Apollo Bay (Vic.)

Population growth drivers in Apollo Bay are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, Apollo Bay's population is estimated at around 1,753. This reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census figure of 1,790 people, a change inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of ERP data released by the ABS in Jun 2024. The current density ratio is 20 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Apollo Bay has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.3%, outpacing its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, they utilise VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends suggest lower quartile growth nationally in regional areas, with Apollo Bay expected to grow by 72 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 5.9%.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Apollo Bay recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Apollo Bay has seen approximately 17 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 89 homes were approved, with an additional 10 approved in FY-26 to date.

On average, about 0.9 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years. This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially driving population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost of new homes is $773,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Apollo Bay has 102.0% more building activity per person.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking family homes with space. This trend differs from current patterns, demonstrating robust demand for family housing. With around 85 people per dwelling approval, Apollo Bay exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Apollo Bay to grow by approximately 104 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

Apollo Bay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 41stth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure can significantly affect local performance. AreaSearch has identified 0 projects expected to impact this area. Key initiatives include Telstra InfraCo Intercity Fibre Network, Additional VLocity Trains, Victorian Renewable Energy Zones, and Regional Housing Fund (Victoria). The following details those most relevant:.

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Employment conditions in Apollo Bay demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Apollo Bay's workforce is skilled, with tourism and hospitality sectors being prominent. The unemployment rate, as of September 2025, was 1.5%.

This rate is 2.3% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%, but workforce participation is somewhat lower at 52.7%. Key industries include accommodation & food, construction, and retail trade. Apollo Bay has a strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share 3.6 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance has limited presence at 9.7% compared to the regional figure of 16.8%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population.

In the 12-month period ending September 2025, labour force decreased by 2.8% and employment declined by 3.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Vic., where employment contracted by 0.7%, labour force fell by 0.6%, and unemployment rose marginally. State-level data up to 25-Nov-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Apollo Bay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The suburb of Apollo Bay had a lower than average national income level in financial year 2023, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The median income among taxpayers was $42,094 and the average income stood at $55,108, compared to figures for Rest of Vic. which were $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $45,567 (median) and $59,654 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, personal income ranks at the 27th percentile ($695 weekly), while household income sits at the 9th percentile. Distribution data shows that the $800 - $1,499 bracket dominates with 30.2% of residents (529 people), contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 11th percentile.

Apollo Bay is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Apollo Bay, as per the latest Census evaluation, 83.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 16.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s figures of 93.2% houses and 6.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Apollo Bay stood at 47.2%, similar to Non-Metro Vic., with mortgaged properties at 23.8% and rented dwellings at 29.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, higher than the Non-Metro Vic. average of $1,300. Weekly rent in Apollo Bay was recorded at $300, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $250. Nationally, Apollo Bay's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Apollo Bay features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.3 percent of all households, including 17.7 percent couples with children, 31.3 percent couples without children, and 8.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 41.7 percent, with lone person households at 38.2 percent and group households making up 3.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.3.

The educational profile of Apollo Bay exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 26.8%, surpassing the SA3 area average of 17.2% and the SA4 regional rate of 19.0%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 16.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 37.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 12.9% and certificates for 24.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.8% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is very low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Apollo Bay has five active public transport stops, all of which service buses. These stops are served by two routes that together offer 46 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Apollo Bay is moderate, with residents typically living 586 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are six trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately nine weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Apollo Bay is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Apollo Bay faces significant health challenges with common health conditions being somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 49% of the total population (853 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.2 and 7.4% of residents respectively. Conversely, 68.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.0% across Rest of Vic.. The area has a higher proportion of seniors, with 30.5% of residents aged 65 and over (534 people), compared to the Rest of Vic.'s 24.6%. Health outcomes among seniors in Apollo Bay are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Apollo Bay records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Apollo Bay's population showed cultural diversity similar to the broader area, with 81.7% being citizens, 80.4% born in Australia, and 89.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 35.8%. Judaism, however, was slightly overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top three ancestral groups were English (29.6%), Australian (23.9%), and Irish (13.1%). Notably, Dutch (2.0%) French (0.8%), and Hungarian (0.4%) ethnicities were also overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.6%, 0.3%, and 0.1% respectively.

Apollo Bay ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Apollo Bay is 52 years, significantly higher than Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 and well above the national norm of 38. The 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented at 17.9% locally compared to Rest of Vic.'s average, while the 15-24 year-olds are under-represented at 6.9%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 8.0% to 9.4%, while the 55-64 cohort has declined from 17.3% to 15.1% and the 5-14 group has dropped from 9.5% to 7.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the 25-34 cohort projected to grow by 35%, adding 65 residents to reach 255. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts.