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

By Feb 2026, the estimated population of Soldiers Hill (Vic.) is around 2,842, reflecting a 1.0% increase since the 2021 Census which reported 2,813 people. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,754 residents in Jun 2024 and five validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 1,857 persons per square kilometer, above national averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 43.0% to recent population gains, with all drivers being positive factors. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, it utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is forecasted to have a population of 3,596, reflecting a gain of 26.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Soldiers Hill averaged two development approvals per year over five years, totaling 12. This low level of activity is typical of rural areas with modest housing needs and limited construction activity due to local demand and infrastructure capacity. Note that the small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of Vic., Soldiers Hill has much lower development activity. Recent development has been entirely detached dwellings, reflecting the area's rural character where larger properties are typical. New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (84.0% at Census), indicating ongoing demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. With around 1914 people per approval, Soldiers Hill is a mature, established area.

By 2041, it is projected to grow by 766 residents (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects that could impact this region. Key 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.

The employment landscape in Soldiers Hill presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.6%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Soldiers Hill has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data as of December 2025. There are 1,553 residents employed, aligning with Regional Vic.'s unemployment rate of 3.7%.

The workforce participation rate is high at 68.9%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.5%. Census responses indicate that 26.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Key industries for employment include health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food. Notably, education & training has a high concentration with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with only 1.0% of employment compared to 7.5% regionally. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.0%, and employment declined by 1.0%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. This contrasts with Regional Vic., which experienced an employment decline of 0.6% and a labour force decline of 0.7%, resulting in a 0.1 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Soldiers Hill. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, indicate that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Soldiers Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this extrapolation does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 2023 shows median income in Soldiers Hill suburb was $51,986 and average income was $66,748. This is compared to Regional Vic.'s figures of median income at $50,954 and average income at $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.25% since June 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $56,275 (median) and $72,255 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, personal income ranks at the 57th percentile ($842 weekly), while household income is at the 33rd percentile. Income distribution shows that 28.8% of locals (818 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to surrounding region's 30.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.7% of income remaining, 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 with the remaining 15.5% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types of dwellings. This is compared to Regional Victoria's 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Soldiers Hill stood at 30.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented ones at 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,509, higher than Regional Victoria's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in Soldiers Hill was $300, compared to Regional Victoria's $285. Nationally, Soldiers Hill's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,509 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $300 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 56.6 percent of all households, including 23.6 percent couples with children, 22.7 percent couples without children, and 9.7 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 43.4 percent, with lone person households at 38.0 percent and group households making up 5.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional 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, the proportion of residents aged 15 and above with university qualifications is 40.8%, exceeding the broader benchmarks of 21.7% in Rest of Vic. and 24.6% in SA4 region. This educational advantage is notable for its potential to facilitate knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent, at 24.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.0%) and graduate diplomas (6.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 28.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 10.5% and certificates for 17.9%.

Educational participation is high in the area, 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 13 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train services. These stops are covered by 27 different routes, collectively facilitating 3024 weekly passenger journeys. Residents enjoy good accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 241 meters to the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 88%, while walking and cycling account for 7% and 2% respectively. Vehicle ownership stands at 1.0 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

Notably, 26% of residents work from home as of the 2021 Census, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 432 trips daily, translating to around 232 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Soldiers Hill are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Soldiers Hill's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is at approximately 53% of the total population (~1,512 people), leading the average SA2 area rate which stands at 50.5% in Regional Vic. Mental health issues impact 12.4% of residents, while asthma affects 10.5%. A total of 62.5% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 16.9% of residents aged 65 and over (480 people), which is lower than the 23.9% in Regional Vic. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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's population was found to have low cultural diversity, with 87.3% born in Australia and 91.3% being citizens. English was spoken at home by 93.0%. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 41.9%.

The 'Other' category comprised 0.8%, similar to Regional Vic's 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, English (28.8%) and Australian (24.6%) were the top groups, with Irish following at 13.7%. Scottish (11.6%) was overrepresented compared to regional average (8.8%). Dutch (1.6%) and Hungarian (0.3%) also showed higher representation than regionally.

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

The median age in Soldiers Hill is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Regional Vic.'s average of 43 but closely matches Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Regional Vic., Soldiers Hill has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 at 16.9% but fewer residents aged 65-74 at 9.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group increased from 15.3% to 16.9%, while the 35-44 cohort rose from 14.2% to 15.4%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort decreased from 12.9% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Soldiers Hill's age structure. The 25-34 group is projected to grow by 59%, adding 281 people and reaching a total of 762 from the current 480. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort is expected to grow by a modest 2%, increasing by just 5 people.