Newington
With 49.5% of residents holding university qualifications, Newington sits 19.4 percentage points above the national average, making it one of Ballarat's more educated pockets despite a modest median house price of $555,000. The suburb's 1,844 residents are spread across 2.39 km2 with a density of 770 per km2, and 84.5% of dwellings are separate houses, far above the national apartment-heavy norm. A 10.1% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand, and prices have pulled back 24.5% from their 2020 peak of $735,000, positioning the suburb as affordable relative to its professional profile.
Population
1,844
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,695/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$555K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $555,000 as of April-June 2024 reflects a 24.5% correction from the 2020 peak of $735,000, yet the long-run picture is stronger: prices grew from $320,000 in 2013 at a CAGR of 4.0% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable compared to most capital city suburbs. Separate houses dominate at 84.5% of stock, with three-bedroom homes making up 51.2% and four-plus bedrooms 27.3%. Outright owners at 39.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 31.8%, a sign of an established, low-churn community rather than a speculative market.
For Buyers
The median house price of $555,000 as of April-June 2024 reflects a 24.5% correction from the 2020 peak of $735,000, yet the long-run picture is stronger: prices grew from $320,000 in 2013 at a CAGR of 4.0% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable compared to most capital city suburbs. Separate houses dominate at 84.5% of stock, with three-bedroom homes making up 51.2% and four-plus bedrooms 27.3%. Outright owners at 39.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 31.8%, a sign of an established, low-churn community rather than a speculative market.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed picture in Newington. Weekly rent of $315 against a $555,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.0%, below average for regional Victoria. The 10.1% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants caution, suggesting rental supply outpaces demand at present. Only 3 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating very low new supply pressure. The renter share at 28.9% provides a reasonable tenant pool, and rent-to-income at 18.6% keeps tenants comfortable, reducing default risk. The 14-year CAGR of 4.0% is modest compared to major capital city markets, but the price correction from the peak of $735,000 may represent a re-entry opportunity for buyers with a medium-term horizon.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+300.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Newington's median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below the national figure, reflecting a working-age skew. University qualifications at 49.5% run 19.4 percentage points above national, the defining demographic feature, because the suburb draws heavily from Ballarat's healthcare and education sectors. Only 10.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.1 percentage points below the national figure. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (772), Irish (382) and Scottish (238) lead. Average household size of 2.4 is just below national norms, and 42% of families are couples with children, pointing to a stable family-oriented composition. Volunteering at 23.4% is relatively high, consistent with a community with professional capacity and local attachment.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.5%
Houses
14.2%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure divides clearly: 39.3% own outright, 31.8% carry a mortgage and 28.9% rent. The outright ownership rate exceeding mortgage holders reflects long-held stock and low turnover, with 73.2% of residents having stayed in the same address over the five-year period. The stock is overwhelmingly detached housing at 84.5%, well above the national mix, with semi-detached at 14.2% and apartments a negligible 0.9%. Three-bedroom homes are the modal dwelling type at 51.2%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 27.3%. The price trajectory moved from $320,000 in 2013 to a peak of $735,000 in 2020, then corrected to $555,000 by mid-2024, representing a 24.5% decline from peak. The 14-year CAGR of 4.0% still provides positive real returns for long-term holders.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$315
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$802
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.1%
Unoccupied
79
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.7%
Couples, no children
1,334
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local economy at 29.0% of employed residents (183 workers), followed by Education at 19.7% (124 workers), together accounting for nearly half of all employment. This dual-sector concentration reflects Newington's proximity to Ballarat Health Services and Federation University. Public Administration adds 8.3% (52 workers) and Construction 8.1% (51 workers). By occupation, Professionals at 315 are the largest group, consistent with the 49.5% university qualification rate, which is 19.4 points above national. Unemployment sits at 4.6% with a full-time employment rate of 61.2%. Household weekly income of $1,695 places the suburb at the 59.5th percentile nationally, above average but not highly affluent given the professional workforce share.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.2%
Part-time
34.2%
Participation
55.6%
Employed
797
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.5%
Postgraduate
13.6%
Born Overseas
10.5%
Dwellings
696
Transport to Work
Walking and cycling account for 10.5% of commutes, a reasonable active-transport share for a regional suburb, while 83.3% rely on cars, above national norms because of Ballarat's limited public transport coverage. No schools are recorded within the Newington boundary in this dataset, so families draw on nearby Ballarat schools. Crime totals 111 incidents per year at a rate of 60.2 per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences account for 66 of those incidents, typical for a residential suburb. Rent-to-income at 18.6% and mortgage-to-income at 20.7% both sit below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are manageable compared to most Australian suburbs. The 23.4% volunteering rate and 73.2% residential stability point to an engaged, grounded local community.
Drive
83.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
10.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
111
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
60.2
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 Newington compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Newington a good suburb to live in?
Newington offers manageable housing costs, with mortgage-to-income at 20.7% and rent-to-income at 18.6%, both below stress thresholds. The suburb has a strong professional and educated base, with 49.5% university qualifications, which is 19.4 points above the national average. Car dependence is high at 83.3% of commuters, typical for Ballarat's regional setting.
What is the median house price in Newington?
The median house price is $555,000 as of April-June 2024, down 24.5% from the 2020 peak of $735,000. Long-term, prices grew from $320,000 in 2013 at a CAGR of 4.0% over 14 years. Weekly rent averages $315 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517.
What schools are in Newington?
No schools are recorded within the Newington boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding Ballarat suburbs. The local adult population is highly educated, with 49.5% holding university qualifications, which is 19.4 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Newington safe?
Newington recorded 111 crimes in the reference period at a rate of 60.2 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences are the most common category at 66 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 27. These figures are consistent with a low-density residential suburb rather than a high-crime area.
Is Newington good for property investment?
The 10.1% vacancy rate is elevated compared to typical investment benchmarks, and the gross yield of around 3.0% based on $315 weekly rent against a $555,000 median is below average for regional VIC. The 14-year CAGR of 4.0% from 2013 is modest, and only 3 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, limiting new supply pressure.
How is Newington's population changing?
Newington has a population of 1,844, with 73.2% of residents having stayed at their current address for five or more years, indicating low turnover. The suburb's professional and family composition, anchored by healthcare and education workers, suggests stable organic demand rather than rapid growth. Detailed ABS population forecasts are not available in this dataset.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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