Newcomb
What stands out in Newcomb is how its $555,800 median house price has actually fallen 8.1% from the 2022 peak of $605,000, even as rents climbed 42.9% over the decade. The suburb sits in SEIFA decile 1 on both IRSAD and IEO, the lowest advantage tier nationally, with household income in just the 21.6th percentile. Stock is heavily detached at 83.1% separate houses and only 0.4% apartments, and 42.4% of residents rent, an unusually high share for a house-dominant area. Crime runs at 140.3 offences per 1,000 people, well above what the quiet residential profile would suggest.
Population
4,704
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,148/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$556K
Apr-Jun 2024
At a $555,800 median, Newcomb is one of Geelong's more affordable house markets, and the price has dropped 8.1% from its 2022 peak of $605,000, easing entry for buyers. The stock favours families: 83.1% are separate houses, apartments are almost absent at 0.4%, and 59.0% of dwellings have three bedrooms. Affordability is a genuine draw because monthly mortgage repayments average just $1,400, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes in only the 21.6th percentile. Outright owners (31.7%) outnumber mortgage holders (25.9%), pointing to a settled population of long-term residents rather than a churn of recent buyers. For a first-home buyer wanting a standalone house near services, the low price-to-income setting is the main attraction.
For Buyers
At a $555,800 median, Newcomb is one of Geelong's more affordable house markets, and the price has dropped 8.1% from its 2022 peak of $605,000, easing entry for buyers. The stock favours families: 83.1% are separate houses, apartments are almost absent at 0.4%, and 59.0% of dwellings have three bedrooms. Affordability is a genuine draw because monthly mortgage repayments average just $1,400, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes in only the 21.6th percentile. Outright owners (31.7%) outnumber mortgage holders (25.9%), pointing to a settled population of long-term residents rather than a churn of recent buyers. For a first-home buyer wanting a standalone house near services, the low price-to-income setting is the main attraction.
For Investors
A 42.4% renter share is high for a house-dominant suburb and gives landlords a deep tenant pool, but the math is mixed. Weekly rent of $320 against the $555,800 median implies a gross yield near 3.0%, healthier than premium Melbourne markets though tempered by a 6.8% vacancy rate that signals softer demand than the renter count suggests. Rent has grown 42.9% over the decade, so escalation is real. Demand support is thin: net overseas migration adds about 60 residents a year while internal migration removes 73, and annual population growth is just 0.21%. Development is quiet at five applications in 12 months, mostly minor permits rather than new dwellings, which limits new supply competing for tenants. The case rests on yield and rent growth more than capital appreciation, given the price is still below its 2022 level.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+400.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$100K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Newcomb iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Christ the King School
Prep-6 · 269 students
Newcomb Primary School
Prep-6 · 142 students
Newcomb Secondary College
7-12 · 515 students
Demographics
Newcomb skews local and Anglo-leaning. Overseas-born residents are 17.0%, which is 4.6 points below the national figure, and ancestry is led by English (1,877), Irish (599) and Scottish (541). The most common non-English languages are Italian (22 speakers), Hindi (15) and Greek (14), a small international footprint. University qualifications reach 24.3%, running 5.8 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward hands-on roles. The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, but the trajectory is aging because the senior share rose 6.6 points while the young share fell 3.7 points over the decade. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, and couples without children make up 31.9% of the 3,129 families, the largest single family type.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.1%
Houses
16.6%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here leans toward renting and outright ownership over mortgages: 42.4% rent, 31.7% own outright and 25.9% carry a mortgage. The outright share exceeding mortgage holders reflects an established, debt-light resident base. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 83.1% separate houses, with semi-detached at 16.6% and apartments near zero at 0.4%, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 59.0%. The median house price has moved from $280,000 in 2013 to $555,800 by mid-2024, a 98.5% rise at a 5.0% compound annual rate, though it remains 8.1% below the 2022 peak of $605,000. Mortgage-to-income at 28.2% and rent-to-income at 27.9% both sit below the 30% stress line, so housing costs stay manageable relative to the 21.6th-percentile incomes precisely because prices are low.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,400
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$672
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
153
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.9%
Couples, no children
3,129
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is concentrated in service and trade sectors rather than knowledge work. Healthcare leads at 24.7% (373 workers), followed by Construction at 13.6% (206), Education at 8.8%, Retail at 8.5% and Professional/Tech at just 6.7%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (390) and Labourers (339) feature heavily alongside Professionals (355), which explains why the IEO education-and-occupation score sits in decile 1, the lowest tier nationally. Unemployment is 5.6% and the full-time employment rate is 58.1%, while participation reads 54.0% because 1,446 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the aging profile. Real incomes grew 10.3% over the decade. The matching IRSAD decile 1 and IER decile 2 scores confirm an area of genuine relative disadvantage rather than a statistical quirk.
