Car (driver) 73.3% / 69.0%
Winchelsea — Car (driver): 73.3% Inverleigh — Car (driver): 69.0%
Worked from Home 17.1% / 24.3%
Winchelsea — Worked from Home: 17.1% Inverleigh — Worked from Home: 24.3%
Walked Only 4.6% / 3.5%
Winchelsea — Walked Only: 4.6% Inverleigh — Walked Only: 3.5%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 3.2%
Winchelsea — Car (passenger): 3.8% Inverleigh — Car (passenger): 3.2%
Bus 1.0% / —
Winchelsea — Bus: 1.0% Inverleigh — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.3%).

Setting

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Elevation 90 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 91 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 27.1 km 31.1 km

NBN connectivity

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Connectivity score 66/100 42/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
1,464 premises
 18%
768 premises

Climate

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Annual rainfall 599 mm 502 mm
Summer max (Jan) 23.2°C 25.8°C
Winter min (Jul) 7.6°C 5.3°C

Council rates

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Average residential rate $2,314/yr $2,052/yr
Council Surf Coast Golden Plains

Federal electorate

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Winchelsea Inverleigh
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Winchelsea

Rural Trains

Inverleigh

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Winchelsea

Winchelsea vs Birregurra Winchelsea vs Buckley Winchelsea vs Winchelsea South Winchelsea vs Wurdiboluc Winchelsea vs Ombersley

Other comparisons with Inverleigh

Inverleigh vs Bannockburn Inverleigh vs Teesdale Inverleigh vs Gnarwarre Inverleigh vs Shelford Inverleigh vs Buckley Inverleigh vs Murgheboluc
Full data on Winchelsea Full data on Inverleigh
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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