Bendigo Surrounds - North

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, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure reflects an increase of 787 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,934. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,401 in June 2024 and an additional 423 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4.0 persons per square kilometer. Bendigo Surrounds - North's growth rate of 16.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (5.9%) and the non-metro area, indicating it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 81.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using a method of 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. 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 the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 34.0% in total 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 recorded approximately 65 residential property approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25327 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built over these years attracted an average of 2.1 new residents annually, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $308,000. This year, $14.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Bendigo Surrounds - North has 83.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice and indicating strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists predominantly of standalone homes (98.0%) with a minority of townhouses or apartments (2.0%), maintaining the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 94 people per approval, Bendigo Surrounds - North reflects a developing area.

By 2041, it is projected to grow by 1,944 residents, with current construction rates appearing 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 37thth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 88 potential impact projects in total. Notable ones include Goornong Railway Station, Huntly Growth Area, Huntly Structure Plan, and Huntly Railway Station, as detailed below for relevance.

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

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Employment performance in Bendigo Surrounds - North has been broadly consistent with national averages

Bendigo Surrounds - North has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented here.

As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 3.3%, which is an improvement from the previous year's estimated growth of 3.4%. There are 2,676 residents employed currently, with an unemployment rate that is 0.5% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. The workforce participation rate is on par with Rest of Vic., at 57.4%. The leading employment industries among Bendigo Surrounds - North's residents include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and construction.

Notably, the concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing is high, with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. However, accommodation & food services have a limited presence here, with only 4.5% of employment compared to the regional average of 6.9%. Over the past year, employment has increased by 3.4%, while the labour force has also grown by 3.4%. Unemployment has remained essentially unchanged during this period. This contrasts with Rest of Vic., where employment contracted by 0.7%, the labour force fell by 0.6%, and unemployment rose marginally. Providing broader context, state-level data from 25-Nov shows that Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs. The state's unemployment rate is 4.7%, slightly higher than the national rate of 4.3%. However, Victoria's employment growth outpaces the national average of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 indicate that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Bendigo Surrounds - North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, although these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not consider localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Bendigo Surrounds - North SA2 has a median income of $49,613 and an average income of $61,583. This is below the national average. Rest of Vic., on the other hand, has a median income of $48,741 and an average income of $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Bendigo Surrounds - North SA2 are approximately $55,646 (median) and $69,071 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Bendigo Surrounds - North rank modestly, between the 24th and 32nd percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 35.0% of the population (2,002 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is 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

Dwelling structure in Bendigo Surrounds - North, as per the latest Census, comprised 98.7% houses and 1.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 96.5% houses and 3.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bendigo Surrounds - North was 44.9%, with the rest being mortgaged (44.6%) or rented (10.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,083. Median weekly rent in Bendigo Surrounds - North was $230, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $190. Nationally, Bendigo Surrounds - North's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 constitute 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, with 29.7% currently enrolled in formal education: 11.8% in primary, 8.8% in secondary, and 2.9% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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 are a mix of train and bus stations. They are served by 22 individual routes that collectively provide 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

Bendigo Surrounds - North faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 51% (~2,894 people) have private health cover, lower than Rest of Vic's 48.1%.

The most frequent conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and asthma (10.3%), while 61.5% report 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 present 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 the average, with 88.7% of its population being citizens, 93.4% born in Australia, and 97.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, accounting for 48.9%. This figure is lower than the 51.0% recorded across Rest of Vic., as of a certain date.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.4%), English (31.6%), and Irish (9.9%). Notably, Scottish ancestry was higher at 9.2%, compared to the regional average of 10.0%. Maltese ancestry stood at 0.5%, slightly above the region's 0.4%, while German ancestry was recorded at 3.5%, marginally higher than 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 Australia's national norm of 38. The 55-64 cohort made up 16.1% of the local population, notably over-represented compared to the Rest of Vic. average, while those aged 85+ were under-represented at 1.2%. From 2021 onwards, the 15-24 age group grew from 9.9% to 12.1%, and the 25-34 cohort increased from 8.9% to 10.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 13.9% to 12.4%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 12.5% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Bendigo Surrounds - North's age profile. The 35-44 age cohort is projected to grow by 68%, expanding from 680 to 1,141 people. Conversely, numbers in the 55-64 age range are expected to fall by approximately 5%.