Ballarat East

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

The population of the Ballarat East statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 6,210 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 273 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,937 people in the area. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5,929 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 156 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,038 persons per square kilometer in the Ballarat East (SA2). Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecasted for the Ballarat East (SA2), with an expected expansion of 1,762 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 24.2% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Ballarat East according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data indicates Ballarat East averaged approximately 32 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 161 homes were approved, with another 61 approved so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 0.4 people moved to the area per dwelling built.

This suggests new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new properties was $527,000, indicating developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, $4.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Rest of Vic., Ballarat East shows reduced construction (55.0% below regional average per person), which generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings.

Recent construction comprises 87.0% detached houses and 13.0% townhouses or apartments, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. The location has approximately 208 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Future projections estimate Ballarat East will add 1,506 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Ballarat East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 19 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are The Meadows on Eureka Estate, Urban Ripple: Restoring our Yarrowee River and its Little Creeks, Sovereign Hill Master Plan: Gold Vault, and Eastwood Community Hub. Relevant projects are listed below.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Ballarat East faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Ballarat East has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 6.2% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.0%.

As of September 2025, 2,706 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.4% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is lower at 52.6%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 1.2% employment compared to the regional average of 7.5%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 2.0%, while labour force increased by 1.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Vic., where employment contracted by 0.7% and unemployment rose marginally. State-level data from 25-Nov shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with a state unemployment rate of 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 Ballarat East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

As per AreaSearch's latest data released for financial year ended 30 June 2023, Ballarat East had a median taxpayer income of $48,975 and an average of $62,887. This is lower than the national average, with Rest of Vic.'s median being $50,954 and average at $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended 30 June 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $53,015 (median) and $68,075 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Ballarat East's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 8th and 16th percentiles nationally. The income distribution shows that 29.6% of residents earn within the $800 - $1,499 bracket (1,838 people), differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 30.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

Ballarat East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Ballarat East's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.4% houses and 10.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s 85.6% houses and 14.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ballarat East was at 33.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.1% and rented ones at 40.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,499. Median weekly rent in Ballarat East was $290, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $300. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863 and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Ballarat East features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 55.3% of all households, including 16.7% couples with children, 25.0% couples without children, and 12.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 44.7%, with lone person households at 39.2% and group households comprising 5.7%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 28.5%, exceeding the Rest of Vic average of 21.7%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 33.7% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.4% and certificates at 23.3%. Educational participation is high, with 26.9% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.6% in primary education, 6.1% in tertiary education, and 5.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Ballarat East has 39 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 14 different routes, together facilitating 2,492 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average located 213 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 356 trips per day, which translates to approximately 63 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ballarat East is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Ballarat East faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents.

Approximately 52% (~3,211 people) have private health cover, which is relatively low. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 13.3 and 10.7% of residents respectively. Conversely, 54.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 62.3% in the rest of Victoria. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 24.5% (1,521 people), compared to 17.8% in the rest of Victoria. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

Ballarat East is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Ballarat East showed lower than average cultural diversity, with 89.6% being citizens, 88.3% born in Australia, and 93.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 41.6%. Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (31.7%), Australian (27.5%), and Irish (12.3%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Dutch were slightly overrepresented at 1.9% (vs regional 2.1%), Scottish were similarly represented at 9.3% (vs 9.2%), and Croatian was also equally represented at 0.4% (vs regional 0.4%).

Ballarat East hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Ballarat East's median age is 42 years, similar to the Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 and considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are particularly prominent at 17.4%, while those aged 5-14 are comparatively smaller at 9.9% compared to the Rest of Vic. Since 2021, the 25-34 age group has grown from 15.0% to 17.4% of the population, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 11.7% to 12.9%. Conversely, the 15-24 cohort has declined from 10.5% to 9.5%. Population forecasts for Ballarat East indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 25-34 age group is expected to show the strongest growth at 52%, adding 560 residents to reach 1,641. In contrast, numbers in the 55-64 age range are expected to fall by 65%.