Surf Coast crime rate and Crime Score · Victoria council area
Surf Coast is a council area in Victoria with about 40,265 residents. It has a Crime Score 24 out of 100 (low), 315th of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by homicide (80th percentile), sexual offences (25th percentile), theft (31st percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 22.
In 2024-25: violent 507 per 100,000 (+6% vs five years earlier); property 2,032 per 100,000 (-9% vs five years earlier); break-ins 296 per 100,000 (-23% vs five years earlier); theft 986 per 100,000 (-3% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 70th of 79 Victoria councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Surf Coast council area is 2.8% (Victoria 5%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 0.5% of occupied homes (46 public and 24 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; Victoria 2.5%). An estimated 50 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 13 per 10,000 residents (Victoria 47.1), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 12.5% of residents were born overseas (Victoria 31.6%), most often in England, New Zealand, South Africa. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 3.2% (confidence 82 of 100); social housing about 0.5% of homes; about 12.7 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 12.6% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
Figures are for 2024-25, the latest year Victoria has published; some other states have released 2025-26.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 507 | 204 | +6% |
| Property | 2,032 | 818 | -9% |
| Break-ins | 296 | 119 | -23% |
| Theft | 986 | 397 | -3% |
Questions
Is Surf Coast safe?
Surf Coast recorded 507 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2024-25, about 52% lower than the Victoria rate (1,060) and about 58% lower than the national rate (1,220). Its Crime Score is 23.8 out of 100 (low), 315th of 362 councils. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
How many break-ins are there in Surf Coast?
119 break-ins were recorded in 2024-25: 296 per 100,000 residents, about 58% lower than the Victoria rate (705).
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Suburbs in the Surf Coast council area
Aireys Inlet · Anglesea · Armstrong Creek · Bambra · Barrabool · Bellbrae · Bells Beach · Benwerrin · Big Hill · Boonah · Buckley · Ceres · Charlemont · Deans Marsh · Eastern View · Fairhaven · Freshwater Creek · Gherang · Gnarwarre · Jan Juc · Lorne · Modewarre · Moggs Creek · Moriac · Mount Duneed · Mount Moriac · Ombersley · Paraparap · Pennyroyal · Torquay · Wensleydale · Winchelsea · Winchelsea South · Wurdiboluc
Postcodes in the Surf Coast council area
3217 · 3221 · 3228 · 3230 · 3231 · 3232 · 3235 · 3240 · 3241
australiancrimerate.com.au/council/vic-surf-coast/ · Australian Crime Map