Geelong

Geelong lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The population of the suburb of Geelong is estimated at around 5,841 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 5,811 people, representing a rise of 30 individuals (0.5%). The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 5,792, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, along with an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,764 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 92.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate a significant increase in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas, with Geelong expected to grow by 1,601 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 26.6% over the 16-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Geelong when compared nationally

Geelong averaged approximately 33 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21-FY25, around 167 homes were approved, with an additional 2 in FY26 so far. The average occupancy rate was 0.8 people per dwelling over the past five financial years.

Developments have been targeting the premium market segment, with an average construction cost of $533,000. This year has seen $57.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to Rest of Vic., Geelong has roughly half the building activity per person but ranks among the 89th percentile nationally. Recent construction consists of 8.0% detached houses and 92.0% medium-high density housing, a shift from the current 52.0% house dominance. The area has approximately 84 people per dwelling approval, indicating low-density development.

Geelong is projected to grow by 1,552 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Geelong has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects potentially impacting this region. Notable initiatives include Barwon Women's and Children's Hospital, Cunningham Place, Geelong Regional Sports Precinct, and The Mill Newtown. Relevant projects are detailed below.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Geelong shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Geelong has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 5.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 3,340 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.0% higher than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Geelong stands at 67.8%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.0%. Census responses indicate that a moderate 24.5% of residents work from home, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. Notably, employment levels in health care & social assistance are at 1.4 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 1.0% of local workers, below Regional Vic.'s 7.5%.

There are 2.7 workers for every resident in Geelong, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.6% with employment decreasing by 1.3%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Vic. experienced employment decline of 0.6% and labour force decline of 0.7%, with a drop of 0.1 percentage point in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Geelong's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows median income in Geelong is $54,980 and average income is $77,993. This compares to Regional Vic.'s median income of $50,954 and average income of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% from July 2023 to March 2026, estimated median income is approximately $60,269 and average income is $85,496. Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 61st percentile ($865 weekly) and household income at the 45th percentile. Income analysis reveals 30.8% of Geelong's population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region where 30.3% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 84.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 46th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Geelong displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Geelong, as per the latest Census evaluation, dwelling structures consisted of 52.1% houses and 47.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Geelong stood at 34.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.7% and rented ones at 44.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, surpassing Regional Vic.'s average. The median weekly rent figure was $370, lower than Regional Vic.'s $1,430. Nationally, Geelong's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were below the national figure of $375.

Geelong features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 53.3% of all households, including 17.9% couples with children, 28.2% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 46.7%, with lone person households at 39.3% and group households comprising 7.4%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.

Geelong shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Geelong's educational attainment exceeds broader standards significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 41.9% possess university qualifications, compared to 21.7% in the rest of Victoria and 27.3% in the SA3 area. This notable educational advantage positions Geelong favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 27.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 10.8% and certificates for 16.5%.

Educational participation is notably high in Geelong, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.0% pursuing tertiary education, 5.4% in primary education, and 4.5% in secondary education.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Geelong has 47 active public transport stops in operation. These stops are served by 48 different routes that facilitate a total of 10,057 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents on average living just 195 meters away from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation for 70% of residents, while walking and cycling account for 21% and 2% respectively. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.0, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 24.5% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 1,436 trips made daily across all routes, translating to approximately 213 weekly trips per individual stop.

Geelong's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Geelong. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover was found to be very high at approximately 58% of the total population (around 3,365 people), compared to 50.5% across Regional Vic.. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.8% and 8.0% of residents respectively. A total of 68.6% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic.. The under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. The area had 20.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,168 people), which was lower than the 23.9% in Regional Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Geelong was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Geelong's population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 24.0% born overseas and 17.4% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Geelong, comprising 46.3%. Judaism is overrepresented, making up 0.3%, compared to Regional Vic's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (26.4%), Australian (22.5%), and Irish (10.6%). Notably, Croatian (1.2%) is overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.4%. Dutch representation is similar at 1.7%, while Italian is higher than the regional average at 4.5% versus 2.9%.

Geelong's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Geelong as of 2021 is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Regional Victoria's average of 43 but closely aligned with Australia's national median age of 38 years. Comparing the age distributions between Geelong and Regional Victoria reveals that Geelong has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (21.8%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.7%). This concentration of young adults in Geelong is notably higher than the national average of 14.6%. According to the 2021 Census, there has been a decrease of 1.1 years in the median age since the previous census, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes in age distribution show that the percentage of residents aged 25-34 has increased from 19.0% to 21.8%, while those aged 35-44 have risen from 10.6% to 11.8%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 55-64 has declined from 13.9% to 12.5%, and the percentage of those aged 45-54 has dropped from 11.5% to 10.2%. Demographic projections suggest that Geelong's age profile will undergo significant changes by 2041. The number of residents aged 25-34 is projected to increase markedly, with an expected growth of 696 people (a 55% increase) from 1,273 to 1,970. Meanwhile, the number of residents aged 55-64 is anticipated to decrease.