Moving to Geelong VIC 3220
What the official numbers say about living in Geelong — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $870,000 for a median house or $617,500 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 70% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $370 a week, against a median household income of $1,670 a week.
About 54% of homes are owner-occupied and 44% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Geelong grew 24% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (4,700 → 5,811 people).
Around 53% of households are families, averaging 2.0 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, India, China; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Italian, Greek.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Geelong sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 9 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (54% of workers), while 25% work from home.
Nearest train station: Geelong, 750 m north-west.
Nearest ferry wharf: Port Phillip Ferries (Geelong-Docklands), 700 m north.
Nearest airport: Avalon Airport, 16.1 km north-east.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 65 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 46 schools · 207 cafes & restaurants · 10 supermarkets · 45 parks · 1 beach — see them all on the Geelong profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: St Mary's Primary School 450 m · Matthew Flinders Girls' Secondary College Helen Fraser Campus 650 m · Matthew Flinders Girls' Secondary College 700 m · South Geelong Primary School 850 m · Geelong High School 1.2 km · Geelong Lutheran College St John's Newtown Campus 1.2 km · Chilwell Primary School 1.6 km · Ashby Primary School 1.7 km
Groceries: Coles 350 m · Foodworks 1.1 km · The Source Bulk Foods 1.4 km · Woolworths 1.8 km · Newtown Grocery & Liquor Co. 2.3 km · Aldi 2.3 km · Coles 2.4 km · Coles 2.6 km
Parks and reserves: Johnstone Park 500 m · Customs Park 500 m · Transvaal Square 550 m · Austin Park 550 m · Fairnie Park 600 m · Steampacket Gardens 600 m · Slater Square 700 m · Ron Robertson Rose Garden 900 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Geelong, most often seen first: Red Wattlebird · Rainbow Lorikeet · Little Raven · Southern Victoria Australian Magpie · Magpie-lark · Spotted Turtle-dove.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Geelong, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geelong here | 5,811 | $870,000 | 9/10 | 8% |
| South Geelong | 1,014 | $879,000 | 8/10 | 8% |
| East Geelong | 4,012 | $795,000 | 8/10 | 15% |
| Geelong West | 7,345 | $860,000 | 8/10 | 7% |
| Newtown | 10,445 | $1,220,000 | 10/10 | 17% |
| Thomson | 1,606 | $515,000 | 2/10 | 9% |
| Rippleside | 994 | $1,055,000 | 10/10 | 8% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Greater Geelong — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Corio — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3220 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Geelong profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Geelong has a median sale price of $870,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $617,500. Renters pay a median $370 a week, and about 44% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 24% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 4,700 people to 5,811. It sits about 65 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Geelong station is roughly 0.8 km away. Local government is Greater Geelong council, and the federal seat is Corio.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Geelong vs Geelong West · Geelong vs Newtown.
Nearby guides: South Geelong · East Geelong · Geelong West · Newtown · Thomson · Rippleside.
Keep an eye on Geelong
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