Highton VIC 3216
Highton sits 82 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 1 hour 5 minutes by car. Census data records 20,736 residents with a median age of 39 and a median household income of $106,808 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 20% nationally. The suburb grew 9.4% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $360 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,000. Highton is characterised by no recorded bushfire exposure. 5 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is high.
Is Highton a good suburb?
Highton scores a B (60/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community, weaker on schools.
Below the state average
5 schools · Bottom 11% in VIC
Very walkable
Walkability 76/100 · 82.2 km · 64 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $900K
Moderate flood risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 27/100 · Flood 58/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 9/10 · median age 39 · 20,736 residents
Liveability Rating
60 / 100 · Ranked #274 in VICEach bar is Highton's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Highton?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
60 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataHighton's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $900,000, about 6% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$900,000
22% above its 6 neighbours (median $740,000)
Based on 423 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 25 days — median across 218 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 28 sales $634K
- 3 bed 167 sales $811K
- 4 bed 180 sales $1M
- 5 bed 41 sales $1.23M
Units
$500,000
5% below its 3 neighbours (median $525,000)
Based on 88 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 31 days — median across 48 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 17 sales $335K
- 2 bed 58 sales $504K
- 3 bed 12 sales $635K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Highton are currently listed at around $1 million on average. Based on 229 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1M
229 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$555K
58 units listed in the last 6 months.
287 of the suburb's 7,458 dwellings (3.8%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Highton rent for around $618 a week on average, based on 62 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$618/wk
12% above its 5 neighbours (median $550/wk)
62 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$450/wk
19 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
81 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,626 rented homes (5.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202598 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 31% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3216.
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$618/week ($32,000 a year) on a $1 million median
$450/week ($23,000 a year) on a $555,000 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.
Short-Stay Rentals
47 active Airbnb listings: 38 whole homes and 9 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.5% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Highton safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Highton sits in the low band, with 366 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 24% on the prior year.
366 offences
23.8% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202545 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Five schools serve Highton, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 3,453 students across 4 schools (avg 863)
- • Sectors: 3 Government, 2 Independent
- • ICSEA 1094-1121, median 1100 (well above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Christian College Geelong - Middle School – Highton (1,908 students)
Primary
Combined
Universities nearby
- 5.0 kmDeakin University, Geelong Waterfront CampusDeakin University · 55 courses
- 5.0 kmDeakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds CampusDeakin University · 93 courses
3.7% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Highton is very walkable on foot — at 76/100, most daily errands can be done on foot. Within the suburb there are 4 supermarkets, 22 parks and 8 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Highton.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 163.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 137.6 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 73.5 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 16.4 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 Highton.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 56%
- Premises covered
- 9,304
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
Greater Geelong: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 49 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 6 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Highton is home to about 20,700 residents, with a median age of 39, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $107,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.5%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
20,736
Median Age
39
Median Household Income
$106,808/yr
Census Median Rent
$360/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$46,228/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Unoccupied Dwellings
6.0%
Total Dwellings
7,458
Owner-Occupier Rate
78.2%
Houses
87.3%
Rental Stress
17.5%
Mortgage Stress
22.5%
Work From Home
27.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
35 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 49 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,593 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 77.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 83.4%
- Employment Rate
- 63.1%
- Completed Year 12
- 52.4%
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.
843 residents (4.1%) 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.
7.9% of residents (1,560) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (1,272).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 19,628 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
6% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (606 of 10,616).
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 $1,802 a year through Greater Geelong based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 76%
- Parks and recreation 12%
- Infrastructure and transport 12%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Rezoned since Oct 2025
- General Residential Zone → Commercial 1 Zone · C457ggee, Jan 2026 0.7 ha
Land in this suburb moved from one zone to another by a planning scheme amendment (Vicmap Planning, CC BY 4.0). Exhibited amendments are proposals and can change or lapse.
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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Greater Geelong
In the year to August 2026, 3,468 new dwellings were approved across Greater Geelong. That mix is 2,749 houses and 719 units. Approvals are up 55.5% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 28 homes
- Lots in approved subdivisions, not yet titled 28 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2009).
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.
Air Quality
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 5 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 20.5 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 3 · ozone 0.
From the Geelong South monitoring station, 5.2 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Point Wilson, 21.3 kmwarm summers — mild winters.
- Elevation
- 57 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 5.3 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 3.2% of addresses
- 326 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- —
- Summer max (Jan)
- 22.8°C
- 3 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 7.8°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb 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.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
3 facilities within 5 km- 2.5 kmWool ScouringTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 4.4 kmBeer ManufacturingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol
- 4.4 kmTextile Floor Covering ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Carbon monoxide
EV adoption
In postcode 3216, 469 of 44,850 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.5% (1,131 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.6%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3216, 7,908 rooftop-solar systems totalling 44.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 23,881 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 444 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.
