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 5,577 as of Feb 2026. This reflected an increase of 643 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,934. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 5,395 in June 2024 and additional 425 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 3.9 persons per square kilometer. Bendigo Surrounds - North's growth of 13.0% since 2021 exceeded both SA3 area (6.2%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 81.3%.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with base year 2022. For areas not covered, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 were used with adjustments employing weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends forecast significant population increase, with the area expected to expand by 2,270 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP numbers reflecting a gain of 37.4% 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 recorded approximately 65 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25327 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved in FY26 so far. Each dwelling built over these years attracted an average of 2.1 new residents yearly, indicating solid demand that supports property values.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $308,000. This financial year has seen $14.6 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating steady commercial investment activity in the area. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Bendigo Surrounds - North has 83.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice and reflecting strong developer confidence in the location. New development primarily consists of standalone homes (98.0%) with a minority of townhouses or apartments (2.0%), preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With approximately 94 people per approval, Bendigo Surrounds - North reflects an actively developing area.

By 2041, it is projected to grow by 2,088 residents, with building activity keeping pace with growth projections despite potential increased competition among buyers as the population expands.

Bendigo Surrounds - North has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Area infrastructure performance is significantly influenced by changes to local projects and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 88 such projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Goornong Railway Station, Huntly Growth Area, Huntly Structure Plan, and Huntly Railway Station, with the following list detailing those most relevant.

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 had a balanced workforce in September 2025 with an unemployment rate of 3.3%. The estimated employment growth over the past year was 3.4%. There were 2,676 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 0.5% below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation was on par with Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. According to Census responses, 17.7% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and construction. The area had a notably high concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average.

Accommodation & food services had limited presence with 4.5% employment compared to 6.9% regionally. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 3.4% alongside labour force increasing by 3.4%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged, contrasting with Rest of Vic.'s employment contraction of 0.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bendigo Surrounds - North's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, though these are simple weighted 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 ending June 2023 indicates that income in Bendigo Surrounds - North SA2 is below the national average. The median assessed income is $51,601 and the average income stands at $60,690. In comparison, Rest of Vic.'s figures show a median income of $50,954 and an average income of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since June 2023, current estimates for Bendigo Surrounds - North would be approximately $55,858 (median) and $65,697 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Bendigo Surrounds - North rank modestly, between the 24th and 32nd percentiles. Income brackets show that 35.0% of the population (1,951 individuals) fall within the $1,500 to $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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Bendigo Surrounds - North, as per the latest Census, 98.7% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 1.3% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% 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, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in the area was $230, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Bendigo Surrounds - North's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 versus Australia's 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 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, which is larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (11.8%), secondary education (8.8%), and tertiary education (2.9%).

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

Bendigo Surrounds - North has 15 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train services. These stops are served by 10 unique routes, facilitating 149 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is considered limited, with residents, on average, residing 786 meters from the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, and most commuters travel outward, primarily by car (94%), with walking accounting for 4%. On average, there are 2.1 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 17.7% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The average service frequency across all routes is 21 trips per day, resulting in approximately 9 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Bendigo Surrounds' northern region faces significant health challenges. AreaSearch's assessment shows mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~2,743 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and asthma (10.3%). 61.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Rest of Vic.. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 21.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,175 people), lower than the 23.9% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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% of people, compared to 47.3% across Rest of Vic., as recorded on 2016 Census data. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.4%), English (31.6%), and Irish (9.9%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry was proportionally higher at 9.2%, matching the regional figure of 8.8%. Maltese and German ancestries also had identical representation in Bendigo Surrounds - North at 0.5% and 3.5% respectively, mirroring their regional percentages.

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

Bendigo Surrounds - North's median age is 45 years, which is modestly higher than Rest of Vic.'s 43 and considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Rest of Vic. average, the 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented at 15.8% locally, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 6.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 9.9% to 11.8%, and the 25 to 34 cohort has risen from 8.9% to 10.7%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 13.9% to 11.7%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 17.5% to 15.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Bendigo Surrounds - North's age profile will evolve significantly. The 35 to 44 age cohort is projected to grow by 64%, expanding from 694 to 1,141 people. In contrast, the 55 to 64 cohort shows minimal growth of just 4% (35 people).