Bendigo Surrounds - North
Statistical Area - sa2

Bendigo Surrounds - North lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bendigo Surrounds - North's population was around 5,721 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 787 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 4,934. The change is inferred from an estimated resident population of 5,401 in June 2024 and an additional 423 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 4.0 persons per square kilometer. Bendigo Surrounds - North's growth rate of 16.0% since the 2021 census exceeded that of the SA4 region (5.9%) and non-metro areas, indicating it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 81.3% 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, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future trends forecast a significant population increase in the top quartile of national regional areas, with Bendigo Surrounds - North expected to expand by 2,270 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, recording a gain of 34.0% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Bendigo Surrounds - North among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Bendigo Surrounds - North has seen approximately 65 residential properties approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 327 homes were granted approval, with an additional 26 approved in FY26 so far. Each dwelling built over these years attracted an average of 2.1 new residents per year, indicating solid demand that supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes was $308,000. This financial year has seen $14.6 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Bendigo Surrounds - North has 83% more building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice and reflecting strong developer confidence in the location. New development primarily consists of standalone homes (98%) with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 2%. This preserves the area's low-density nature, attracting space-seeking buyers.

Currently, there are around 94 people per approval in Bendigo Surrounds - North, reflecting a developing area. By 2041, it is projected to grow by approximately 1,944 residents. Present construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Bendigo Surrounds - North has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure significantly impacts local performance. AreaSearch has identified 88 potential impact projects. Notable ones are Goornong Railway Station, Huntly Growth Area, Huntly Structure Plan, and Huntly Railway Station. The following list details those likely most relevant.

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

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Bendigo Surrounds - North has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Bendigo Surrounds - North has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, strongly represented by manufacturing and industrial sectors. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 3.4%.

Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 1.2%. In this area, 2,534 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.4% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is on par with Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and construction.

Notably, agriculture, forestry & fishing has employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. However, accommodation & food services have limited presence with 4.5% employment compared to the regional average of 6.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 1.2%, labour force by 1.7%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Vic., where employment contracted by 0.9%, labour force fell by 0.4%, and unemployment rose 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 industries. Applying these projections to Bendigo Surrounds - North suggests local growth of approximately 5.7% over five years and 12.5% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Bendigo Surrounds - North is below the national average. The median assessed income is $49,613 and the average income stands at $61,583. This contrasts with Rest of Vic.'s figures where the median income is $48,741 and the average income is $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Bendigo Surrounds - North would be approximately $55,646 (median) and $69,071 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Bendigo Surrounds - North rank modestly, between the 25th and 33rd percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 35.0% of the population (2,002 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 30.3%. Housing costs are manageable with 89.1% retained, but disposable income sits below average at the 39th percentile.

Bendigo Surrounds - North is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Bendigo Surrounds - North, dwellings were predominantly houses at 98.7%, with the remaining 1.3% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types as of the latest Census. This is compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 96.5% houses and 3.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bendigo Surrounds - North stood at 44.9%, with mortgaged properties at 44.6% and rented ones at 10.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,083. The median weekly rent in the area was $230, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $190. Nationally, Bendigo Surrounds - North's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households make up 75.7% of all households, including 32.7% couples with children, 33.2% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 22.2% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.3%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.2%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.7%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.7%) and certificates (33.4%). Educational participation is high at 29.7%, with 11.8% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.9% pursuing tertiary education.

Bendigo Surrounds - North has five schools with a combined enrollment of 109 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 984). It offers balanced educational opportunities with four primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity is limited at 1.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 7.4, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Bendigo Surrounds - North has 15 active public transport stops. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. There are 22 individual routes operating across these stops, collectively offering 199 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is limited; residents typically live 786 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 28 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 13 weekly trips per stop.

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

Health data shows significant issues in Bendigo Surrounds - North, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 51% (~2,894 people) have private health cover, lower than the Rest of Vic's 48.1%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and asthma (10.3%), with 61.5% reporting no medical ailments, compared to Rest of Vic's 59.7%. The area has 21.1% (1,204 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Rest of Vic's 26.4%. Health outcomes among seniors show some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Bendigo Surrounds - North had a cultural diversity index below average, with 88.7% of its population being Australian citizens, 93.4% born in Australia, and 97.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Bendigo Surrounds - North, accounting for 48.9%. This figure is lower than the regional average of 51.0%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.4%), English (31.6%), and Irish (9.9%). Notably, Scottish ancestry was overrepresented at 9.2%, compared to the regional average of 10.0%. Maltese ancestry was slightly higher at 0.5% than the regional figure of 0.4%. German ancestry was also slightly higher at 3.5%, compared to the regional average of 3.1%.

Bendigo Surrounds - North hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Bendigo Surrounds - North's median age was 45 years as of 2021, slightly higher than Rest of Vic.'s 43 and considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the average in Rest of Vic., Bendigo Surrounds - North had a notably over-represented cohort of 55-64 year-olds (16.1%) and an under-represented group of those aged 85+. Between 2021 and the present, the population of 15 to 24 year-olds grew from 9.9% to 12.1%, while the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 8.9% to 10.3%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group declined from 13.9% to 12.4% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 12.5% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Bendigo Surrounds - North's age profile will evolve significantly with the 35 to 44 cohort projected to grow by 68%, from 680 to 1,141 people. Conversely, numbers in the 55 to 64 age range are expected to fall by approximately 5%.