Flora Hill

An assessment of population growth drivers in Flora Hill reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population of Flora Hill is around 4,061 people. This reflects an increase of 72 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,989 people. AreaSearch estimates the resident population at 4,057 following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and validation of 21 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,381 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 77.0% to recent population gains.

AreaSearch adopts 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 from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. By 2041, the suburb is forecasted to increase its population by 1,193 persons, reflecting a total increase of 30.1% over the 17 years. This trend aligns with projections for the top quartile of regional areas nationally.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Flora Hill shows approximately 22 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 110 homes. As of FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. The average number of new residents per year arriving per new home between FY-21 and FY-25 is zero, indicating that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand. This offers ample buyer choice and creates capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average value of new homes being built is $525,000. In the current financial year, $7.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting limited commercial development focus compared to residential development. Compared to Rest of Vic., Flora Hill has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and places among the 62nd percentile of areas assessed nationally. New building activity in Flora Hill shows 61.0% detached houses and 39.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns which are currently 81.0% houses.

This suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. Flora Hill has around 232 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a low density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Flora Hill is projected to add 1,221 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Flora Hill has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to impact this region. Notable projects are Flora Hill, Burnayi Lurnayi Flora Hill, Spring Hill Estate, and Regional Housing Fund (Victoria). The following details the most relevant projects:.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Flora Hill recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Flora Hill's workforce is highly educated with strong representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.6% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.5%. Residents' employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Health care & social assistance has a particularly high share of employment, at 1.3 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented with only 0.8% of Flora Hill's workforce compared to 7.5% in Rest of Vic..

The area shows limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.5% while labour force increased by 1.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Vic. saw employment fall by 0.9%, labour force contract by 0.4%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Flora Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows median income in Flora Hill was $46,858 and average income was $61,291. For the Rest of Vic., median income was $48,741 and average income was $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% from financial year ending June 2022 to September 2025, estimated median income in Flora Hill would be approximately $52,556 and average income would be around $68,744. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Flora Hill ranked modestly, between the 23rd and 29th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The earnings profile indicates that 32.0% of locals (1,299 people) earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, similar to the regional pattern where 30.3% fall into this category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Flora Hill, with only 83.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 23rd percentile.

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

Flora Hill's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.4% houses and 18.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 90.6% houses and 9.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Flora Hill was at 23.5%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (25.4%) or rented (51.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Flora Hill was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,408. The median weekly rent figure for Flora Hill was recorded at $290, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $295. Nationally, Flora Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 57.8% of all households, including 19.8% couples with children, 19.1% couples without children, and 16.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 42.2%, with lone person households at 34.6% and group households comprising 7.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Flora Hill 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 29.0% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the Rest of Vic average of 21.7% and the SA3 area average of 23.6%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.0% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 22.8%. Educational participation is high, with 35.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.5% in tertiary, 8.4% in primary, and 7.1% pursuing secondary education.

The area is anchored by Bendigo South East 7-10 Secondary College, serving 1,116 students as of a recent report. It demonstrates typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 1021). Secondary education dominates with one school present, while primary students typically attend schools in adjacent catchments. The area functions as an education hub with 27.5 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 17.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Flora Hill has 29 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 7 different routes, together offering 1,365 weekly passenger trips. The average distance residents travel to the nearest stop is 196 meters.

On average, there are 195 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to about 47 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Flora Hill is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Flora Hill faces significant health challenges with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, particularly among older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 51%, covering around 2,075 people in total, which is slightly lower than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 14.3% and 9.8% of residents respectively. Approximately 62.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.0% across Rest of Vic.. The area has 11.9% of residents aged 65 and over (483 people), which is lower than the 18.9% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention due to these challenges.

Flora Hill ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Flora Hill had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 87.2% of its population being citizens, 87.5% born in Australia, and 89.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 35.9% of Flora Hill's population. Buddhism showed an overrepresentation at 2.3%, compared to 1.4% across Rest of Vic..

The top three ancestral groups were English (29.8%), Australian (29.4%), and Irish (11.1%). Hungarian, Welsh, and Scottish ethnicities had notable divergences in representation: Hungarian was overrepresented at 0.3%, Welsh at 0.6%, and Scottish at 8.3%.

Flora Hill hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Flora Hill has a median age of 31, which is notably younger than the Rest of Vic.'s figure of 43 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 15-24 age group comprises 22.2% of Flora Hill's population, significantly higher than the Rest of Vic., while the 65-74 cohort makes up 5.5%. This concentration of young adults is well above the national figure of 12.5%. Between 2021 and the present, the median age has decreased by 1 year from 32 to 31, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include an increase in the 25-34 age group from 17% to 19.3%, and the 15-24 cohort rising from 20.5% to 22.2%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 11.1% to 9.4%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 9.2% to 7.6%. Demographic projections suggest Flora Hill's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Notably, the 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 84% (662 people), reaching 1,446 from 783. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort is projected to decrease by 12 residents.