Winchelsea
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Winchelsea are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Winchelsea's population was around 7,139 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 525 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,614. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,958 in June 2024 and an additional 256 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 7.9 persons per square kilometer. Winchelsea's growth of 7.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area average of 6.0%. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth, contributing approximately 44.9% of overall gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, they utilised VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Nationally, non-metropolitan areas are projected to have above median population growth. Winchelsea is expected to grow by 1,069 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, recording a gain of 12.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Winchelsea among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Winchelsea has seen approximately 58 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 292 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built over these years has attracted an average of 2.8 new residents annually, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $391,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels, suggesting a focus on quality construction. In FY-26, $6.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, showing limited commercial development activity compared to residential growth. When compared to the Rest of Vic., Winchelsea demonstrates similar construction activity per capita, contributing to market stability in line with regional trends.

Recent construction comprises 87.0% detached houses and 13.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density character and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 129 people moving into Winchelsea for each approval granted, it reflects a developing area. Future projections estimate Winchelsea's population to grow by 887 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply is expected to meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Winchelsea has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

The performance of a local area can significantly influenced by changes in infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 30 such projects that could impact the area. Notable among these are Gnarwarre BESS, Glenlee Armstrong Creek Estate, Warralily Quarter Shopping Precinct, and Anglesea Pedestrian and Cycling Connections. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

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

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.

AreaSearch analysis places Winchelsea well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Winchelsea has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 2.6% as of June 2025. Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 2.1%.

The area's unemployment rate is 1.1% below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is at 64.0%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Winchelsea shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance has limited presence at 14.1% compared to 16.8% regionally.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population figures. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, while labour force increased by 2.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.1 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of Vic. saw employment decline by 0.9% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Winchelsea's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Winchelsea's median income among taxpayers is $50,765, with an average of $66,985. This is slightly above the national average, which compares to Rest of Vic.'s median of $48,741 and average of $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Winchelsea's median income would be approximately $56,938 and the average would be around $75,130 as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, incomes in Winchelsea cluster around the 55th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 32.5% of the community (2,320 individuals) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 30.3% similarly occupy this earnings band. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 88.3% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Winchelsea's dwellings, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 97.4% houses and 2.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 98.0% houses and 2.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Winchelsea was at 42.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (43.7%) or rented (13.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,800 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Winchelsea was $300, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $330 and the national figure of $375.

Winchelsea features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 77.9% of all households, including 35.9% couples with children, 32.3% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up 22.1%, comprising 20.2% lone person households and 1.8% group households. The median household size is 2.6 people, smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.8.

The educational profile of Winchelsea exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational qualifications in Winchelsea trail Victorian benchmarks, with 25.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the state's 33.4%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (27.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education. Winchelsea's four schools have a combined enrollment reaching 562 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1048) with balanced educational opportunities. All four schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents (7.7) fall below the regional average (9.8), suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Winchelsea has two operational public transport stops offering a combination of train and bus services. These stops are served by six unique routes that facilitate 116 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility of these transport options is rated as limited, with residents residing an average of 3648 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 16 daily trips across all routes, equating to approximately 58 weekly trips per individual stop.

Winchelsea's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Winchelsea's health metrics closely match national benchmarks, with common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts being fairly standard.

Approximately 52% (~3740 people) of Winchelsea residents have private health cover, slightly higher than the average SA2 area rate. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (8.1%) and arthritis (8.0%), with 68.4% of residents reporting no medical ailments, similar to the Rest of Vic's 68.7%. Winchelsea has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.8% (1340 people) compared to Rest of Vic's 15.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Winchelsea are above average, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Winchelsea's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.3% of its population being citizens born in Australia who speak English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Winchelsea, comprising 44.8% of the population. Notably, Judaism, which has no representation across Rest of Vic., comprises 0.1% of Winchelsea's population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (32.6%), Australian (31.9%), and Irish (9.9%). Some ethnic groups show notable divergences in their representation: Scottish is overrepresented at 9.9%, Dutch at 1.9%, and Maltese at 0.5%.

Winchelsea hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Winchelsea's median age is 42 years, comparable to Victoria's average of 43 but higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile reveals that individuals aged 35-44 are notably prominent at 13.6%, while those aged 75-84 comprise a smaller proportion at 6.0% compared to the rest of Victoria. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 25-34 has increased from 10.0% to 11.5%. Conversely, the age group 55-64 has decreased from 14.9% to 12.9%. By 2041, Winchelsea's demographic landscape is projected to change significantly. The 35-44 age cohort is expected to grow by 27%, adding 263 residents to reach a total of 1,237. Conversely, population declines are forecast for the 75-84 and 15-24 age groups.