Living in Geelong

In Geelong, the median rent tenants pay is €963 a month (2021) and unemployment is 4.3% (2021).

Geelong had 289,566 residents in 2021 and is a city in Australia. Median personal income was A$790 per week in August 2021. The city covered 1,329 km² in 2021. Population density was 236.6 people per km² in 2025.

Last checked 2026-10-0710 sources

Population289,566people30 Jun 2021Official source · ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas

Median gross salary (region)2,124EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au

Median rent963EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · 2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02

Unemployment rate4.3%country median 4.5% — 4% belowOfficial source · 2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)

Recorded crime9,130incidents per 100,00030 Jun 2026Regional figureOfficial source · Data Tables: Recorded Offences by LGA - Year Ending June 2026

PM2.5, annual mean4.98µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · apps.epa.vic.gov.au

Which Australia-wide rules apply when you move to Geelong?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in AustraliaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Geelong.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Median rent was A$350 per week, and median monthly mortgage repayment was A$1,733 in August 2021.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€1269

Utilities, 85 m² flat€120

Transport pass€51

Internet, 60 Mbps€46

Fitness club€40

Mobile plan, 10 GB€22

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	40.11 EUR/month	31 Dec 2022	Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2¹⁰Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	45.72 EUR/month	31 Dec 2022	Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2¹⁰Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly	1,269 EUR/month	31 Dec 2022	Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2¹⁰Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	10.27 EUR	31 Dec 2022	Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2¹⁰Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	22.37 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Cost of Living in Geelong. Jun 2026. Prices in Geelong⁹Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass	51.35 EUR/month	31 Dec 2022	Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2¹⁰Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	119.9 EUR/month	31 Dec 2022	Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2¹⁰Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings	122,068 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁴Official
Main residence dwellings	109,315 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁴Official
Median weekly rent (AUD)	350 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴Official
Median monthly rent	963 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02⁴Official
Median monthly rent (whole dwelling)	963 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02⁴Official

Is Geelong a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker54%strong on work, weak on safety · range 44–64%

Skilled employee61%strong on work, weak on safety · range 53–69%

Student34%strong on education, weak on safety · range 26–42%

Family54%strong on family, weak on cost · range 45–63%

Retirement54%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 41–67%

Work and income

Median household income was A$1,660 per week in August 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Geelong?

The unemployment rate is 4.3 % (August 2021). Source: 2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)⁴

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Geelong is 4.3%. Of 100 cities with data, 32 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.

1–22–33–44–55–66–77–88–99–1013–14

Geelong 4.3%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People in full-time employment	77,787 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁴Official
Employment rate	59 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁴Official
Median household income (AUD/week)	1,660 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴Official
Median personal income (AUD/week)	790 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴Official
Median gross salary (regional)	2,124 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	www.abs.gov.au⁸Official
Unemployment rate	4.3 %country median 4.5%	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)⁴Official

What does a salary buy in Geelong?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€0of €0 take-home

Rent
Utilities
Transport
Internet
Mobile

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.	outside the model's range
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · 2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02 · 2021-12-31	− €963
Public transport pass€51 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31	− €51
Utilities, 85 m²€120 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31	− €120
Internet€46 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31	− €46
Mobile plan€22 · market price · Cost of Living in Geelong. Jun 2026. Prices in Geelong · 2026-07-31	− €22
Left over	—

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Geelong Salary needed to live in Geelong

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Geelong. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Workforce Australia — Public employment service

Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Job Search

Open official service

Open the Australia service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Geelong. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Public language course providers	1 count	31 Aug 2026	Official public language-service provider/location register⁶Official
People who speak a language other than English at home	11.18 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴Official

Safety

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	9,130 incidents per 100,000	30 Jun 2026	Data Tables: Recorded Offences by LGA - Year Ending June 2026³Official · regional context

Language courses and integration in Geelong

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally

1verified local records

1publicly funded course provider

AMES Australia

View official record

Check courses in Geelong How the country programme works

Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Find courses near Geelong

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Geelong?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

PM2.5 — annual mean: 4.98 µg/m³ · apps.epa.vic.gov.au²

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³

PM2.55WHO 5 · EU 25

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in AustraliaAnnual PM2.5 in Geelong is 5.0 µg/m³. Of 37 cities with data, 12 have annual PM2.5 of 5 to under 6 µg/m³.

3–44–55–66–77–88–99–10

Geelong 5.0

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
PM2.5 — annual mean	4.98 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	apps.epa.vic.gov.au²Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context

Population and city profile

How many people live in Geelong?

The published population was 289,566 people in June 2021. Source: ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas¹

Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 49,762 is not 21.8% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport82.8%
Foreign residents17.2%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	1,329 km²	31 Dec 2021	Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area albers sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.⁵Official
Foreign-resident share	21.8 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)⁴Official
Foreign residents	49,762 people	10 Aug 2021	Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.⁴Official
Population density	236.6 people/km²	31 Dec 2025	Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation.⁷Official · significant urban area
Female residents	148,681 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁴Official
Male residents	140,950 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁴Official
Population	289,566 people	30 Jun 2021	ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas¹Official

Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025

190,560

234,891

279,222

323,553

314,381200120052011201520212025

Population rose 57.4% between 2001 and 2025, from 199,732 to 314,381.

