Located in Victoria, Manifold Heights sits 76 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 5 minutes by car. The suburb has 2,681 residents, a median age of 39, and a median household income of $94,640 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 1.2% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $310 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,990. The area shows high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is high.
Is Manifold Heights a good suburb?
Manifold Heights scores a A (78/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community.
Mixed results
1 school
Very walkable
Walkability 89/100 · 76.2 km · 63 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $890K
Moderate crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 61/100 · Flood 15/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 9/10 · median age 39 · 2,681 residents
Liveability Rating
78 / 100 · Ranked #77 in VICEach bar is Manifold Heights'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 Manifold Heights?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
78 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataManifold Heights's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $890,000, roughly 15% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$890,000
3% above its 4 neighbours (median $860,000)
Based on 33 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 30 days — median across 10 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 22 sales $868K
- 4 bed 7 sales $1.16M
Units
$485,000
13% above its 4 neighbours (median $430,000)
Based on 13 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 10 sales $485K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Manifold Heights are currently listed at around $800,000 on average. Based on 11 houses listed in the past six months.
$800K
11 houses listed in the last 6 months.
11 of the suburb's 1,069 dwellings (1.0%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Manifold Heights rent for around $660 a week on average, based on 7 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$660/wk
7 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$440/wk
6 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
13 rentals advertised against an estimated 343 rented homes (3.8%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025102 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3218.
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$660/week ($34,000 a year) on a $800,000 median
Based on a small sample (7 listings) — indicative only.
Not enough unit sales and rentals in the window to calculate a yield.
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
1 active Airbnb listing: 1 whole home and 0 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.1% 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 Manifold Heights safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Manifold Heights sits in the moderate band, with 130 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 57% on the prior year.
130 offences
56.6% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202519 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
One school serve Manifold Heights, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 469 students in one school (avg 469)
Primary
Universities nearby
- 2.8 kmDeakin University, Geelong Waterfront CampusDeakin University · 55 courses
- 2.8 kmDeakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds CampusDeakin University · 93 courses
1.9% 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
Manifold Heights is very walkable on foot — at 89/100, most daily errands can be done on foot.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Manifold Heights.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 39.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 29.3 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 19.8 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 15.7 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 Manifold Heights.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 50%
- Premises covered
- 1,290
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 6 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the suburb closely.
Manifold Heights is home to about 2,700 residents, with a median age of 39, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $95,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.4%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
2,681
Median Age
39
Median Household Income
$94,640/yr
Census Median Rent
$310/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,990/mo
Avg Household Size
2.4
Median Personal Income
$51,168/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Unoccupied Dwellings
8.3%
Total Dwellings
1,069
Owner-Occupier Rate
67.9%
Houses
74.6%
Rental Stress
17.0%
Mortgage Stress
25.2%
Work From Home
26.5%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
19 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 11 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 339 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 84.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 87.1%
- Employment Rate
- 66.4%
- Completed Year 12
- 50.7%
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.
81 residents (3.0%) 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.
8.9% of residents (223) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (189).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 2,517 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 (84 of 1,406).
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 94%
- Infrastructure and transport 3%
- Commercial 2%
- Parks and recreation 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 — 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.
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, 5.1 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Avalon Airport, 17.5 kmDry climate — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 52 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 1.9 km
- 3.3 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 454 mm
- 74 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.1°C
- 11 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 5.5°C
- 6 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
12 facilities within 5 km- 1.3 kmRail Passenger TransportTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene) · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 1.5 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 2.6 kmWool ScouringTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 3.2 kmFossil Fuel Electricity GenerationTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.4 kmGrain Mill Product ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Carbon monoxide
EV adoption
In postcode 3218, 143 of 11,029 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.4% (263 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3218, 1,650 rooftop-solar systems totalling 10.4 MW have been installed since 2001, against 6,887 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 137 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 3218 in 2025-26, rank 82 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 132, in 2008-09.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
2 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 9 across postcode 3218.
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 $890,000 this is $140,000 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 2026-10-27 — 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 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 Christine Couzens Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Christine Couzens ALP | 64.7% | 64.7% | 35.3% |
| 2018 | Christine Couzens ALP | 50.4% | 60.1% | 39.9% |
| 2014 | Christine Couzens ALP | 56.0% | 56.0% | 44.0% |
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 Manifold Heights?
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 2,681 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
- #2 in The most liveable suburbs in Geelong
- #2 in Most walkable suburbs in Geelong
- #4 in Geelong suburbs with the most apartments
- #4 in Highest-yielding Geelong suburbs (houses)
- #5 in Sportiest Geelong suburbs
- #6 in Geelong suburbs where young families live
- #7 in Geelong's most educated suburbs
- #9 in The best beachside suburbs in Geelong
- #9 in Geelong suburbs with the largest Hindu community
- #11 in Geelong suburbs with the biggest house blocks
- #12 in Geelong suburbs with the most parkland nearby
- #12 in Geelong suburbs with the largest Muslim community
- #12 in Geelong suburbs that suit young professionals
- #15 in Geelong's highest-income suburbs
Nearby suburbs
Compare Manifold Heights to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Manifold Heights
Is Manifold Heights a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Manifold Heights is moderate (61/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Manifold Heights?
Manifold Heights has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a low share of it (15/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Manifold Heights a good place to live?
Manifold Heights has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A (78/100), 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 Manifold Heights?
Manifold Heights, VIC had a population of 2,681 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Manifold Heights, VIC?
The postcode for Manifold Heights, VIC is 3218.
How far is Manifold Heights from Melbourne?
Manifold Heights is 76 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 63 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Manifold Heights?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Manifold Heights was $94,640 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 Manifold Heights?
The median advertised rent in Manifold Heights is $660 a week for houses (7 listings) and $440 a week for units (6 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Manifold Heights?
The median age of residents in Manifold Heights was 39 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Manifold Heights?
There is 1 school inside the Manifold Heights boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Manifold Heights walkable?
Manifold Heights scores 89/100 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 Manifold Heights?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Manifold Heights (Geelong South) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.0 µg/m³ and PM10 of 20.5 µg/m³. That puts Manifold Heights below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Manifold Heights?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Manifold Heights, Avalon Airport (17.5 km away), summer days average 26.1°C, winter nights 5.5°C, 454 mm of rain a year over 74 rainy days, and 11 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Manifold Heights?
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 Manifold Heights belong to?
Manifold Heights 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 Manifold Heights?
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 Manifold Heights?
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 Manifold Heights in?
Manifold Heights sits within the federal Division of Corio, currently held by Richard Marles (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
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.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.