Ballarat North

Ballarat North has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

By Nov 2025, Ballarat North's population is estimated at around 4,259. This reflects an increase of 218 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,041. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 4,182 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,601 persons per square kilometer. Ballarat North's growth rate of 5.4% since census positions it close to the non-metro area's 6.0%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 43.0% of overall population gains 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 by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is expected to increase by 1,243 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 27.3% over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Ballarat North averaged approximately 19 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, around 98 homes were approved, with an additional seven approved so far in FY-26. This indicates an estimated average of 1.8 new residents per year per dwelling constructed during this period.

The supply and demand appear well-balanced, maintaining stable market conditions. The average construction value of new homes was $545,000, which is moderately above regional levels, suggesting a focus on quality construction. This financial year has seen $449,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of Vic., Ballarat North shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 60.0% below the regional average per person.

This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. The new development comprises 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 320 people per dwelling approval, Ballarat North exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Ballarat North is projected to grow by approximately 1,164 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Ballarat North has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

AreaSearch has identified four projects that could impact the area significantly due to changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. These key projects are La Trobe Street Saleyards Redevelopment, Central Neighbourhood Activity Centre Ballarat North, Ballarat Major Events Precinct Upgrades, and Ballarat North Precinct Structure Plan. The following list provides details on those most likely to be relevant.

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.

The labour market in Ballarat North demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Ballarat North has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 7.8%.

As of June 2025, 2,015 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation similar to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. The area specializes in education & training, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 1.3% versus the regional average of 7.5%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 7.8%, labour force increased by 7.2%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. saw employment contract by 0.9%, labour force fall by 0.4%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Ballarat North. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Ballarat North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Ballarat North's median income among taxpayers was $44,639 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $57,314 during the same period. These figures compare to the Rest of Vic.'s median income of $48,741 and average income of $60,693 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $50,067 and average income would be around $64,283, based on a 12.16% growth in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Ballarat North ranked modestly, between the 19th and 33rd percentiles. In this area, 26.0% of the population (1,107 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represented 30.3%. After housing costs, 85.1% of income remained, ranking at the 21st percentile nationally. Ballarat North's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

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

Ballarat North's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census data, were 82.1% houses and 17.9% 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 North was 37.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.7% and rented ones at 32.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,416, below Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,499. Median weekly rent in Ballarat North was $285, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $300. Nationally, Ballarat North's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 60.4% of all households, including 23.5% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 39.6%, with lone person households at 35.4% and group households making up 3.9%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Ballarat North aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 28.2% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the Rest of Vic average of 21.7%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 17.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 32.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 10.7% and certificates for 21.5%. Educational participation is high at 26.7%, including 10.2% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 4.5% pursuing tertiary education.

Ballarat North Primary School serves the area with an enrollment of 349 students. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with ICSEA score of 1004 indicating typical Australian school conditions. Secondary options are available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited at 8.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.9, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Ballarat North has 20 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 4 individual routes providing service to the area. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 874.

Residents in Ballarat North enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 205 meters to the nearest stop. The service frequency averages 124 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 43 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ballarat North is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Ballarat North faces significant health challenges, as indicated by data showing high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 50% of the total population (~2,110 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.4% of residents) and mental health issues (10.8%), while 60.5% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.3% in the rest of Victoria. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 22.7% (966 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 North is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Ballarat North, surveyed in 2016, had a population with 90.6% born in Australia, 92.8% being citizens, and 95.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 50.2% of the population, compared to 45.0% across Victoria. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.1%), Australian (27.7%), and Irish (12.9%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry was higher at 10.0%, compared to 9.2% regionally, while Dutch was lower at 1.7% versus 2.1%. Hungarian ancestry was also lower at 0.3% against the regional average of 0.2%.

Ballarat North hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Ballarat North's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 and older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominent at 13.1%, while the 65-74 group is smaller at 10.0% compared to Rest of Vic.. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 12.2% to 13.2%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 12.4% to 10.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Ballarat North. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 68%, adding 382 residents to reach 940. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort grows by a modest 6%, adding 25 people.