Breakwater
With a median house price of $445,000 and a crime rate of 184 incidents per 1,000 residents, Breakwater sits at an affordable but challenged position within Greater Geelong. Household income falls in the 16.5th percentile nationally, well below average, yet 30.1% of residents own their home outright, pointing to long-term ownership stability rather than active churn. The suburb's workforce is skewed toward healthcare (26.2%) and construction (13.3%), and 88.9% of commuters rely on private cars because public transport accounts for just 2.7% of trips. A 7.0% vacancy rate, elevated compared to tighter metro markets, reflects limited rental demand pressure.
Population
1,060
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,077/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$445K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $445,000 median house price as of Apr-Jun 2024 is significantly lower than the national median and represents a 27.3% discount from the peak of $612,000 reached in Jul-Sep 2023. Over the longer run, prices have grown 74.5% since 2013, a CAGR of 4.1% across 14 years. The stock is predominantly separate houses at 76.9%, with apartments at 14.2% and semi-detached at 8.9%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 57.4% of dwellings, making family-sized stock the norm. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. Buyers at current prices are entering well off the peak, though prices have been retreating since mid-2023.
For Buyers
The $445,000 median house price as of Apr-Jun 2024 is significantly lower than the national median and represents a 27.3% discount from the peak of $612,000 reached in Jul-Sep 2023. Over the longer run, prices have grown 74.5% since 2013, a CAGR of 4.1% across 14 years. The stock is predominantly separate houses at 76.9%, with apartments at 14.2% and semi-detached at 8.9%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 57.4% of dwellings, making family-sized stock the norm. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. Buyers at current prices are entering well off the peak, though prices have been retreating since mid-2023.
For Investors
Breakwater's 39.1% renter share is above typical suburban averages, providing a reasonable tenant base, but the 7.0% vacancy rate is elevated compared to tighter rental markets and points to limited rental demand pressure. Weekly rent averages $300, which against the $445,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.5%. Development activity is low at just 2 planning permit applications in the past 12 months, indicating limited new supply pressure. Rent-to-income for tenants sits at 27.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting tenants can sustain current rents. The high-crime identity signal is a risk factor that may suppress price growth relative to comparable-priced suburbs in the region.
Development Activity
Total DAs
4
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Breakwater's median age of 40 matches the national figure, placing it at exactly average. Overseas-born residents account for 16.8%, which is 4.8 percentage points below the national average, reflecting an Anglo-leaning profile where English (382), Irish (111) and Scottish (96) are the top ancestries. University qualifications at 18.0% sit 12.1 points below the national figure, consistent with an occupational mix weighted toward community services (75 workers), labourers (59) and machinery operators (52). Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below national, reflecting the couples-without-children share of 30.5% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.9%
Houses
8.9%
Townhouse
14.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The price history shows a climb from $255,000 in 2013 to a peak of $612,000 in Jul-Sep 2023, followed by a retreat to $445,000 by Apr-Jun 2024, a 27.3% fall from peak. The long-run CAGR of 4.1% over 14 years is below state capital averages. Tenure is split with 30.1% owning outright, 30.8% on a mortgage and 39.1% renting. The outright ownership share indicates a proportion of long-held, debt-free homes. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 57.4% of stock and separate houses account for 76.9%, giving the suburb a conventional detached-house character. Mortgage stress is not a current issue, with repayments averaging 26.0% of income, below the stress threshold.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,213
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$655
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
34
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.5%
Couples, no children
662
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local industry mix at 26.2% of employed residents (71 workers), followed by construction at 13.3% (36) and retail at 10.7% (29). By occupation, community and personal service workers lead (75), ahead of labourers (59) and machinery operators (52), a blue-collar and care-sector mix. The unemployment rate of 6.8% is elevated relative to state norms, and participation at 48.3% is low because 329 residents are not in the labour force. Household income falls in the 16.5th percentile nationally, well below average, making Breakwater one of the lower-income suburbs in the Greater Geelong area.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.7%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
48.3%
Employed
409
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.0%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
16.8%
Dwellings
450
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 88.9% of residents driving to work, well above national averages, and public transport at just 2.7% reflects limited Geelong network coverage in this part of 3219. Walking and cycling account for 3.3% of trips. No schools are recorded inside the Breakwater boundary, so families depend on nearby Geelong schools. The crime rate of 184 incidents per 1,000 residents is the suburb's most significant livability concern, with 111 property and deception offences and 42 crimes against the person recorded. Rent-to-income at 27.9% keeps rental costs below the 30% stress threshold, providing some housing affordability buffer for the 39.1% of residents who rent.
Drive
88.9%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
195
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
184.0
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Breakwater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Breakwater a good suburb to live in?
Breakwater offers affordable housing with a $445,000 median and manageable housing costs (mortgage-to-income 26.0%, rent-to-income 27.9%). The drawbacks are a crime rate of 184 per 1,000 residents, household income in the 16.5th percentile nationally and heavy car dependence with public transport at only 2.7% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Breakwater?
The median house price in Breakwater was $445,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 27.3% from the peak of $612,000 in Jul-Sep 2023. Over 14 years from 2013 prices have risen 74.5%, a CAGR of 4.1%. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213.
What schools are in Breakwater?
No schools are recorded inside the Breakwater boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding parts of Greater Geelong. University qualifications among residents stand at 18.0%, which is 12.1 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the workforce profile of the suburb.
Is Breakwater safe?
Breakwater recorded 195 crimes in the reference period, a rate of 184 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 111 incidents, followed by 42 crimes against the person and 19 drug offences. This crime rate is an elevated figure compared to lower-crime suburban benchmarks and is a key consideration for prospective residents.
Is Breakwater good for property investment?
The 39.1% renter share provides a broad tenant pool and rent-to-income at 27.9% is sustainable for tenants. However, the 7.0% vacancy rate is elevated and the median rent of $300 per week against a $445,000 price implies a gross yield near 3.5%. Prices are 27.3% below the 2023 peak, so entry is off the high, though high crime and lower incomes (16.5th percentile nationally) may limit capital growth.
How is Breakwater's population changing?
Breakwater has a population of 1,060 across 3.12 km2. The annual turnover rate of 19.8% means roughly 1 in 5 residents change address each year, though 80.2% stayed at the same address over the 5-year Census period. Development is quiet at 2 planning applications in 12 months, suggesting limited population growth pressure in the near term.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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