The Greater Geelong area is now the most popular destination for movers in Australia, ending the Sunshine Coast’s two-year winning streak. A report from the Regional Movers Index (RMI) found that in the last 12 months to March 2025, the Greater Geelong local government area had a 9.3 per cent share of total net internal migration. It also had the largest influx of new residents coming from capital cities, topping the list at 7.4 per cent.
Regional Movers Index names Geelong as the top spot for movers
There has been a rise in people moving from metropolitan areas to regional ones. Movement from cities to the regions has increased by almost 11 per cent in the last quarter, and is now sitting 20.5 per cent above the pre-COVID average.
“The nation’s love affair with regional living is showing no signs of abating with 25 per cent more people moving from capital cities to the regions, than back in the opposite direction,” said Regional Australia Institute CEO Liz Ritchie.
Regional Victoria had 34 per cent of total net inflows into all of regional Australia during the March 2025 quarter, with Geelong leading the way. Latrobe and Murrindindi also had a sizeable proportion of movers.
The Regional Movers Index first began as a way to track population movements from capital cities to regional areas during the height of the pandemic. It comes from a partnership between the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and uses data from Commonwealth Bank.
The top regional LGAs to move to are:
- Greater Geelong, VIC – 9.3 per cent
- Sunshine Coast, QLD – 8.9 per cent
- Lake Macquarie, NSW – 5.3 per cent
- Moorabool, VIC – 3.7 per cent
- Maitland, NSW – 3.5 per cent
Located just an hour away from Melbourne, the Greater Geelong area is currently estimated to have a population of over 282,000 people. This is set to reach 400,000 by 2041.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Geelong would have 128,600 extra homes by 2051.
“Geelong is a great place to live, work and raise a family,” said Member for Geelong Christine Couzens. “These targets will give clear direction for the housing needs of people wanting to make Geelong their home in the future.”
See the latest report here.