Mount Pleasant
At 2.03 square kilometres, Mount Pleasant packs 2,225 residents at a density of 1,093.8 people per square kilometre. Its median age is 35, five years below the national figure, while 34.9% hold a university qualification, 4.8 percentage points above the national level. For buyers weighing Mount Pleasant against Ballarat East or Canadian, the suburb's established detached-house profile, 19.8% work-from-home share and 2.3-person average household size are useful comparison points.
Local council: Ballarat
Population
2,225
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,350/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
11
Median House
$565K
October to December 2025
Homebuyers get a detached-dominant market: 84.3% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 2.4% apartments and 13.3% semi-detached homes. Mortgage repayments are $1,300 monthly, equal to 22.2% of household income, below a 30% stress guide. Three-bedroom homes account for 55.0%, while 4-plus-bedroom stock is 22.4%, matching the 2.3-person average household size. That mix favours buyers seeking standalone housing over apartment living.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a detached-dominant market: 84.3% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 2.4% apartments and 13.3% semi-detached homes. Mortgage repayments are $1,300 monthly, equal to 22.2% of household income, below a 30% stress guide. Three-bedroom homes account for 55.0%, while 4-plus-bedroom stock is 22.4%, matching the 2.3-person average household size. That mix favours buyers seeking standalone housing over apartment living.
For Investors
Investors face a renter-heavy tenure mix, with 42.2% renting versus 28.9% owning outright and 28.4% paying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $280, while the 8.7% vacancy rate points to more available stock than a tightly supplied market, so yield calculations need realistic leasing assumptions. The 11 development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing subdivision and dwelling activity, but the pipeline is modest rather than a large construction wave. Forecast growth is 1.19% annually and is driven primarily by overseas migration, yet recorded rent growth is 0.0%. Compared with a low-vacancy strategy, Mount Pleasant requires conservative assumptions around leasing and capital growth; the 147.9 crime rate per 1,000 also warrants street-level due diligence.
Development Activity
Total DAs
21
Last 12 Months
11
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+450.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Mount Pleasant has a median age of 35, five years below the national figure, but its trajectory is ageing: the senior share rose 4.4 percentage points while the young share fell 1.5 points. Average household size is 2.3, 0.2 below the national comparison, helping explain the prevalence of smaller households. English ancestry is recorded for 991 residents, with Irish and Scottish ancestry each at 339, while 12.6% were born overseas, 9.0 points below the national level. No religion is the largest stated affiliation at 1,161 people, ahead of Christianity at 804. Compared with the national profile, the suburb has an Anglo-leaning composition and 69.3% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.3%
Houses
13.3%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Mount Pleasant's price history is positive over the long run but uneven recently. Separate houses account for 84.3% of dwellings, compared with 2.4% apartments, and 3-bedroom homes represent 55.0%. Tenure is split between 28.9% outright ownership, 28.4% mortgages and 42.2% renting. With mortgage costs at $1,300 monthly and 22.2% of household income, ownership sits below a 30% stress guide, although the latest price jump reduces entry certainty.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$280
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$690
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.7%
Unoccupied
89
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.9%
Couples with children
38.8%
Couples, no children
25.6%
Single parent
554
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Mount Pleasant's largest industry at 21.0% and 153 workers, followed by education at 14.0% and 102, public administration at 10.0% and 73, professional and technical services at 7.7% and 56, and manufacturing at 7.0% and 51. This mix gives the suburb a broader employment base than a single-industry profile because work is spread across five leading fields. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 259, ahead of community and personal service at 157 and trades at 136. Labour-force participation is 60.6%, unemployment is 7.4%, and median personal income is $690 weekly.
Unemployment
7.4%
Labour Force
1,127
Unemployed
83
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.5%
Part-time
39.8%
Participation
60.6%
Employed
1,044
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.9%
Postgraduate
8.6%
Born Overseas
12.6%
Dwellings
926
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 68.9% drive to work, compared with 0.8% using public transport and 3.7% walking or cycling. A further 19.8% work from home, which suits the suburb's established residential fabric and 2.03 square kilometre footprint. Crime totals 329 recorded offences, or 147.9 per 1,000 residents, led by 185 property and deception offences; safety checks should therefore be part of any address comparison. Volunteering is 16.2%, and 7.7% of residents need assistance, or 161 people, pointing to a meaningful community-support requirement. Families should confirm school access, enrolment zones and travel times against the exact address when comparing Mount Pleasant with Ballarat East or Canadian.
Drive
68.9%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
19.8%
Growth Outlook
Mount Pleasant is forecast to grow at 1.19% annually across the wider area, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. The trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has increased 4.4 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 1.5 points, so future demand may lean more toward established housing and services than rapid family-led expansion. Population change across the wider area is 7.5% over 10 years, and the gentrification score is 15 with a Not gentrifying stage. Affordability is marked as improving from 53.0 in 2011 to 41.9 in 2021, while real income growth was 2.7%, suggesting some improvement but not a major repositioning. Compared with a high-growth redevelopment corridor, Mount Pleasant's 11 applications in 12 months indicate incremental change.
Population trend: Ballarat council area
Mount Pleasant sits in the Ballarat council area. These are the council area's residents, not Mount Pleasant'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
329
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
147.9
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 Mount Pleasant compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Pleasant a good suburb to live in?
Mount Pleasant suits buyers wanting established detached housing, with 84.3% separate houses and 68.9% car commuting. Its 147.9 offences per 1,000 residents and 0.8% public transport use mean safety checks and car access should be part of the decision.
What schools are in Mount Pleasant?
Mount Pleasant covers 2.03 square kilometres, but school access still depends on the exact address and enrolment zone. Confirm nearby government, Catholic and independent options, travel times and intake rules before buying, as boundaries can differ between Mount Pleasant, Ballarat East and Canadian.
Is Mount Pleasant safe?
Crime was recorded at 329 offences, equal to 147.9 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 185 cases, followed by 69 justice procedures offences and 50 crimes against the person, so inspect the exact street and recent local conditions rather than relying on a suburb-wide average.
Is Mount Pleasant good for property investment?
Potentially, if the strategy allows for a 42.2% renter share, $280 weekly median rent and 8.7% vacancy rate. Growth is forecast at 1.19% annually, but rent growth is 0.0% and 11 development applications may add competing stock, so yield and vacancy assumptions should be conservative.
How is Mount Pleasant's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 7.5% over 10 years, with annual growth of 1.19% driven by overseas migration. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 4.4 percentage points and the young share fell 1.5 points, suggesting gradual change rather than a 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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