Ballarat North

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the Ballarat North statistical area (Lv2), its estimated population as of Nov 2025 is around 4,121. This reflects an increase of 80 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,041. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 4,022 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,549 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 43.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as 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 released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, the Ballarat North (SA2) is forecasted to experience a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's regional areas. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, it is expected to increase by 1,239 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 31.5% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Ballarat North, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Ballarat North averaged approximately 16 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 82 homes were approved, with an additional 4 approved in FY26 to date. On average, each dwelling added about 2.1 new residents yearly over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost of new dwellings was $545,000, indicating a focus on premium developments. This year, there have been $1.5 million in commercial approvals. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Ballarat North has significantly lower construction activity, with 67.0% fewer approvals per person. This limited new construction often supports demand and pricing for existing homes.

The area's development consists mostly of standalone homes (88.0%) with a smaller portion being medium and high-density housing (12.0%). Ballarat North has around 925 people per dwelling approval, reflecting a mature market. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by approximately 1,298 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Four projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area: La Trobe Street Saleyards Redevelopment, Central Neighbourhood Activity Centre Ballarat North, Ballarat Major Events Precinct Upgrades, and Ballarat North Precinct Structure Plan.

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Employment conditions in Ballarat North remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Ballarat North has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.1% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.1%.

As of September 2025, 2,003 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.8%, 0.7% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of Vic.'s at 57.4%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Education & training has a higher representation 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 locally may be limited as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. During the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1%, labour force increased by 1.7%, causing unemployment rate to fall by 0.4 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 to 25-Nov shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest a national employment expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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.

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

The suburb of Ballarat North had an income level below the national average according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Ballarat North was $44,639 and the average income stood at $57,314. These figures compared to those for Rest of Vic., which were $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $48,322 (median) and $62,042 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Ballarat North ranked modestly, between the 19th and 33rd percentiles. The data showed that 26.0% of the population (1,071 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represented 30.3%. After housing costs, 85.1% of income remained, ranking at the 21st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the fourth 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, consisted of 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 at 37.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.7% and rented ones at 32.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,416, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,499. The median weekly rent figure was $285, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $300. Nationally, Ballarat North's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,416 versus Australia's 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 comprising 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 educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 28.2% of residents aged 15+, exceeding the Rest of Vic average of 21.7%. This reflects the community's emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 32.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (21.5%).

Educational participation is high at 26.7%, including primary education (10.2%), secondary education (6.5%), and tertiary education (4.5%).

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, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 779 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is deemed good, with residents on average being located approximately 205 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, there are an average of 111 trips per day, which equates to roughly 38 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 health data. Both younger and older age groups have high prevalence rates for common health conditions. Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 50% of the total population (around 2,041 people), compared to 51.9% across the rest of Victoria and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 11.4% and 10.8% of residents respectively. Conversely, 60.5% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 62.3% across the rest of Victoria. Ballarat North has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 22.7% (935 people), than the rest of Victoria's 17.8%. Health outcomes among seniors in the area are broadly aligned with those of the general population.

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 has a lower level of cultural diversity, with 90.6% of its population born in Australia and 92.8% being citizens. English is the language spoken at home by 95.6% of residents. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 50.2% of people, compared to 45.0% across the rest of Victoria.

The top three ancestry groups are English (32.1%), Australian (27.7%), and Irish (12.9%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Scottish is higher at 10.0% in Ballarat North than regionally at 9.2%, Dutch is lower at 1.7% compared to 2.1%, and Hungarian is also lower at 0.3% versus 0.2%.

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

Ballarat North's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 but older than Australia's 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, Ballarat North's population is forecasted to see substantial demographic changes. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 73%, adding 396 residents to reach 936. Meanwhile, the 65-74 cohort grows by a modest 10% (40 people).