Colac
Household income sits at the 17.9th percentile nationally, while the crime rate is 127.7 offences per 1,000 people. Colac serves a broader regional role than nearby Colac East and Colac West, with healthcare accounting for 20.5% of jobs. Annual growth is a measured 0.35%, so the town suits buyers prioritising space and services over rapid capital-city style expansion.
Population
9,243
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,108/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$520K
October to December 2025
Colac suits buyers seeking established detached housing and practical household costs. A typical mortgage is $1,213 monthly and mortgage costs equal 25.3% of household income, while weekly rent is $260. Because 86.2% of homes are separate houses and 58.1% have 3 bedrooms, families can target conventional stock, although 30.9% renting and a 9.0% vacancy rate warrant address-level checks.
For Buyers
Colac suits buyers seeking established detached housing and practical household costs. A typical mortgage is $1,213 monthly and mortgage costs equal 25.3% of household income, while weekly rent is $260. Because 86.2% of homes are separate houses and 58.1% have 3 bedrooms, families can target conventional stock, although 30.9% renting and a 9.0% vacancy rate warrant address-level checks.
For Investors
Rental demand is present but not especially tight. Compared with a 30.9% renter share, the 9.0% vacancy rate suggests tenant demand is not uniformly constrained, which can moderate short-term rent pressure. Weekly rent is $260, while rents have grown 44.4% across the forecast shift period. Twenty-one development matters were recorded in 12 months, including a proposed 66-lot subdivision, so future supply deserves monitoring. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, which may support tenant demand, but the 0.35% annual growth trend is slower than a high-growth corridor. Detached homes dominate at 86.2%, making maintenance and resale stock selection important.
Development Activity
Total DAs
57
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+40.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Colac
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Colac Primary School
Colac South West Primary School
Colac West Primary School
St Mary's School
Colac Secondary College
Demographics
Colac has an older, more settled profile than Australia overall: the median age is 44, or 4 years above the national comparison, and 83.1% of residents stayed at the same address while turnover was 16.9%. University qualification attainment is 18.7%, 11.4 percentage points below the national comparison, and overseas-born residents comprise 11.6%, 10 points below nationally. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 3,687, 1,255 and 1,106. No religion and Christianity are close at 4,175 and 4,109, while average household size is 2.2, below the national figure by 0.3. This mix helps explain demand for practical services and smaller household formats.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.2%
Houses
12.6%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Colac's housing base is strongly detached and relatively owner-oriented. Separate houses make up 86.2% of stock, while 39.2% is owned outright, 28.4% is mortgaged and 30.9% is rented. Three-bedroom homes account for 58.1%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 19.2%, supporting family demand but limiting apartment choice. Mortgage and rent stress measures remain moderate at 25.3% and 23.5% of income.
Mortgage / mo
$1,213
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$260
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$661
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
384
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.5%
Couples with children
43.6%
Couples, no children
20.3%
Single parent
2,228
Total families
Economy & Employment
Colac's employment base is anchored by healthcare at 20.5% of jobs and manufacturing at 18.2%, followed by construction at 9.3%, education at 8.5% and retail at 7.0%. The occupational mix is practical: 1,048 labourers, 558 trades workers and 558 community and personal workers, alongside 388 professionals and 375 managers. Labour-force participation is 53.8%, unemployment is 3.3% across 4,179 people, and 2,301 workers are full-time versus 1,423 part-time. Socioeconomic indicators are uneven: IEO decile 1 is below IER decile 3, while IRSD and IRSAD both sit at decile 2. Compared with higher-advantage locations, this pattern points to service-sector resilience alongside lower educational and occupational advantage.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
4,179
Unemployed
136
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.9%
Part-time
35.2%
Participation
53.8%
Employed
4,043
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.7%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
11.6%
Dwellings
3,860
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-dependent: 78.1% of commuters drive, compared with only 0.2% using public transport; 6.9% walk or cycle and 6.5% work from home. Seven local schools span 4 primary, 2 secondary and 1 special setting, with 5 government and 2 Catholic options, giving families a range of sectors while enrolment zones still need checking by address. Safety is a key consideration because the recorded rate is 127.7 offences per 1,000 people, led by 427 property and deception offences and 329 crimes against the person. Compared with higher-advantage areas, an IRSAD decile of 2 suggests households should weigh services, transport and support access carefully.
Drive
78.1%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
6.9%
Work from Home
6.5%
Population Forecast
+0.35%/yr
(+44 people/yr)
EstablishedColac is on an aging, slow-growth trajectory rather than a rapid expansion cycle. The annual trend is 0.35%, while population change across the wider area is 8.3% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, and the senior share has increased 4.1 percentage points as the young share fell 2.0 points. Rents have risen 44.4%, which can lift investor interest, but affordability was broadly stable from 36.1% in 2011 to 37.1% in 2021. Compared with faster-growing regional corridors, this points to measured demand. Gentrification signals are mixed: a score of 41 is labelled "Early signs", while the current forecast score is 0 and labelled "Not gentrifying", so redevelopment should be viewed as selective rather than widespread.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+63
Net Internal / yr
-85
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,180
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
127.7
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 Colac compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Colac a good suburb to live in?
Colac can suit buyers who value detached homes, regional services and a slower pace. Its median age is 44, 86.2% of housing is separate houses and 78.1% of commuters drive, so it is better suited to car-oriented living than inner-urban lifestyles.
What schools are in Colac?
Colac has 7 local schools: 4 primary, 2 secondary and 1 special setting. The mix includes 5 government schools and 2 Catholic schools, including Colac Primary School, Colac Secondary College, St Mary's School and Trinity College Colac.
Is Colac safe?
Safety needs practical due diligence. The recorded crime rate is 127.7 offences per 1,000 people, including 427 property and deception offences and 329 crimes against the person. Check recent local trends and the specific street before deciding.
Is Colac good for property investment?
Colac may suit investors seeking lower-priced detached stock, but the rental market is not especially tight. Weekly rent is $260, vacancy is 9.0%, and 30.9% of households rent. Twenty-one development matters in 12 months and 0.35% annual growth make supply and demand checks important.
How is Colac's population changing?
Population change is gradual and aging. The annual growth trend is 0.35%, while change across the wider area is 8.3% over 10 years. The senior share rose 4.1 percentage points and the young share fell 2.0 points, with overseas migration the primary forecast driver.
What development is occurring in Colac?
Development activity is material enough to monitor, with 21 matters recorded over 12 months. One sample involves a 66-lot subdivision, while another proposes 2 lots, so the pipeline includes both larger land releases and small infill opportunities.
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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