Beaufort
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Beaufort are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Beaufort's population was approximately 5,201 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 557 people, a 12.0% rise from the 4,644 reported in the 2021 Census. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,836 in June 2024 and 224 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 2.8 persons per square kilometer. Beaufort's growth rate exceeded that of non-metro areas (6.0%) and SA3 areas, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 84.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, AreaSearch employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, non-metropolitan areas nationally are expected to have above median growth, with Beaufort projected to grow by 661 persons to 2041, a total gain of 5.7% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Beaufort when compared nationally

Beaufort has received approximately 28 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 141 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 8 approvals recorded. Over these five years, from FY-21 to FY-25, an average of 2.1 new residents has been associated with each dwelling approved. The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $347,000.

In the current financial year, there have been $5.9 million in commercial approvals registered. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Beaufort shows moderately higher building activity, being 17.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. This has preserved reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand, although development activity has moderated recently.

All new constructions have been standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With approximately 238 people per dwelling approval, Beaufort indicates a developing market. By 2041, it is projected that Beaufort will grow by 295 residents. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Beaufort has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These include upgrades to Beaufort Lake Caravan Park, development of a master plan for Beaufort Linear Park, construction of the Beaufort Bypass, and residential development in Correa Park. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Beaufort has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Beaufort's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs with varied sector representation. The unemployment rate was 4.2% as of June 2025.

Employment grew by an estimated 7.0% over the past year. There were 2,096 residents employed in June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is 0.4% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was lower at 49.1% compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Leading employment industries were agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing had a strong presence with an employment share 2.4 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance had limited presence at 13.5% compared to 16.8% regionally. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data comparison of working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 7.0%, labour force increased by 6.8%, and unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. saw employment contract by 0.9%, labour force fall by 0.4%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Beaufort's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.5% over five years and 12.1% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Beaufort's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $45,764. The average income stood at $55,798 during the same period. These figures compare to the Rest of Vic.'s median and average incomes of $48,741 and $60,693 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Beaufort's median and average incomes would be approximately $51,329 and $62,583 as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes in Beaufort all fall between the 13th and 15th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 27.8% of the community (1,445 individuals) earns between $1,500 and $2,999, mirroring regional levels where 30.3% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are modest with 89.3% of income retained, but the total disposable income ranks at just the 19th percentile nationally.

Beaufort is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Beaufort's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.5% houses and 4.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 93.8% houses and 6.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Beaufort stood at 51.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.5% and rented ones at 13.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,216, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,127. The median weekly rent in Beaufort was recorded at $218, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $230. Nationally, Beaufort's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Beaufort features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 66.3% of all households, including 22.8% couples with children, 33.4% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.7%, with lone person households at 31.4% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of Vic.

Beaufort shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 15.5%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (28.4%). Educational participation is high at 32.4%, comprising primary education (12.4%), secondary education (9.6%), and tertiary education (3.1%).

The area's four schools have a combined enrollment of 372 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 995) indicating balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with three primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 7.2, suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note that where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Beaufort has eight active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 15 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 164 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 1022 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 23 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Beaufort is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows significant challenges in Beaufort, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% (around 2,475 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.0%) and mental health issues (10.2%). About 59.2% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of Vic.'s 56.8%. Beaufort has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 25.5% (1,326 people), compared to Rest of Vic.'s 27.9%. Despite this, health metrics are better than the general population in some areas.

The latest Census data sees Beaufort placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Beaufort's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 82.3% of its population being citizens and 89.3% born in Australia. English was the language spoken at home by 97.5%. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 48.0%.

Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0.1% across Rest of Vic.. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.2%), Australian (32.4%), and Irish (10.2%). Notably, Scottish (9.8%) and Dutch (2.0%) were overrepresented in Beaufort compared to regional averages of 9.3% and 1.6%, respectively. Maltese was slightly underrepresented at 0.5%.

Beaufort hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Beaufort's median age of 48 years is notably older than Rest of Vic.'s 43 and significantly higher than Australia's median of 38. The age profile indicates that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, comprising 15.3%, while the 5-14 age group is relatively smaller at 10.1% compared to Rest of Vic.. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is considerably higher than the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 8.7% to 11.0%, and the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 9.1% to 10.2%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 16.0% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Beaufort's age profile will undergo significant changes. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 270 people (47%) from 573 to 844. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55 to 64 and 45 to 54 cohorts.