Beaufort
Age is the defining feature of Beaufort: the median age is 51, which is 11 years above the national comparison, while 1,712 residents live across 156.94 square kilometres at a low density of 10.9 people per square kilometre. That combination makes Beaufort more accessible than many larger Victorian markets, but its 13.9 household-income percentile points to limited borrowing capacity. Compared with nearby Avoca and the wider Ballarat region, Beaufort reads as a smaller, older service town, with 83.2% of residents staying at the same address and a balanced migration outlook.
Local council: Pyrenees
Population
1,712
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,031/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$435K
October to December 2025
Beaufort suits buyers prioritising land and detached housing over apartment choice. Mortgage repayments are estimated at $1,160 a month, with mortgage costs equal to 26.0% of household income, below the usual stress threshold. Because 97.0% of homes are separate houses and 53.9% have 3 bedrooms, the stock suits families, local workers and downsizers wanting a conventional home. The trade-off is a lower-income market, with household income at the 13.9th percentile, so buyers should allow for limited resale depth compared with higher-income areas.
For Buyers
Beaufort suits buyers prioritising land and detached housing over apartment choice. Mortgage repayments are estimated at $1,160 a month, with mortgage costs equal to 26.0% of household income, below the usual stress threshold. Because 97.0% of homes are separate houses and 53.9% have 3 bedrooms, the stock suits families, local workers and downsizers wanting a conventional home. The trade-off is a lower-income market, with household income at the 13.9th percentile, so buyers should allow for limited resale depth compared with higher-income areas.
For Investors
Beaufort's investment case is income-led but not automatically tight. Weekly rent is $250 and 17.5% of occupied dwellings are rented, while the 14.8% vacancy rate is high compared with a constrained rental market. That vacancy can lengthen leasing periods, even though rent growth of 55.7% across the shift period has improved gross income potential. Only 6 development applications were lodged in 12 months, limiting near-term supply signals. Migration is Balanced, so demand is less dependent on a single inflow and investors should test tenant depth, property condition and local employment before buying.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+200.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Beaufort
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Beaufort Primary School
Beaufort Secondary College
Demographics
Beaufort has an older, settled population: the median age is 51, 11 years above the national comparison, and 83.2% of residents stayed at the same address. The overseas-born share is 10.6%, 11.0 percentage points below the national comparison, while university attainment is 15.9%, 14.2 points below national. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are the largest recorded groups at 778, 220 and 201 people, and religious identification is split between no religion at 834 and Christianity at 697. Average household size is 2.1, or 0.4 below the national comparison, because couples without children make up 50.1% of families. The result is a stable, older social base rather than a high-turnover growth profile, with implications for services, health care and smaller household housing.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.0%
Houses
1.9%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Beaufort's housing stock is unusually detached and owner-oriented. Separate houses account for 97.0% of dwellings, while apartments are only 0.4% and semi-detached homes 1.9%. Ownership outright is 50.4%, mortgages 30.5% and renting 17.5%, so tenure is more stable than a renter-heavy market. Three-bedroom houses dominate at 53.9%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 24.4%, which fits families and downsizers better than apartment buyers. Mortgage costs are 26.0% of household income and rent costs are 24.2%, with neither flagged as stressed.
Mortgage / mo
$1,160
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$250
Census 2021
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$575
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.8%
Unoccupied
126
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.6%
Couples with children
50.1%
Couples, no children
18.1%
Single parent
453
Total families
Economy & Employment
Beaufort's work base is anchored by essential services and practical industries. Healthcare accounts for 19.1% of jobs, followed by Public Administration at 17.5%, Construction at 10.2%, Agriculture at 9.7% and Education at 9.7%. The occupational mix reinforces that pattern, led by Labourers with 104 workers, Trades with 96 and Community/Personal roles with 96, alongside 86 Professionals and 76 Managers. Unemployment is 4.8% among a labour force of 703, while participation is 48.1%, reflecting an older population and 656 people outside the labour force. Household income sits at the 13.9th percentile, below the national middle, and SEIFA results are modest: IEO decile 4, IER decile 5, IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 3. The lower IRSAD and IRSD deciles compared with the IER decile suggest constrained opportunity and resources, even though the employment mix is broad.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
703
Unemployed
34
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.8%
Part-time
35.3%
Participation
48.1%
Employed
669
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.9%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
10.6%
Dwellings
726
Transport to Work
Beaufort's low density and regional setting make private transport central to daily life. Car drivers account for 78.1% of commuters, compared with 5.4% who walk or cycle and 11.1% who work from home, so access is more car-dependent than active-travel oriented. Families have 2 local government schools, one primary and one secondary, providing basic in-town coverage; enrolment zones should still be checked against the address. Recorded crime totals 145 incidents, including 102 property and deception offences, with a rate of 84.7 per 1,000 people. The IRSAD decile is 3, below the middle of the socioeconomic scale, which can affect access to services. A volunteering rate of 21.8% is a positive civic signal, while the 156.94 square kilometre footprint means amenities are spread more widely than in compact urban suburbs.
Drive
78.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
5.4%
Work from Home
11.1%
Growth Outlook
Beaufort's outlook is steady rather than explosive. The annual trend is 1.08%, with migration labelled Balanced, so growth is likely to rely on a mix of local retention and incoming demand rather than one dominant source. The wider area's population change is 21.1% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.9% and the working share has fallen 3.4%. That matters because service demand can rise even when household formation is restrained. The gentrification field scores 8 and is labelled Not gentrifying, although a separate shift indicator records 60 and Active, so the signals are mixed rather than a clear redevelopment story. Compared with a high-growth fringe, Beaufort's 1.08% pace and aging pattern point to gradual change, not rapid resident turnover.
Population trend: Pyrenees council area
Beaufort sits in the Pyrenees council area. These are the council area's residents, not Beaufort's.
Residents 2025
7,957
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
145
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
84.7
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 Beaufort compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beaufort a good suburb to live in?
Beaufort can suit buyers seeking a quieter regional town, detached housing and established services. The median age is 51, density is 10.9 people per square kilometre and 78.1% of commuters drive, so it is better suited to residents comfortable with an older, car-oriented setting than those wanting dense urban amenity.
What schools are in Beaufort?
Beaufort has 2 local government schools: Beaufort Primary School and Beaufort Secondary College. The primary and secondary options provide in-town coverage, but families should confirm enrolment zones, year-level availability and transport arrangements for the exact address before committing to a property.
Is Beaufort safe?
Safety is mixed rather than uniformly low-risk. Beaufort recorded 145 offences at a rate of 84.7 per 1,000 people, with 102 property and deception offences forming the largest category. Buyers and renters should review current local trends, lighting, locks and property-specific conditions, especially because property offences outnumbered crimes against the person, which totalled 20.
How is Beaufort's population changing?
Beaufort is on an aging trajectory. The wider area's population change is 21.1% over 10 years, the annual trend is 1.08% and migration is labelled Balanced. The senior share has increased 5.9%, while the working share has decreased 3.4%, so growth is more likely to reinforce services and older-household demand than produce rapid youth-led expansion.
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).
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