Overall score
Drysdale
47.5/100
Portarlington
48.5/100
Drysdale vs Portarlington, VIC Suburb Comparison
Drysdale for investment and value; Portarlington for retirees and families.
See which suburb leads on livability, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
Head to head
Visual comparison
DrysdalePortarlington
Crime rate
Drysdale
40.2 / 1k
Portarlington
30.8 / 1k
Nearby amenities
Drysdale
7
Portarlington
9
Population
Drysdale
4,976
Portarlington
4,436
Metric leadDrysdale 5Portarlington 62 tiedacross 13 compared metrics
Livability profile
Desirability pillars scored 0–100 vs comparable suburbs
Quick verdicts
Clearer edge on lifestyle fit (score gap ≥ 3)
- Best for retireesPortarlington
- Best for familiesPortarlington
- Best for investmentDrysdale
- Best for best valueDrysdale
- Best for best schoolsDrysdale
Audience fit
Who each suburb suits — composite scores out of 100
All metrics
Side-by-side scores for every compared metric.
Full comparison table
Exact figures for every metric — winner highlighted in bold.
| Category | Drysdale | Portarlington |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 47.5/100 | 48.5/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 61.2/100 | 42.3/100 |
| Crime rate | 40.2 / 1k | 30.8 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | 4 | 1 |
| Weather (desirability) | 82.3/100 | 82.3/100 |
| Parks & reserves | 4 | 9 |
| Public transport stops | 31 | 36 |
| Walkability | 30.0/100 | 30.0/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 7 | 9 |
| Planning activity | 83 | 104 |
| Green cover | 0.7% | 4.9% |
| Population | 4,976 | 4,436 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 5/10 | 4/10 |
Comparison summary
Drysdale is a beachside mid-sized suburb where the coast sets the tone, while Portarlington is a coastal mid-sized suburb with an easy, sea-led rhythm.
Drysdale tends to lead on housing affordability, schools and education options, and overall desirability, while Portarlington stands out for a quieter safety profile, parks and reserves, and public transport access.
On balance, retirees, families, people chasing a beach lifestyle, investors, value-focused buyers, and households prioritising schools are more likely to prefer Drysdale, while Portarlington remains a solid alternative depending on what matters most day to day.
Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.