Soldiers Hill (Vic.)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of November 2025, Soldiers Hill's population is estimated at around 2832 people. This reflects an increase of 19 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2813 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2754, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1851 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 43% 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 any 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, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is forecasted, with the area expected to increase by 896 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 33.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Soldiers Hill had nine dwelling approvals over the five-year period ending 2016, with an average of one approval annually. This low level of development is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction activity influenced by local demand and infrastructure capacity. Yearly growth figures may vary significantly based on individual projects, as seen in Soldiers Hill's low approval numbers compared to the Rest of Vic.

and national patterns. As per AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Soldiers Hill is projected to add 957 residents by 2041.

If current development rates persist, housing supply might not keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Soldiers Hill 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 has identified six projects likely to affect this region. Major initiatives include La Trobe Street Saleyards Redevelopment, Central Neighbourhood Activity Centre in Ballarat North, Ballarat Station Upgrade, and Ballarat Base Hospital Redevelopment. The following list details those most 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.

Soldiers Hill has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Soldiers Hill has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.9% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the past year.

The area's unemployment rate was 0.1% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%, while workforce participation was at 64.5%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Dominant employment sectors included health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food. Education & training had a particularly high share of employment, at 1.6 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented with only 1.0% of Soldiers Hill's workforce compared to Rest of Vic.'s 7.5%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 1.5% while labour force grew by 1.1%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. saw employment fall by 0.7%, labour force contract by 0.6%, and a marginal rise in unemployment. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 showed VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 projected growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Soldiers Hill's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Soldiers Hill had a median income among taxpayers of $51,986 and an average income of $66,748 in financial year 2023, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This compares to figures for Rest of Vic., which were $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $56,275 (median) and $72,255 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 57th percentile ($842 weekly), while household income sits at the 33rd percentile. The earnings profile shows that 28.8% of locals (815 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 34th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

In Soldiers Hill, as per the latest Census evaluation, 84.5% of dwellings were houses while 15.5% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is similar to Non-Metro Vic.'s dwelling structure of 85.6% houses and 14.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Soldiers Hill stood at 30.2%, with mortgaged properties at 29.5% and rented ones at 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,509, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,499. Weekly rent median in Soldiers Hill was $300, matching Non-Metro Vic.'s figure but significantly lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863.

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

Family households account for 56.6% of all households, including 23.6% couples with children, 22.7% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 43.4%, with lone person households at 38.0% and group households comprising 5.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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

In Soldiers Hill, 40.8% of residents aged 15 and above have university qualifications, compared to 21.7% in the rest of Victoria and 24.6% in the SA4 region. This high educational attainment is driven by bachelor degrees (24.6%), postgraduate qualifications (10.0%), and graduate diplomas (6.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.4% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.5%) and certificates (17.9%). Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Soldiers Hill has ten active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 27 different routes, together providing 3024 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 241 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 432 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 302 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Soldiers Hill is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Soldiers Hill faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 53%, leading that of the average SA2 area (~1,507 people). Mental health issues impact 12.4% of residents, while asthma affects 10.5%. Sixty-two point five percent of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.3% across Rest of Vic.. The area has 16.7% of residents aged 65 and over (472 people), lower than the 17.8% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Soldiers Hill had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 87.3% born in Australia, 91.3% being citizens, and 93.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 41.9%. The 'Other' category was overrepresented at 0.8%, compared to 1.0% regionally.

For ancestry, the top groups were English (28.8%), Australian (24.6%), and Irish (13.7%). Some ethnic groups had notable differences: Scottish (11.6% vs regional 9.2%), Dutch (1.6% vs 2.1%), and Hungarian (0.3% vs 0.2%) were overrepresented in Soldiers Hill.

Soldiers Hill's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Soldiers Hill is 40 years, which is slightly below Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 but above the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort makes up 15.8% of the population in Soldiers Hill, compared to the Rest of Vic. average, indicating an over-representation of this age group. Conversely, the 65-74 year-olds make up only 9.6%, showing under-representation. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.1% to 12.0%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 12.9% to 11.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, population forecasts suggest significant demographic changes in Soldiers Hill, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to grow by 351 people (79%), expanding from 447 to 799 individuals.