Southern Grampians
Statistical Area - sa2

Southern Grampians is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Southern Grampians' population was around 6,296 as of Aug 2025. This reflected a decrease of 5 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,301 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,250 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 45 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 1.0 persons per square kilometer. While Southern Grampians experienced a 0.1% decline since census, the SA3 area achieved 0.7% growth, highlighting divergent population trends. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilised VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest population numbers, the area was expected to expand by 132 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 1.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Southern Grampians, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Southern Grampians has seen approximately 14 new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the ABS shows 70 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY20 to FY25, with one more approved in FY26 so far. On average, only 0.8 people moved to the area for each dwelling built during these years. This indicates new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, offering buyers more options and potentially driving population growth beyond current expectations.

The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $552,000, slightly above the regional average. Additionally, $8.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Rest of Vic., Southern Grampians has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 43rd percentile nationally, suggesting limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This is below average nationally, possibly due to planning constraints or the area's maturity.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 378 people, indicating a quiet and low-activity development environment. Population forecasts project Southern Grampians will gain 85 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

Southern Grampians has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects likely impacting this region. Notable initiatives include Lakes Edge Residential Development, Hamilton Showgrounds Infrastructure Upgrade, Hamilton Community and Government Hub, and New Hamilton Gallery. The following details the most relevant projects:.

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

AreaSearch analysis reveals Southern Grampians significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Southern Grampians has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 1.5% as of June 2025. There are 3,254 residents employed, with the unemployment rate being 2.2% lower than the Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is at 61.1%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Key employment industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area has a notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 5.8 times the regional average. Manufacturing's presence is limited, with only 2.3% of residents employed compared to the regional average of 7.7%.

In the year ending June 2024, labour force decreased by 1.8%, and employment declined by 2.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Vic., where employment fell by 0.9% and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. By Sep-25, VIC's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National forecasts from May 2025 project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Southern Grampians's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.0%% over five years and 11.3% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 30, 2022 shows that median income in Southern Grampians is $46,409, with an average income of $60,839. This is lower than the national averages of $48,741 and $60,693 respectively for Rest of Vic. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since June 2022, estimated median and average incomes in Southern Grampians as of March 2025 would be approximately $51,101 and $66,990 respectively. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Southern Grampians fall between the 19th and 30th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 27.9% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, reflecting regional patterns where 30.3% fall within this range. Housing costs are manageable with 93.5% retained, but disposable income is below average at the 32nd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Southern Grampians is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Southern Grampians' dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 97.7% houses and 2.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Non-Metro Vic., meanwhile, had 93.1% houses and 6.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Southern Grampians was 58.2%, with mortgages at 26.9% and rentals at 14.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $931, below Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,083. Median weekly rent in Southern Grampians was $170, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $220. Nationally, Southern Grampians' mortgage repayments were lower at $931 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Southern Grampians features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 67.1 percent of all households, including 26.0 percent couples with children, 33.3 percent couples without children, and 7.0 percent single parent families. The remaining 32.9 percent are non-family households, consisting of 31.1 percent lone person households and 1.9 percent group households. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.2.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 19.3%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (26.8%). Educational participation is high, at 26.6%, comprising primary education (10.6%), secondary education (9.1%), and tertiary education (1.8%).

Eleven schools serve 427 students in the area, which has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1000) with balanced educational opportunities. The schools include nine primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. School capacity is limited locally (6.8 places per 100 residents vs 14.1 regionally), leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Transport analysis shows 17 active stops operating in Southern Grampians, offering mixed bus services. These stops are served by 9 routes, together facilitating 50 weekly passenger trips. Transport access is rated limited, with residents usually located 4728 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 7 trips daily across all routes, translating to roughly 2 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Southern Grampians is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Southern Grampians faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~3,148 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 10.4 and 7.4% of residents respectively. 66.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.4% across Rest of Vic. As of 2021, the area has 26.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,652 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Southern Grampians had a cultural diversity score below average, with 90.9% of its population being Australian citizens, 92.1% born in Australia, and 97.9% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion was Christianity, comprising 57.5% of the population, compared to 50.5% across Rest of Vic.. For ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (32.0%), English (30.9%), and Scottish (11.7%).

Notably, German (6.7%) and Irish (10.2%) populations were higher than regional averages of 4.8% and 8.9%, respectively, while New Zealanders made up 0.6%.

Southern Grampians hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Southern Grampians is 49, which is higher than Rest of Vic's figure of 43 and well above Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Rest of Vic's average, the cohort aged 55-64 is notably over-represented at 16.4% locally, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 9.0%. This concentration of the 55-64 age group is significantly higher than the national figure of 11.2%. Between 2021 and the present time, the percentage of the population aged 75 to 84 has increased from 6.7% to 8.4%. Conversely, the cohort aged 45 to 54 has declined from 13.6% to 12.2%, and the age group 5 to 14 has dropped from 12.5% to 11.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Southern Grampians's age structure. The cohort aged 25-34 is projected to grow by 130 people (23%), increasing from 565 to 696. In contrast, population declines are projected for the cohorts aged 5-14 and 55-64.