Benalla Surrounds
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Benalla Surrounds' population is approximately 3,864 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 83 people, a 2.2% rise from the 2021 Census count of 3,781 individuals. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 3,831 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1.8 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Benalla Surrounds has shown steady growth with a compound annual growth rate of 0.9%, outperforming its SA3 area. Interstate migration contributed significantly to this growth, accounting for approximately 47.3% of overall population gains in 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, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 are used with adjustments made through 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. According to these projections, Benalla Surrounds is expected to expand by 29 persons by 2041, with a total reduction of 0.1% over the 17-year period.

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

Benalla Surrounds has granted around 15 residential properties approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling 76 homes. In FY-26 so far, 3 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents arrive annually for each new home approved between FY-21 and FY-25. The supply and demand appear balanced, with stable market conditions.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $400,000, slightly above the regional average. This year, $3.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of Vic., Benalla Surrounds has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 53rd percentile nationally.

All new construction since FY-21 has comprised detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 351 people. With stable or declining population expected, housing pressure should remain low, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Benalla Surrounds has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones include Livingston Benalla, Benalla Art Gallery Redevelopment, Benalla West - Stage One, and Park Lane Estate. The following details those expected to be 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.

AreaSearch analysis indicates Benalla Surrounds maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Benalla Surrounds has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate as of June 2025 is 2.9%.

Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 0.9%. In June 2025, 2,045 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%, with workforce participation broadly similar to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Employment concentration is in agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Benalla Surrounds has a particular employment specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 3.1 times the regional level.

Health care & social assistance is under-represented at 11.3% compared to Rest of Vic.'s 16.8%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census data comparison. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.9%, labour force by 1.5%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic.'s employment contracted by 0.9%, labour force fell by 0.4%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between sectors. Applying these projections to Benalla Surrounds' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.2% over five years and 11.6% over ten years.

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 that median income in Benalla Surrounds is $42,137 and average income is $53,198. This is lower than the national averages of $48,741 (median) and $60,693 (average) for Rest of Vic. By September 2025, estimated median income in Benalla Surrounds would be approximately $47,261 and average income $59,667, based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year ending June 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Benalla Surrounds rank modestly, between the 25th and 26th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution shows that 29.8% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the surrounding region at 30.3%. Housing costs allow for 89.8% retention, but disposable income is below average at the 33rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

The latest Census data shows that in Benalla Surrounds, 99.2% of dwellings are houses, with the remaining 0.8% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This is higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s house proportion of 89.9%. Home ownership in Benalla Surrounds stands at 52.9%, compared to mortgaged dwellings at 37.8% and rented ones at 9.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area is $1,365, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,300 but lower than the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Benalla Surrounds is $220, which is lower than both Non-Metro Vic.'s $250 and the national average of $375.

Benalla Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.4% of all households, including 26.3% couples with children, 40.6% couples without children, and 6.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for 25.6%, with lone person households at 24.0% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.3.

Educational outcomes in Benalla Surrounds fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has educational challenges with university qualification rates at 19.8%, significantly lower than the VIC average of 33.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.6%, followed by graduate diplomas (3.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 42.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.4%) and certificates (30.4%).

Educational participation is high at 25.4%, including 9.9% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education. Six schools operate within Benalla Surrounds, educating approximately 18 students each. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 972) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with five primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. Local school capacity is limited at 0.5 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.9, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Transport analysis indicates four active public transport stops operating within Benalla Surrounds. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with three individual routes providing 27 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 7178 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages three trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately six weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Benalla Surrounds faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is low at approximately 47% of the total population (~1,804 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 10.8% and 8.1% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 63.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 60.4% across the rest of Victoria. As of 2021, 26.2% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,012 people). Health outcomes among seniors in Benalla Surrounds are strong and perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Benalla Surrounds was below average in cultural diversity, with 89.2% of its population being Australian citizens and 91.3% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 97.6%. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 49.6%.

Judaism, at 0.2%, was overrepresented compared to the rest of Victoria's 0.1%. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.7%), Australian (30.4%), and Irish (11.5%). Scottish (11.0%) Dutch (1.8%), and Welsh (0.7%) were notably overrepresented in Benalla Surrounds compared to regional averages of 9.3%, 1.3%, and 0.4% respectively.

Benalla Surrounds ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Benalla Surrounds has a median age of 51 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of Vic average of 43 years and considerably older than the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Vic average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented in Benalla Surrounds at 17.9%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 7.9%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 9.7% to 11.8%, and the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 6.4% to 7.5%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 20.2% to 18.1%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 13.7% to 12.1%. By 2041, Benalla Surrounds is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 25 to 34 group is projected to grow by 27%, reaching 386 people from 303. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 85+ and 15 to 24 cohorts.