Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
Colac has an estimated 12,566 residents, down from 12,756 at the 2021 Census — a change of 190 people, or 1.5%. 378 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. That puts 230 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
As of Aug 2026, AreaSearch estimates the population of Colac at approximately 12,566 residents. Compared to the 12,756 people counted in the 2021 Census, this represents a contraction of 190 people (1.5%). This demographic change is calculated using an ABS estimated resident population figure of 12,561 as of June 2025 alongside 378 validated new addresses recorded since the Census date. With a population density of 229 persons per square kilometer, the locality offers generous living space and capacity for future expansion. Across the previous decade, Colac exhibited stable upward momentum with a compound annual growth rate of 0.2%, exceeding that of the broader SA3 area.
Inward overseas migration served as essentially the sole driver of population expansion in recent times. Projections for each SA2 area are sourced from ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a 2022 baseline year. Where specific SA2 areas lack coverage in this release, AreaSearch incorporates VIC State Government Regional/LGA projections issued in 2023, utilizing a weighted aggregation model to allocate growth from LGA to SA2 tiers. Age-bracket growth rates derived from these aggregations are applied to all regions spanning the years 2032 to 2041. Demographic outlooks indicate that Colac will experience an expansion slightly below the median for non-metropolitan areas across Australia, with an anticipated increase of 812 persons to 2041 under latest annual ERP figures, representing cumulative growth of 6.4% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
380 new dwellings have been approved in Colac over the past five years, an average of 76 a year. That places the area in the 54th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 6 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 76 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 83% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building approvals in Colac averaged roughly 76 new homes annually, totaling 380 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26). Amid ongoing population decline, this incoming dwelling pipeline has maintained an adequate balance with local demand to provide healthy options for prospective purchasers, with the average expected construction cost for new dwellings standing at $402,000. In addition, commercial construction approvals reached $22.3 million this financial year, demonstrating solid commercial investment across the town. Building activity in Colac has remained moderately elevated relative to Rest of Vic., tracking 19.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period to support buyer availability alongside established property demand.
The structural composition of new approvals comprises 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% townhouses or apartments, reinforcing the low-density urban form and catering to families seeking spacious residential options. A ratio of approximately 141 people per dwelling approval further underlines the low density environment of Colac. According to the latest quarterly figures from AreaSearch, Colac is projected to add 804 residents through to 2041. Supported by current construction volumes, the forward residential pipeline is positioned to satisfy demand effectively, fostering constructive conditions for buyers and potentially supporting expansion beyond existing forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Colac
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 8 current infrastructure and development projects inside Colac, worth an estimated $223 million. A further 121 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $19 billion. 37 are already under construction and 58 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Infrastructure upgrades, major development projects, and town planning initiatives exert a fundamental influence on regional development. AreaSearch has identified a total of 8 key local projects slated to impact the district, highlighted by initiatives including Lake Colac School, Colac West Primary School Upgrade, Clearwater Colac, and Pound Road, Colac.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Lake Colac School - Hydrotherapy Pool and Upgrade & Modernisation
Lake Colac School (formerly Colac Specialist School) has undergone a rebuild on part of the former Colac High School site on Murray Street, modernising the heritage building to house a library, art room, music room, woodwork room, food technology facility, staff areas and an Early Education Program facility, plus new classroom and administration buildings, a car park, bus loop and play areas. This upgrade and modernisation was completed in Q2 2024. A separate hydrotherapy pool project, funded through the Hydrotherapy Pools at Specialist Schools Fund, began in Q1 2024 and is forecast to finish in Q3 2026.
Clearwater Colac
Clearwater is a premium masterplanned land estate located on the shores of Lake Colac. The community features 500 residential lots ranging in size from 301m2 to 1600m2, with future onsite amenities including a childcare facility, parklands, playgrounds, and active open spaces.
Colac West Primary School Upgrade and Modernisation
Upgrade and modernisation of Colac West Primary School, including a new main building on the eastern side of the school grounds to provide contemporary classrooms, upgraded technology, a new canteen, a centrally located first aid room, temperature-controlled learning areas, hearing loop technology and improved disability access. Once the new building is complete, the original main wing will be demolished and replaced with landscaped grounds that reflect the school's heritage. Total project funding of $10.2 million was confirmed in the 2025-26 State Budget, including earlier planning funding from the 2023-24 Budget.
