Miners Rest

Miners Rest lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of Miners Rest as of November 2025 is around 3,882 people. This reflects an increase of 53 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,829 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,857 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest Education and Workforce (ERP) data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 129 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 75.0% 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 the Victorian State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Examining future trends, a significant population increase is forecast for the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas, with Miners Rest expected to grow by 1,261 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 32.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Miners Rest has seen around 8 new homes approved each year. Approximately 40 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with one more approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of about 1.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed during this period.

Supply and demand appear well-matched, indicating stable market dynamics. New properties are constructed at an average value of $385,000, aligning with broader regional development trends. In the current financial year, there have been $7.1 million in commercial approvals, suggesting Miners Rest's residential character. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Miners Rest records significantly lower building activity, 83.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. The area also falls below the national average in terms of building activity, indicating its established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations.

New development in Miners Rest consists of 57.0% detached dwellings and 43.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern, which is 99.0% houses. This change suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The estimated population density in Miners Rest is 516 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects the area's population to grow by 1,268 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Miners Rest has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones include Western Victoria Aviation Precinct Ballarat, Waters Edge, Miners Rest, Miners Rest Township Plan, and Miners Rest Primary School Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Miners Rest well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Miners Rest has a skilled workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.8% as of June 2025.

Employment grew by an estimated 7.7% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of June 2025, 2,188 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 1.0%, which is below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was high at 75.6% compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

The area had a notable concentration in arts & recreation with employment levels at 3.1 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 2.6% versus the regional average of 7.5%. As per the Census, there were 1.1 workers for every resident, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 7.7% and labour force increased by 7.7%, leaving unemployment broadly flat in Miners Rest. This contrasted with Rest of Vic., where employment contracted by 0.9%, the labour force fell by 0.4%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 projected that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Miners Rest's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes that did not take into account localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Miners Rest's median income among taxpayers is $68,037 according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The average income stands at $84,338 in the same period. These figures compare to those of Rest of Vic., which are $48,741 and $60,693 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $76,310 (median) and $94,594 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Miners Rest cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Income distribution reveals that 45.6% of locals (1,770 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, mirroring the regional trend where 30.3% occupy this bracket. After housing expenses, 86.4% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Miners Rest is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Miners Rest's dwelling structure, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 98.9% houses and 1.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 85.6% houses and 14.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Miners Rest was 23.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 59.6% and rented ones at 16.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,499. The median weekly rent was $360, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $300. Nationally, Miners Rest's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $360 compared to the national figure of $375.

Miners Rest features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 81.5% of all households, including 39.4% couples with children, 29.5% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.5%, with lone person households at 15.8% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate, at 20.2% as of 2016, is significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 14.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (30.8%). Educational participation is high, with 31.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 13.1% in primary, 8.0% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

Miners Rest Primary School serves the local community, with an enrollment of 352 students as of 2021. The school's ICSEA score is 988, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. It focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. As of 2020, there are 9.1 school places per 100 residents, below the regional average of 17.9, suggesting some students may attend schools outside Miners Rest.

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

Transport analysis shows 17 active stops in Miners Rest, served by buses along two routes. These routes together offer 265 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good transport access, with an average distance of 276 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency is 37 trips per day across all routes, equating to around 15 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Miners Rest is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Miners Rest shows better-than-average health outcomes with a low prevalence of common health conditions among its general population. However, among older, at-risk cohorts, the prevalence is higher than the national average.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high, with approximately 60% of the total population (2,332 people) having it, compared to 50.9% in the rest of Victoria. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 10.4% and 9.5% of residents respectively. A higher proportion, 68.7%, declare themselves completely free from medical ailments compared to 62.3% in the rest of Victoria. Miners Rest has a lower percentage of residents aged 65 and over, with 7.8% (302 people), compared to 17.8% in the rest of Victoria. This demographic requires more attention than the broader population.

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

Miners Rest, surveyed in August 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 91.6% of residents born in Australia, 93.9% being citizens, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 43.8%. Islam's representation, at 0.8%, was slightly higher than Rest of Vic.'s 0.7%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.8%), English (30.7%), and Irish (9.7%). Notably, Dutch (2.6% vs regional 2.1%), Maltese (0.5% vs 0.4%), and Scottish (8.3% vs 9.2%) were overrepresented.

Miners Rest's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

The median age in Miners Rest is 32 years, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 43 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Miners Rest has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (18.1%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (5.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 25-34 age group has increased from 16.1% to 18.1%, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 16.8% to 15.3% and the 45-54 group has dropped from 11.7% to 10.6%. By 2041, Miners Rest's age composition is expected to change notably. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 71%, adding 499 people and reaching a total of 1,202 from the current 702.