Moving to Patterson Lakes VIC 3197
What the official numbers say about living in Patterson Lakes — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $1,385,000 for a median house or $640,000 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 89% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $430 a week, against a median household income of $1,932 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Patterson Lakes grew 3% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (7,582 → 7,793 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, China, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Greek, Cantonese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Patterson Lakes sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 9 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (68% of workers), while 29% work from home.
Nearest train station: Carrum, 1.9 km south-west.
Nearest airport: Moorabbin Airport, 10.8 km north.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 33 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 16 schools · 21 cafes & restaurants · 8 supermarkets · 27 parks · 4 beaches — see them all on the Patterson Lakes profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Patterson Lakes Primary School 200 m · Bonbeach Primary School 1.4 km · Patterson River Secondary College 1.7 km · Carrum Primary School 1.7 km · Cornish College 2.2 km · Seaford North Primary School 2.3 km · Chelsea Primary School 2.4 km · St Joseph’s School 2.6 km
Groceries: Woolworths 250 m · Coles 250 m · Goodfellows Carrum Village Foodstore 1.8 km · ALDI 1.8 km · IGA Express 2.5 km · Chelsea Heights IGA 2.8 km · Woolworths 2.9 km · NQR 2.9 km
Parks and reserves: Schooner Bay Drive Reserve 350 m · Acacia Crescent Reserve 350 m · Drainage Line Linear Reserve 600 m · Snapper Point Park 650 m · Ocean Reef Drive Reserve 1.1 km · John Lindsay Reserve 1.2 km · Roy Dore Reserve 1.2 km · Mascot Avenue Reserve 1.3 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Patterson Lakes, most often seen first: Common Starling · Common Myna · Eurasian Blackbird · Little Raven · Pacific Black Duck · Chestnut Teal.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Patterson Lakes, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patterson Lakes here | 7,793 | $1,385,000 | 9/10 | 5% |
| Carrum | 4,239 | $1,040,000 | 7/10 | 5% |
| Bonbeach | 6,855 | $1,025,000 | 8/10 | 3% |
| Chelsea Heights | 5,393 | $932,500 | 8/10 | 9% |
| Chelsea | 8,347 | $1,210,000 | 8/10 | 3% |
| Seaford | 17,215 | $842,000 | 5/10 | 19% |
| Edithvale | 6,276 | $1,310,000 | 9/10 | 3% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Kingston (Vic.) — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Isaacs — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3197 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Patterson Lakes profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Patterson Lakes has a median sale price of $1,385,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $640,000. Renters pay a median $430 a week.
The population grew 3% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 7,582 people to 7,793. It sits about 33 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Carrum station is roughly 1.9 km away. Local government is Kingston (Vic.) council, and the federal seat is Isaacs.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Patterson Lakes vs Carrum · Patterson Lakes vs Bonbeach.
Nearby guides: Carrum · Bonbeach · Chelsea Heights · Chelsea · Seaford · Edithvale.
Keep an eye on Patterson Lakes
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