Pound Road, Colac
Homes Victoria is delivering 50 new homes on 1.8 hectares of vacant State Government land at Pound Road, Colac, funded through the Victorian Government's Regional Housing Fund (part of the Big Housing Build) with enabling works support from the Australian Government's Housing Support Program. The mix of 30 social and 20 affordable rental homes will be located close to the town centre, public transport, retail, educational and community facilities. Homes include a mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4-bedroom single-storey dwellings, designed to be modern, accessible and energy efficient.Planning approvals were received in March and April 2026. Site preparation works are due to begin May 2026, with construction of homes commencing in 2027. Colac Otway Shire Council reaffirmed its opposition to the concentrated development at its December 2025 meeting, citing neighbourhood character concerns.
Colac Plaza
Completed retail shopping centre featuring Coles, Liquorland, Kaisercraft and 10 other specialty stores, bordering Barongarook creek trail with sensitive architectural and landscaping solutions.
Harris Road Residential Development
A 3.65-hectare zoned residential development opportunity within the approved Irrewillipe Road Framework Plan, zoned General Residential Zone. The site has potential for approximately 40 residential lots (STCA) and is currently for sale.
Lakeside Colac
A boutique community of 55 lots, Lakeside Colac offers an opportunity to build your dream home next to the picturesque Lake Colac. Nestled in a premium pocket of Colac, it provides future residents with peace of mind and security in an established area, with easy access to walking tracks, local amenities, schools, and transport links.
Olive Court Estate
A residential land development offering 26 premium blocks ranging from 391 sqm to 812 sqm in a peaceful court near Colac's CBD, medical precinct, schools, and amenities. Fully titled with utilities connected, ready for immediate building.
5,869 residents of Colac are employed, from a labour force of 5,989. Unemployment sits at 2.0%, with participation at 57.3%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.2% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labour market in Colac features an even mix of white and blue collar vocations, underpinned by robust industrial and manufacturing sectors and an unemployment rate of only 2.0%. There are 5,869 employed residents as of March 2026, with local unemployment sitting 1.7% lower than the Regional Vic. benchmark of 3.7%, while the participation rate is comparatively subdued at 57.3% compared to 61.1% in Regional Vic.. Census data indicated that a modest 7.0% of local workers performed their duties from home, though this figure was likely influenced by Covid-19 restrictions.
Leading industries for resident employment comprise manufacturing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Manufacturing employment is especially prominent, registering at 2.7 times the regional average. Conversely, public administration & safety accounts for a smaller share of local jobs, employing 4.2% of the workforce in Colac compared with 6.5% in Regional Vic.. Despite existing job opportunities within the township, comparison of the Census working population against local resident counts suggests a notable degree of outward commuting among workers. AreaSearch assessment of ABS and SALM figures indicates that during the 12 months to March 2026, Colac recorded a 6.4% contraction in the labour force and a 6.1% drop in employment, which reduced the local unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. Over the identical timeframe, Regional Vic. saw employment fall by 0.1% and the labour force decrease by 0.3%, resulting in a 0.2 percentage point reduction. Forward-looking employment trends can be gauged via Jobs and Skills Australia national projections released in Mar-26 across five and ten-year horizons. Nationally, overall employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with performance varying widely across industry categories. When modeled against the local industrial composition, employment in Colac is projected to increase by 5.2% over five years and 11.9% over ten years (calculated as an illustrative weighted extrapolation without incorporating localized population forecasts).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Colac is $1,250 a week (about $65,000 a year), with median personal income at $701 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $50,693 a year against an average of $60,055. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
In the Colac SA2, median taxpayer income stood at $50,693 alongside an average income of $60,055, based on financial year 2023 postcode-level ATO statistics compiled by AreaSearch. These figures track below national standards and regional benchmarks, with Regional Vic. recording a median of $50,954 and an average of $62,728. Factoring in cumulative Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, updated estimates reach approximately $55,570 for median income and $65,832 for average income as of March 2026. National Census percentiles place household, family, and individual earnings in Colac between the 17th and 28th percentiles.
