Cardigan
Household income at the 94.8th percentile nationally stands out immediately in a suburb of just 1,064 residents spread across 40.68 square kilometres outside Ballarat. Nearly all dwellings are separate houses (98.7%) and 78.7% have four or more bedrooms, signalling a suburb built around large family landholdings rather than urban density. Only 7.4% of residents rent, well below the state average, and 37.5% own their home outright.
Local council: Ballarat
Population
1,064
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,713/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$1.1M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4% sits below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here are generally well-positioned relative to their incomes despite the high price point. Stock is almost entirely four-plus bedroom separate houses (78.7% of dwellings), so the market is narrow and competition for listings is concentrated among family buyers.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4% sits below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here are generally well-positioned relative to their incomes despite the high price point. Stock is almost entirely four-plus bedroom separate houses (78.7% of dwellings), so the market is narrow and competition for listings is concentrated among family buyers.
For Investors
A rental vacancy rate of 4.7% is higher than typical VIC metropolitan benchmarks, which historically cluster near 2-3%, signalling that tenant demand is not especially tight. Only 7.4% of residents rent, meaning the tenant pool is small by comparison to owner-occupier numbers. Ten development applications were lodged in the 12 months to April 2026, including subdivision and new dwelling approvals, suggesting modest but steady construction activity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
44
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+357.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4.0 years below the national figure, pointing to a suburb that attracts younger families rather than retirees. Average household size of 3.4 is 0.9 above the national average, consistent with the 4-plus bedroom housing stock and 54.7% of families being couples with children. Overseas-born residents account for 9.7% of the population, which is 11.9 percentage points below the national figure, making this a predominantly Australian-born community. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (406), Irish (148), and Scottish (133) are the top three groups. University qualifications stand at 29.1%, roughly matching the national rate of around 30%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.7%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is owner-heavy: 37.5% own outright, 55.2% hold a mortgage, and only 7.4% rent. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses (98.7%), with 78.7% offering four or more bedrooms, reflecting a demographic of established families rather than smaller households. Rent-to-income at 12.9% confirms that current renters face minimal housing stress.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$883
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.7%
Unoccupied
15
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
12.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
65.7%
Couples with children
29.7%
Couples, no children
4.9%
Single parent
283
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 21.5% of the workforce (82 workers), followed by Construction at 15.5% (59) and Education at 12.9% (49). These three sectors account for roughly half of all local employment and reflect Cardigan's proximity to Ballarat's hospitals and schools. Professionals (121) and Managers (98) top the occupation breakdown, with Clerical and Administrative workers (86) also significant. The unemployment rate is very low at 1.5%, well below the national average, and the participation rate of 72.2% indicates a highly engaged workforce. Full-time employment reaches 59.1%, and income at the 94.8th percentile nationally reflects the concentration of professional and management roles.
Unemployment
1.5%
Labour Force
616
Unemployed
9
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.5%
Part-time
39.0%
Participation
75.5%
Employed
607
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.1%
Postgraduate
7.2%
Born Overseas
9.7%
Dwellings
306
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 91.7% of residents commuting as car drivers, above the national rate, reflecting the rural-fringe geography and 40.68 square kilometre footprint. Active transport at 1.2% is minimal. Safety data shows 49 total recorded offences, a rate of 46.1 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences (29) the largest category. Volunteering at 19.3% is relatively strong compared to national benchmarks. Housing stress is absent: mortgage costs consume 18.4% of income and rent-to-income sits at 12.9%, both well below the 30% stress threshold. Only 2.9% of residents (30 people) require daily assistance, lower than the national average, and the low overseas-born share of 9.7% reflects a settled, low-mobility community.
Drive
77.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
15.5%
Growth Outlook
The suburb recorded 10 development applications over the past 12 months, including subdivision and new dwelling activity, which indicates land supply is gradually expanding. Resident stability is high, with 85.6% of people having stayed in the same address over the reference period and a turnover rate of 14.4%, lower than most growing suburban markets. Population of 1,064 across 40.68 square kilometres gives a density of just 26.2 per square kilometre, leaving room for further residential expansion without immediate density pressure.
Population trend: Ballarat council area
Cardigan sits in the Ballarat council area. These are the council area's residents, not Cardigan's.
Residents 2025
122,661
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
49
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
46.1
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 Cardigan compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cardigan a good suburb to live in?
Cardigan suits families who want space and high incomes: household income ranks at the 94.8th percentile nationally, the median age is 36 (4 years below national), and 55.2% of families are couples with children.
What schools are in Cardigan?
No schools are recorded inside the Cardigan suburb boundary in this dataset. Families access schools in the neighbouring Ballarat area, which includes a range of state and independent options. Local university qualification rates sit at 29.1%, broadly in line with the national figure.
Is Cardigan safe?
Cardigan recorded 49 total offences in the most recent period, giving a rate of 46.1 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences (29 incidents) account for the largest share, followed by crimes against the person (11). Context matters: only 1,064 people live here, so a small number of events can shift the rate significantly.
Is Cardigan good for property investment?
Investment here suits long-term capital appreciation strategies rather than income generation.
How is Cardigan's population changing?
Cardigan has 1,064 residents at a density of 26.2 per square kilometre across 40.68 square kilometres, leaving substantial room for growth. Resident stability is high with 85.6% of people staying at the same address and a turnover rate of 14.4%. The 10 development applications in the past 12 months, including subdivision activity, point to gradual 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).
Explore Cardigan on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map