Apollo Bay (Vic.)

Population growth drivers in Apollo Bay are strong compared to national averages 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 1,795. This reflects an increase of 5 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,790. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 1,802 residents, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 55 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density is approximately 20 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Apollo Bay has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.3%, outperforming its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed around 88% 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, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using 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 3.5% over the 17-year period.

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 around 22 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS data. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 112 homes have been approved, with an additional 10 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, 0.7 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these years.

This indicates that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more housing options and potentially driving population growth beyond current expectations. The average value of new homes being constructed is $773,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment. In FY-26, $9.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity in Apollo Bay. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Apollo Bay has 154.0% more building activity per person, significantly higher than the national average, reflecting strong developer interest in the area. Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining Apollo Bay's traditional low-density character and focusing on family homes that appeal to those seeking space.

This trend mirrors persistent strong demand for family homes despite densification trends, with developers constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (84.0% at Census). Apollo Bay has around 78 people per dwelling approval, further emphasizing its low-density characteristics. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Apollo Bay to grow by 62 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Apollo Bay has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

No infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified zero relevant projects. Key initiatives include Telstra InfraCo Intercity Fibre Network, Additional VLocity Trains, Victorian Renewable Energy Zones, and Regional Housing Fund (Victoria).

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Apollo Bay significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Apollo Bay has a skilled workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 1.0%.

This rate is 2.8% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Apollo Bay is 52.7%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Leading employment industries among residents are accommodation & food, construction, and retail trade. The area has a strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share of 3.6 times the regional level.

Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 9.7%, compared to the regional level of 16.8%. Labour force levels decreased by 1.3% over the 12 months to June 2025, while employment declined by 1.1%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase in employment 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.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 30, 2022 shows median income in Apollo Bay at $42,094 and average income at $55,108. This is below the national average of $48,741 median and $60,693 average for Rest of Vic. By September 2025, estimated median income in Apollo Bay would be approximately $47,213 and average $61,809 based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 income data, personal income ranks at the 27th percentile ($695 weekly) and household income at the 9th percentile in Apollo Bay. Income distribution shows that 30.2% of locals (542 people) earn between $800 - $1,499 per week, contrasting with surrounding regions where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket is most prevalent at 30.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Apollo Bay, with only 84.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 11th percentile nationally.

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% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic had 93.2% houses and 6.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Apollo Bay stood at 47.2%, similar to Non-Metro Vic., with mortgaged dwellings at 23.8% and rented ones at 29.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,300. Median weekly rent in Apollo Bay was $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 account for 58.3% of all households, consisting of 17.7% couples with children, 31.3% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 41.7%, with lone person households at 38.2% and group households comprising 3.3% 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 of 26.8% among residents aged 15+, surpassing both 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 prominent, with 37.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 12.9% while certificates account for 24.8%.

Educational participation is high at 25.8%, including 9.8% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education. Apollo Bay P-12 College serves the local educational needs within Apollo Bay with an enrollment of 320 students as of a recent date. The area's schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1036) with balanced educational opportunities. All 1 schools offer integrated K-12 education, providing academic continuity throughout students' journey. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 17.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.3, indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Transport analysis indicates five active public transport stops in Apollo Bay, offering a mix of bus services. These stops are served by four distinct routes, collectively facilitating 96 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is assessed as moderate, with residents typically residing 586 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 13 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 19 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 prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 49%, covering around 873 people out of the total population.

This is lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis, impacting 9.2% of residents, and mental health issues, affecting 7.4%. In comparison, 68.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, which is higher than the 65.0% across Rest of Vic. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 30.4% (545 people) compared to the 24.6% in Rest of Vic. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing 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 cultural diversity aligns with its wider region, with 81.7% citizens, 80.4% born in Australia, and 89.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominates Apollo Bay's religious landscape, accounting for 35.8%. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to the regional average of 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English (29.6%), Australian (23.9%), and Irish (13.1%). Divergences exist in Dutch (2.0% vs regional 1.6%), French (0.8% vs 0.3%), and Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.1%) representation.

Apollo Bay ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Apollo Bay is 52 years, which is significantly higher than Victoria's average of 43 and Australia's national norm of 38. Compared to Victoria's average, Apollo Bay has a notably higher proportion of people aged 65-74 (17.8% locally) while those aged 15-24 are under-represented (6.9%). This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of people aged 75-84 has grown from 8.0% to 9.4%, while the 55-64 cohort has declined from 17.3% to 15.2% and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 9.5% to 7.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Apollo Bay, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 cohort (30%), adding 58 residents to reach a total of 254. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 15-24 age groups.