In terms of earnings distribution, 29.9% of the population (3,757 individuals) falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, aligning closely with the 30.3% observed in the broader region. Although local households retain 86.7% of their earnings due to modest housing expenses, overall disposable income sits at the 20th percentile nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Colac had 5,127 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 88% detached houses and 0% apartments. 32% are owned with a mortgage, 27% rented and 41% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $260 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,300 a month. Rent absorbs 20.8% of household income here and mortgage repayments 24.0%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the latest Census, the housing inventory in Colac consisted of 88.2% standalone houses and 11.8% other dwellings (including semi-detached units, apartments, and alternative dwellings), compared to 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings across Regional Vic.. Full home ownership mirrored regional trends at 41.1%, while 32.3% of residences were mortgaged and 26.6% were tenanted. Monthly mortgage commitments averaged a median of $1,300, lower than the Regional Vic. figure of $1,430, whereas median weekly rent was $260 relative to $285 regionally. By national comparison, mortgage payments in Colac sit well below the Australian benchmark of $1,863, and weekly rents are markedly lower than the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Colac counted 5,127 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.3 people each. 24% are couples with children, fewer than in 75% of areas nationally, against 26% couples without children. 34% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.0 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the majority of local living arrangements at 61.8% of all households, broken down into couples without children (26.4%), couples with children (23.6%), and single parent households (10.5%). Non-family residences make up the remaining 38.2%, predominantly single-person households at 34.3% alongside group households at 3.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, slightly below the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
13.6% of adults in Colac hold a university qualification, including 9.9% with a bachelor degree and 2.0% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 81% of areas nationally. A further 28.1% hold a vocational qualification. 11 schools serve the area, with 2,611 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 971 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment in Colac reveals lower rates of higher education, with university qualifications held by 13.6% of residents compared to the VIC benchmark of 33.4%, highlighting a distinct area for policy focus and community training programs. Higher educational credentials include bachelor degrees at 9.9%, postgraduate degrees at 2.0%, and graduate diplomas at 1.7%. Technical and vocational training is widely represented, with 37.3% of individuals aged 15+ holding vocational qualifications, including certificates at 28.1% and advanced diplomas at 9.2%. A substantial 25.3% of the resident population is actively participating in formal study.
Within this student cohort, 9.7% attend primary school, 7.7% are enrolled in secondary education, and 1.9% are undertaking tertiary studies.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Colac reaches 74 stops on 7 routes, timetabled for about 320 services a week. The typical home sits about 220 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 1.3 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Colac contains 74 active public transport stops with services consisting of a mix of train. These transport locations are connected by 7 routes generating 320 weekly passenger trips. Overall transport access is solid, with local residents living an average of 221 meters from their closest transit point. Given the residential orientation of the area, external commuting is common, with private car travel dominating at 92% of journeys followed by walking at 6%. Private motor vehicle ownership stands at 1.3 per dwelling, trailing regional averages, while 7.0% of local workers worked from home according to the 2021 Census (which may reflect prevailing COVID-19 settings).
Transit schedules across all local routes average 45 trips per day, providing roughly 4 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
63.4% of residents in Colac report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 75% of areas nationally. 8.8% need daily assistance with core activities, and 48.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.4 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health assessments by AreaSearch indicate elevated health requirements in Colac across mortality metrics and chronic illness incidence, with health issues observed across older and younger demographics alike. Additionally, private health insurance coverage is notably low, encompassing approximately 49% of residents (~6,144 people), compared to the national rate of 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health conditions represent the most prevalent health diagnoses locally, affecting 10.2 and 8.8% of the community respectively, while 63.4% of residents reported having no medical ailments, matching the 63.4% recorded across Regional Vic.. The prevalence of chronic illnesses among working-age individuals exceeds wider averages.
Seniors aged 65 and over account for 24.7% of the local population (3,108 people), experiencing health outcomes and national rankings that generally align with the total population profile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Colac is largely Australian-born, at 89.5% of residents, with 7.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (31.9%) and English (30.9%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Colac demonstrates lower cultural diversity relative to broader benchmarks, with Australian citizens making up 88.9% of residents, 89.5% of the population born in Australia, and 92.3% using only English at home. Christianity is the predominant religious affiliation, practiced by 50.1% of residents in Colac compared to 47.3% across Regional Vic.. Looking at ancestral lineage based on parental birthplace, the primary reported backgrounds in Colac are Australian at 31.9%, English at 30.9%, and Irish at 11.3%. Other cultural origins show distinct local variances, such as Scottish heritage at 9.4% (compared to 8.8% regionally), Dutch at 1.3% (compared to 1.7%), and Samoan ancestry at 0.2% (compared to 0.1%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Colac is 42. 23.4% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The age distribution of Colac closely follows the Regional Vic. profile, showing a maximum variance of only 1.0 percentage points across age cohorts. The median age remains at an estimated 42, matching the figure from the 2021 Census and sitting 1 year younger than the regional median of 43 recorded in the same Census. Demographic projections to 2041 indicate that the 25 - 44 age cohort will drive the majority of growth, adding 584 residents (19%) to reach 3,592, whereas retiree and elderly age groups are projected to decrease in size.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Colac
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 2026 last month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Sep 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2026 3 months ago all 8 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jul 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 378 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (12,756 at the 2021 Census → 12,566 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (217031472). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.