Ballarat East
The suburb has 5,937 residents, a median age of 43 that is 3.0 years above the national median, and an overwhelmingly detached housing profile, with 89.4% of homes separate houses. For buyers comparing Ballarat East with nearby Canadian or Bakery Hill, the detached-home mix is a useful distinction. Its 39.2% renting share and 8.5% vacancy rate also support a substantial rental market, although the 110.3 crimes-per-1,000 rate remains an important consideration.
Population
5,937
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,123/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
48
Median House
$580K
October to December 2025
The typical mortgage estimate is $1,300 per month, equal to 26.7% of household income and below common mortgage-stress thresholds. Housing is mainly practical family stock: 55.7% of homes have 3 bedrooms, 15.7% have 4 or more, and 89.4% are separate houses. Only 0.9% are apartments, while 9.4% are semi-detached. The household-income percentile of 18.3 is below national income levels, so buyers may need to weigh deposit size, commuting costs and renovation needs carefully. A 31.2% outright ownership rate also points to established owners alongside newer entrants.
For Buyers
The typical mortgage estimate is $1,300 per month, equal to 26.7% of household income and below common mortgage-stress thresholds. Housing is mainly practical family stock: 55.7% of homes have 3 bedrooms, 15.7% have 4 or more, and 89.4% are separate houses. Only 0.9% are apartments, while 9.4% are semi-detached. The household-income percentile of 18.3 is below national income levels, so buyers may need to weigh deposit size, commuting costs and renovation needs carefully. A 31.2% outright ownership rate also points to established owners alongside newer entrants.
For Investors
Ballarat East has a meaningful tenant base, with 39.2% of households renting compared with 31.2% owning outright. Weekly rent is $290, while the vacancy rate is 8.5%, giving investors a market where tenant demand and leasing competition should both be tested rather than assumed. Development activity is notable, with 46 applications recorded over 12 months, including a subdivision creating 7 lots. That pipeline may improve future supply, while internal migration and a 2.05% annual growth trend could support demand. Investors should allow for property management, insurance and maintenance costs because the detached-home share is 89.4%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
65
Last 12 Months
48
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+433.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ballarat East
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Canadian Lead Primary School
St Alipius' Parish School
St Francis Xavier School
Woodmans Hill Secondary College
Demographics
Ballarat East has an older profile than Australia overall, with a median age of 43, or 3.0 years above the national median. Its 2.1-person average household size is 0.4 below the national figure, consistent with 45.7% of couples having no children and 22.8% of families being one-parent households. University attainment is 32.6%, 2.5 percentage points above the national comparison, while the overseas-born share is 11.7%, 9.9 points below it. English ancestry counts 2,587 people, followed by Irish at 1,003 and Scottish at 760. No religion is recorded for 3,032 residents, compared with 2,290 identifying with Christianity. With 73.4% staying at the same address and 26.6% turnover, the suburb combines established households with moderate movement. Buyers comparing it with Canadian or Bakery Hill should assess household size and housing form rather than assume the surrounding area is uniform.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.4%
Houses
9.4%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is strongly detached, with 89.4% separate houses, 9.4% semi-detached dwellings and 0.9% apartments. Tenure is split between 31.2% outright owners, 24.6% mortgagors and 39.2% renters. The 55.7% share of 3-bedroom homes gives the suburb a practical family orientation, while its 2.1-person average household size suggests some dwellings may have spare capacity. Compared with apartment-focused options, Ballarat East provides more conventional house-and-yard stock.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$290
Census 2021
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$636
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
237
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.9%
Couples with children
45.7%
Couples, no children
22.8%
Single parent
1,428
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Ballarat East's largest industry at 22.5%, employing 387 people, followed by Education at 14.2% and 244 people. Public Administration accounts for 8.8% and 151 people, Professional and Technical services 8.1% and 139, and Construction 8.0% and 137. This mix links local employment to essential services, government, specialist work and building activity. The unemployment rate is 6.6%, participation is 52.6%, and the full-time employment rate is 52.5%, while 1,303 people work full time and 994 part time. Household income sits at the 18.3 percentile, below national income levels. SEIFA results show an Education and Occupation decile of 5, higher than the Economic Resources decile of 2, with IRSD and IRSAD both at decile 3. That lower economic-resources result than education ranking indicates that qualifications do not translate evenly into household financial capacity.
Unemployment
6.6%
Labour Force
2,659
Unemployed
176
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.5%
Part-time
40.0%
Participation
52.6%
Employed
2,483
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
32.6%
Postgraduate
8.3%
Born Overseas
11.7%
Dwellings
2,556
Transport to Work
Daily travel is car-led: 65.9% of residents drive to work compared with 1.3% using public transport, while 4.8% walk or cycle and 21.9% work from home. That pattern makes parking, road access and trip length more important than frequent transit for many households. Families have access to 4 local schools, comprising 3 primary and 1 secondary campus across 2 Catholic and 2 government schools. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because they can cross suburb boundaries. Safety needs careful attention: the recorded crime rate is 110.3 incidents per 1,000 residents, including 655 total offences, 381 property and deception offences and 155 crimes against the person. This is a higher concern than low-crime settings, so lighting, security and street-level conditions matter. The IRSAD score is in decile 3, while volunteering is 15.4%, indicating practical community participation alongside socioeconomic pressure.
Drive
65.9%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
21.9%
Population Forecast
+2.05%/yr
(+490 people/yr)
EstablishedBallarat East has an established profile, but its forecast trend is 2.05% annual growth, driven primarily by internal migration. Population change across the wider area is 34.1% over 10 years, which is a stronger trajectory than a flat market. The demographic shift is labelled Aging: the senior share has increased by 4.1 percentage points, while the young share has fallen by 1.3 points and the working share by 1.0 point. Rent growth is 37.0%, and affordability is described as Stable, moving from 46.6 in 2011 to 44.7 in 2021. Gentrification indicators are mixed, with a score of 57 at the Active stage, while the separate shift indicator records a score of 34 at Early signs. Together, these figures suggest demand is rising because of regional migration, but future change will also be shaped by an older resident base and available detached housing.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+104
Net Internal / yr
+486
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +51% since 2011, Net internal migration +486/yr, Accelerating: 17% → 29%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
655
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
110.3
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ballarat East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Ballarat East?
Ballarat East has 4 local schools across primary and secondary education. The mix includes St Alipius' Parish School, St Francis Xavier School, Canadian Lead Primary School and Woodmans Hill Secondary College. Two are Catholic and 2 are government schools, so families should confirm the relevant enrolment zone for each address.
Is Ballarat East safe?
Safety is mixed and should be checked at street level. Ballarat East records 655 offences and a crime rate of 110.3 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 381 incidents, while crimes against the person account for 155. Buyers and renters should inspect lighting, locks, parking and recent local conditions rather than rely on a suburb-wide average.
How is Ballarat East's population changing?
Ballarat East has 5,937 residents today. Across the wider area, population change is forecast at 34.1% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 2.05% driven by internal migration. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 4.1 percentage points, while the young share fell 1.3 points. This points to growth alongside changing age-related housing needs.
What development is happening in Ballarat East?
There were 46 development applications in the latest 12-month period. Examples include a subdivision creating 7 lots, planning for a storage shed and a proposal involving land previously used for beauty-related services. Application activity does not guarantee completed dwellings, so buyers should check permits, construction timing and the effect on nearby streets.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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