Unemployment
8.6%
Labour Force
7,616
Unemployed
655
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.1%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
54.0%
Employed
2,073
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.3%
Postgraduate
5.8%
Born Overseas
17.0%
Dwellings
2,095
Transport to Work
Newcomb is built around the car: 87.2% of residents drive to work while only 2.8% use public transport and 3.4% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on private vehicles. The clearest livability concern is crime, which runs at 140.3 offences per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences dominating at 410 of the 660 total, a rate higher than the quiet detached-house profile implies. The suburb scores SEIFA decile 2 on IRSD for relative disadvantage and decile 1 on IRSAD, both near the bottom nationally, and 9.3% of residents need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the 3.59 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Geelong suburbs, a practical trade-off offset by the area's low housing costs.
Drive
87.2%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.21%/yr
(+32 people/yr)
EstablishedNewcomb is an established, slow-growth suburb: annual population growth is just 0.21%, about 32 people a year, and the 10-year change was a modest 5.1%. Overseas migration is the only positive driver, adding roughly 60 residents annually, but it is largely cancelled by a net internal outflow of 73, leaving near-flat natural growth. The trajectory is clearly aging, with the senior share up 6.6 points and the young share down 3.7 points over the decade. Affordability has worsened from 45.5% in 2011 to 47.8% in 2021, an unusual pressure given the low absolute prices, because rents rose 42.9% while incomes lagged. With house prices still 8.1% below their 2022 peak, expansion and demand both look subdued for the medium term.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+60
Net Internal / yr
-73
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
660
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
140.3
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 Newcomb compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Newcomb a good suburb to live in?
Newcomb offers affordable detached housing with a $555,800 median, and 83.1% of dwellings are separate houses. The main trade-offs are a high crime rate of 140.3 per 1,000 residents and SEIFA decile 1 on IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier nationally, reflecting household incomes in just the 21.6th percentile.
What is the median house price in Newcomb?
The median house price is $555,800 as of mid-2024, down 8.1% from the 2022 peak of $605,000. Over the longer run prices rose 98.5% from $280,000 in 2013, a 5.0% compound annual rate. Weekly rent averages $320 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,400.
What schools are in Newcomb?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.59 km2 Newcomb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Geelong suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 24.3%, which is 5.8 points below the national figure.
Is Newcomb safe?
Crime runs at 140.3 offences per 1,000 residents, with 660 offences recorded in total. Property and deception offences dominate at 410, followed by 105 crimes against the person. The rate is higher than the quiet detached-house profile, with 83.1% separate houses, would suggest.
Is Newcomb good for property investment?
Rent of $320 a week against a $555,800 median gives a gross yield near 3.0%, better than premium Melbourne markets, and 42.4% of residents rent. However the 6.8% vacancy rate and 0.21% annual population growth mean returns lean on the 42.9% decade rent growth rather than capital gains.
How is Newcomb's population changing?
Population growth is slow at 0.21% annually, about 32 people a year, with a 5.1% rise over 10 years. The profile is aging: the senior share rose 6.6 points while the young share fell 3.7 points. Overseas migration adds about 60 residents a year, offset by a net internal outflow of 73.
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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