Moving to Cowes VIC 3922
What the official numbers say about living in Cowes — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $801,000 for a median house or $640,000 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 124% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $331 a week, against a median household income of $1,026 a week.
About 70% of homes are owner-occupied and 27% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Cowes grew 58% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (4,172 → 6,593 people).
Around 63% of households are families, averaging 2.1 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, India; most spoken languages besides English: Italian, Punjabi, Greek.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Cowes scores below the national average (decile 3 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (71% of workers), while 22% work from home.
Nearest train station: Stony Point, 9.2 km north.
Nearest ferry wharf: Cowes Jetty, 1.4 km north-east.
Nearest airport: Moorabbin Airport, 54.3 km north.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 75 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 3 schools · 44 cafes & restaurants · 4 supermarkets · 10 parks · 3 beaches — see them all on the Cowes profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Cowes Primary School 1 km · Our Lady Star of the Sea Primary School 1.4 km · Newhaven College 4.9 km
Groceries: Cowes IGA 850 m · Coles 850 m · Woolworths 900 m · Aldi 1000 m
Parks and reserves: Seagrove Park 500 m · Seaberry Creek Park 500 m · Willoughby Park 800 m · North Shore Estate Reserve 1.1 km · Blue Gum Reserve 1.3 km · Dunsmore Park 1.6 km · Erewhon Point Reserve 1.7 km · Shearwater Reserve 2.3 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Cowes, most often seen first: Australasian Purple Swamphen · Australian White Ibis · Little Raven · Australian Magpie · Masked Lapwing · Red Wattlebird.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Cowes, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowes here | 6,593 | $801,000 | 3/10 | 15% |
| Silverleaves | 322 | $975,000 | 8/10 | 38% |
| Ventnor | 982 | $880,000 | 7/10 | 7% |
| Smiths Beach | 315 | $870,000 | 8/10 | 27% |
| Rhyll | 836 | $970,000 | 7/10 | 17% |
| Surf Beach | 670 | $716,500 | 7/10 | 9% |
| Somers | 1,857 | $1,280,000 | 9/10 | 17% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Bass Coast — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Monash — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3922 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Cowes profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Cowes has a median sale price of $801,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $640,000. Renters pay a median $331 a week, and about 27% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 58% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 4,172 people to 6,593. It sits about 75 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line. Local government is Bass Coast council, and the federal seat is Monash.
Weighing up alternatives?
Nearby guides: Silverleaves · Ventnor · Smiths Beach · Rhyll · Surf Beach · Somers.
Keep an eye on Cowes
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