Bendigo
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Bendigo's population as of August 2025 is approximately 14,558, a decrease of 371 people from the 2021 Census figure of 14,929. This decline is inferred from ABS estimates: 14,548 in June 2024 and an additional 88 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 905 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas (released in 2024, base year 2022), and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections for areas not covered by this data (released in 2023).

Future population trends project an above-median growth for Australian non-metropolitan areas. By 2041, Bendigo is expected to gain 2,122 persons, a total increase of 14.2% over the 17 years.

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

Bendigo granted approximately 60 residential property approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that between FY21 and FY25, around 301 dwellings were approved, with 12 already approved in FY26. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with varied buyer choices. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $461,000.

This year, commercial approvals totalled $306.6 million, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Bendigo records about 56% of building activity per person and ranks in the 68th percentile nationally, with recent construction intensification. New building activity consists of 51.0% standalone homes and 49.0% medium-high density housing, expanding affordable compact alternatives. This shift departs from current patterns (86.0% houses), suggesting decreasing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

The area's population per dwelling approval is estimated at 420 people. By 2041, Bendigo is projected to grow by 2,063 residents. Development pace keeps up with projected growth, but increasing competition may arise as the population expands.

Bendigo has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 22ndth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified 39 projects that could impact the area's performance. Key ones are Bendigo Stadium and Showgrounds Redevelopment, St Andrews Bendigo Housing Project, Water and Sewer Network Program, Regional Sports Infrastructure Program - Bendigo. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment drivers in Bendigo are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Bendigo has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 7.2% as of June 2021.

Employment stability over the past year was relative. As of June 2025, 6,677 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 3.5% above Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food.

The area had particular employment specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence with 1.6% employment compared to 7.5% regionally. There were 1.5 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating Bendigo functioned as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.0% while labour force increased by 1.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Vic. recorded an employment decline of 0.9%, labour force decline of 0.4%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 showed VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year (adding 39,880 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 estimated national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bendigo's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes not accounting for localised population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Bendigo's median income among taxpayers is $47,324, with an average of $61,900. This is lower than the national average, compared to Rest of Vic.'s median of $48,741 and average of $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $52,108 (median) and $68,158 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Bendigo fall between the 18th and 31st percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows 28.7% of Bendigo's population (4,178 individuals) have incomes within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to surrounding regions at 30.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Bendigo, with only 84.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 19th percentile.

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

Dwelling structure in Bendigo, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.5% houses and 13.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s 90.6% houses and 9.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bendigo was at 29.5%, with the rest being mortgaged (25.6%) or rented (44.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bendigo was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,408. Median weekly rent in Bendigo was $280, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $295. Nationally, Bendigo's median mortgage repayment is significantly lower at $1,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863. Bendigo's median weekly rent of $280 is substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 57.5% of all households, including 18.4% couples with children, 23.3% couples without children, and 14.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 42.5%, with lone person households at 37.4% and group households comprising 5.0%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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

Bendigo's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 27.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the Victorian average of 33.4%. This indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement in the area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 9.6% and certificates for 24.6%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.4% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education. As of 2016, 13 schools serve a total of 6,129 students in Bendigo, which demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1006) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 5 primary, 4 secondary, and 4 K-12 schools. As an education hub, Bendigo provides 42.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 18.0, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Bendigo's public transport analysis shows 144 active stops operating within the city, consisting of both train and bus services. These stops are served by 56 individual routes, facilitating a total of 5,495 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents on average located 211 meters from their nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 785 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 38 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Bendigo faces significant health challenges, as indicated by health data.

Both younger and older age groups have notable prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 51% (~7,366 people) of Bendigo's total population has private health cover, which is relatively low compared to other areas. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions in Bendigo, affecting 12.9 and 10.1% of residents respectively. Conversely, 59.6% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 62.0% in the rest of Victoria. As of 2021, 18.8% (2,742 people) of Bendigo's population is aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

Bendigo's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.4% of its population being citizens, born in Australia (87.2%), and speaking English only at home (90.8%). Christianity is the predominant religion in Bendigo (41.5%), but Buddhism is overrepresented compared to other areas in Victoria (2.4% vs 1.4%). The top three ancestry groups are English (30.8%), Australian (28.2%), and Irish (11.0%).

Notably, Scottish (8.6%) and German (3.4%) groups are slightly overrepresented compared to regional averages of 8.7% and 3.2%, respectively, while the Australian Aboriginal population is also higher than average at 2.2%.

Bendigo's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Bendigo is 38, which is lower than the Rest of Vic figure of 43 but equivalent to the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 19.6% of Bendigo's population, higher than the Rest of Vic percentage and significantly above the national average of 14.5%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group is less prevalent at 9.2%. According to the 2021 Census, younger residents have shifted the median age down by one year to 38. Specifically, the 25-34 age group grew from 15.7% to 19.6%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 11.1% to 12.3%. Meanwhile, the 45-54 age group declined from 12.3% to 10.4%, and the 15-24 group dropped from 12.9% to 11.7%. By 2041, Bendigo is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition, with the 25-34 cohort projected to grow by 51%, adding 1,455 residents to reach 4,312. Conversely, the 75-84 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.