Cape Paterson sits 143 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 1 hour 55 minutes by car. Census data records 1,111 residents with a median age of 55 and a median household income of $66,820 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The town grew 24.7% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $300 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,517. Walkability is low.
Is Cape Paterson a good town?
Cape Paterson scores a B (53/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on transit.
Car-dependent
Walkability 10/100 · 142.6 km · 115 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $752K
Moderate crime risk
Fire 21/100 · Crime 48/100 · Flood 28/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 7/10 · median age 55 · 1,111 residents
Liveability Rating
53 / 100 · Ranked #380 in VICEach bar is Cape Paterson's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Cape Paterson?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
53 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataCape Paterson's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $752,000, about 4% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$752,500
Based on 62 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 76 days — median across 41 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 39 sales $740K
- 4 bed 14 sales $802K
- 5 bed 5 sales $865K
Land
$475,000
Based on only 7 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Cape Paterson are currently listed at around $940,000 on average. Based on 23 houses listed in the past six months.
$940K
23 houses listed in the last 6 months.
24 of the suburb's 471 dwellings (5.1%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Cape Paterson rent for around $530 a week on average, based on 10 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$530/wk
10 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
10 rentals advertised against an estimated 82 rented homes (12.2%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025104 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3995.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$530/week ($28,000 a year) on a $940,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Cape Paterson safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Cape Paterson sits in the moderate band, with 46 incidents recorded in 2026 — up about 4% on the prior year.
46 offences
4.5% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20252 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 1.5 km
- Rate
- -0.05 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -4.2 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
Walkability
Cape Paterson is very car-dependent on foot — at 10/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Cape Paterson.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 3.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 4.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 15.8 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Cape Paterson.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 68%
- Premises covered
- 1,377
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Bass Coast: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 4 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the town closely.
Cape Paterson is home to about 1,100 residents, with a median age of 55 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $67,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.8%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,111
Median Age
55
Median Household Income
$66,820/yr
Census Median Rent
$300/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,517/mo
Avg Household Size
2.2
Median Personal Income
$34,112/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.8%
Unoccupied Dwellings
138.4%
Total Dwellings
471
Owner-Occupier Rate
82.6%
Houses
96.0%
Rental Stress
23.3%
Mortgage Stress
27.2%
Work From Home
27.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 82.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 92.7%
- Employment Rate
- 49%
- Completed Year 12
- 50.2%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
9 residents (0.8%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
24.9% of residents (267) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (261).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,071 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
4% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (20 of 476).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,727 a year through Bass Coast based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 81%
- Parks and recreation 9%
- Residential 6%
- Other and special use 3%
- Infrastructure and transport 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the town around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Bass Coast
In the year to August 2026, 393 new dwellings were approved across Bass Coast. That mix is 369 houses and 24 units.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2017).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Climate & Setting
from Wonthaggi, 6.1 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 31 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 1.5 km
- 1.6 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 906 mm
- 119 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 24.6°C
- 6 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.9°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the town centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
EV adoption
In postcode 3995, 98 of 10,900 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.4% (266 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3995, 2,897 rooftop-solar systems totalling 17.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 6,214 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 226 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
16 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3995 in 2025-26, rank 59 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 102, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
5 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 3995.
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $752,500 this is $2,500 above the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Mary Aldred Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mary Aldred | 45.9% | 54.1% | -1.2 |
| 2022 | Russell Broadbent | 47.1% | 52.9% | -4.0 |
| 2019 | Russell Broadbent | 42.6% | 57.4% | -0.1 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Jordan Crugnale Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Jordan Crugnale ALP | 50.2% | 50.2% | 49.8% |
| 2018 | Jordan Crugnale ALP | 52.4% | 52.4% | 47.6% |
| 2014 | Brian Paynter LP | 54.5% | 45.5% | 54.5% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Cape Paterson?
Every figure above is a town average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 1,111 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
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Common questions about Cape Paterson
Is Cape Paterson a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Cape Paterson is moderate (48/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Cape Paterson?
Cape Paterson has a low recorded bushfire history (21/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (28/100). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Cape Paterson a good place to live?
Cape Paterson has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (53/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Cape Paterson?
Cape Paterson, VIC had a population of 1,111 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Cape Paterson, VIC?
The postcode for Cape Paterson, VIC is 3995.
How far is Cape Paterson from Melbourne?
Cape Paterson is 143 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 115 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Cape Paterson?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Cape Paterson was $66,820 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Cape Paterson?
The median advertised rent in Cape Paterson is $530 a week for houses (10 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Cape Paterson?
The median age of residents in Cape Paterson was 55 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Cape Paterson at risk of bushfire?
Cape Paterson has a low recorded bushfire history (21/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
Is Cape Paterson walkable?
Cape Paterson scores 10/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Cape Paterson?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Cape Paterson, Wonthaggi (6.1 km away), summer days average 24.6°C, winter nights 6.9°C, 906 mm of rain a year over 119 rainy days, and 6 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Cape Paterson?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Cape Paterson belong to?
Cape Paterson sits within the Bass Coast local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Cape Paterson?
The average residential rates bill through Bass Coast is $1,727 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Cape Paterson?
Across Bass Coast, 393 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Cape Paterson in?
Cape Paterson sits within the federal Division of Monash, currently held by Mary Aldred (Liberal).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.