International community in Geelong

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G09 PERSONS total across age groups and sex · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total	289,630	100.0%
Australia	226,534	78.2%
Country of birth not stated	13,337	4.6%
England	9,323	3.2%
Born elsewhere(d)	5,443	1.9%
India	5,118	1.8%
New Zealand	3,099	1.1%
Philippines	2,031	0.7%
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)	1,715	0.6%
Italy	1,600	0.6%
Scotland	1,546	0.5%

Show 42 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Netherlands	1,411	0.5%
Germany	1,396	0.5%
Croatia	1,304	0.5%
South Africa	1,098	0.4%
United States of America	942	0.3%
Thailand	841	0.3%
Sri Lanka	832	0.3%
Pakistan	802	0.3%
Ireland	768	0.3%
Malaysia	719	0.2%
North Macedonia	699	0.2%
Vietnam	698	0.2%
Afghanistan	611	0.2%
Myanmar	553	0.2%
Iran	529	0.2%
Canada	522	0.2%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	478	0.2%
Greece	435	0.2%
Poland	414	0.1%
Malta	355	0.1%
Nepal	355	0.1%
Indonesia	333	0.1%
Wales	328	0.1%
Singapore	327	0.1%
Iraq	280	0.1%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)	267	0.1%
France	255	0.1%
Zimbabwe	233	0.1%
Egypt	219	0.1%
Korea, Republic of (South)	209	0.1%
Japan	204	0.1%
Fiji	186	0.1%
Turkey	182	0.1%
Bangladesh	169	0.1%
Mauritius	166	0.1%
Brazil	165	0.1%
Papua New Guinea	135	0.0%
Lebanon	132	0.0%
Taiwan	106	0.0%
Chile	90	0.0%
Cambodia	72	0.0%
Samoa	51	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁴

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	289,630	100.0%
Australia	226,534	78.2%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)	49,762	17.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁴

Citizenship

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	289,630	100.0%
Australian citizen	255,292	88.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁴

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Residents born abroad	17.18 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴Official
Households	109,315 households	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁴Official
Labour force participation rate	61.6 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁴Official
Median age	39 years	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴Official
Median monthly mortgage repayment (AUD)	1,733 AUD/month	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴Official

Alternatives for people set on Geelong

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Cairns as a Geelong alternative in the same country

Better on 1 of 5 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

Foreign residents: 31.8% Cairns vs 21.8% Geelong+46%
A meal out: €15 Cairns vs €10 Geelong+47%
Residents: 155,574 Cairns vs 289,566 Geelong−46%
Median gross pay, region: €2,183 Cairns vs €2,124 Geelongsame level
Basic utilities, 85 m²: €122 Cairns vs €120 Geelongsame level

Full comparison More about Cairns

Alternative cities in Australia

Other cities in Australia to compare with Geelong, nearest in population first.

All Australia cities

Wollongong305,976 residents Central Coast345,066 residents Hobart226,653 residents Sunshine Coast387,472 residents Townsville190,551 residents Canberra490,517 residents

How does Geelong compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Geelong's.

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Geelong in rankings

#11 of 30 in Largest cities in Australia #22 of 30 in Most international cities in Australia

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Geelong when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Put Geelong's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Geelong?

The published population was 289,566 people in June 2021. Source: ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas.

Is the air quality good in Geelong?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline. Source: apps.epa.vic.gov.au.

What is the unemployment rate in Geelong?

The unemployment rate is 4.3 % (August 2021). Source: 2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack).

What is the typical salary around Geelong?

The median gross salary is 2,124 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Geelong?

49,762 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality..

Is Geelong a good place to live?

Geelong may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Australia live in Geelong?

The official country of birth distribution records 226,534 people (78.2%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Geelong, Australia: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 6890d4699a1eb57206ad8817e7cbe071]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/geelong/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_geelong-australia-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_829de3680847,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Geelong, Australia: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {6890d4699a1eb57206ad8817e7cbe071},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/geelong/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Geelong, Australia: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/geelong/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 6890d4699a1eb57206ad8817e7cbe071; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas ABS Regional population, 2024-25 · abs.gov.au · checked 2026-09-19
apps.epa.vic.gov.au apps.epa.vic.gov.au · checked 2026-08-26
Data Tables: Recorded Offences by LGA - Year Ending June 2026 files.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au · checked 2026-10-07
Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-08-10
Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area albers sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA. geo.abs.gov.au · checked 2016-07-01
Official public language-service provider/location register immi.homeaffairs.gov.au · checked 2026-09-15
Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-06-30
www.abs.gov.au abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-27
Cost of Living in Geelong. Jun 2026. Prices in Geelong numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27
Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.