11 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3216 in 2025-26, rank 82 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 513, in 2009-10.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
5 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 24 across postcode 3216.
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 $900,000 this is $150,000 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 2026-10-26 — 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 Richard Marles Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Richard Marles | 63.2% | 36.8% | +0.7 |
| 2022 | Richard Marles | 62.8% | 37.2% | -2.5 |
| 2019 | Richard Marles | 60.3% | 39.7% | -2.1 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Darren Cheeseman Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Darren Cheeseman ALP | 59.8% | 59.8% | 40.2% |
| 2018 | Darren Cheeseman ALP | 54.6% | 54.6% | 45.4% |
| 2014 | Andrew Katos LP | 52.9% | 47.1% | 52.9% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Highton?
Every figure above is a suburb 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 20,736 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.
Featured in
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- #2 in Best Geelong suburbs for good private primary schools
- #2 in Where the Malaysian community lives in Geelong
- #2 in Where the Sri Lankan community lives in Geelong
- #3 in Geelong suburbs with the biggest house blocks
- #4 in Geelong suburbs where the most people cycle to work
- #4 in Best Geelong suburbs for good public primary schools
- #4 in Where the Pakistani community lives in Geelong
- #4 in Geelong suburbs where the most Urdu is spoken at home
- #4 in Geelong suburbs where the most Vietnamese is spoken at home
- #5 in Geelong suburbs where the most Greek is spoken at home
- #5 in Geelong suburbs where the most Hindi is spoken at home
- #5 in Geelong suburbs where the most Malayalam is spoken at home
- #7 in Best Geelong suburbs for first-home buyers (units)
- #7 in The safest suburbs in Geelong
- #7 in Where the Serbian community lives in Geelong
- #7 in Sportiest Geelong suburbs
- #8 in Geelong suburbs that added the most residents, 2016-2021
- #8 in Geelong suburbs with the largest Muslim community
- #9 in Geelong suburbs with the highest EV adoption today
- #9 in Geelong suburbs where the most Italian is spoken at home
- #9 in Geelong's most educated suburbs
- #10 in Geelong suburbs with the fastest EV adoption growth
- #10 in Geelong's highest-income suburbs
- #10 in Highest-yielding Geelong suburbs (units)
- #10 in Where the Macedonian community lives in Geelong
- #10 in Geelong suburbs where the most homes are owned outright
- #10 in Geelong suburbs that suit young professionals
- #11 in Geelong suburbs with the largest Hindu community
- #11 in The most liveable suburbs in Geelong
- #11 in Geelong suburbs where the most Punjabi is spoken at home
- #11 in Geelong suburbs with the most rooftop solar
- #12 in Geelong suburbs where young families live
- #13 in Where the Indian community lives in Geelong
- #13 in Geelong's most owner-occupied suburbs
- #13 in Geelong suburbs with the best public transport
- #14 in Most walkable suburbs in Geelong
Nearby suburbs
Belmont VIC 3216
Grovedale VIC 3216
Newtown VIC 3220
Waurn Ponds VIC 3216
Wandana Heights VIC 3216
Fyansford VIC 3218
Compare Highton to another suburb
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Common questions about Highton
Is Highton a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Highton is low (27/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Highton?
Highton has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (58/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Highton a good place to live?
Highton has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (60/100), 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 Highton?
Highton, VIC had a population of 20,736 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Highton, VIC?
The postcode for Highton, VIC is 3216.
How far is Highton from Melbourne?
Highton is 82 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 64 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Highton?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Highton was $106,808 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 Highton?
The median advertised rent in Highton is $618 a week for houses (62 listings) and $450 a week for units (19 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Highton?
The median age of residents in Highton was 39 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Highton?
There are 5 schools inside the Highton boundary: 3 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Highton walkable?
Highton scores 76/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Highton?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Highton (Geelong South) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.0 µg/m³ and PM10 of 20.5 µg/m³. That puts Highton below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Highton?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Highton, Point Wilson (21.3 km away), summer days average 22.8°C, winter nights 7.8°C, and 3 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Highton?
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 Highton belong to?
Highton sits within the Greater Geelong local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Highton?
The average residential rates bill through Greater Geelong is $1,802 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Highton?
Across Greater Geelong, 3,468 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 55.5% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Highton in?
Highton sits within the federal Division of Corio, currently held by Richard Marles (Australian Labor Party).
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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
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- 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.