Ross Creek
Only 1,221 people live across 40.38 square kilometres in Ross Creek, giving one of the lowest population densities in the Ballarat region at just 30 residents per km2. Despite that rural scale, household income sits at the 77.7th percentile nationally, and weekly household earnings of $2,065 are comfortably above the average for outer-regional Victoria. The suburb is dominated by large separate houses, with 54.9% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, and 96% of households own their home outright or carry a mortgage, compared with higher renting rates in urban centres. A gentrification score of 22 and an active early-signs classification point to the area beginning to attract new buyers even as the population profile continues to age.
Population
1,221
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,065/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Ross Creek suits buyers seeking large-format detached housing at a more accessible price point than inner Ballarat. Every dwelling recorded in the suburb is a separate house, with 54.9% having four or more bedrooms and 38.2% having three bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership sits at 39.4% versus mortgage holders at 56.6%, suggesting many long-term residents have fully repaid, while a 4% renter share confirms demand is concentrated firmly on ownership. With no median sale price recorded in the brief data, buyers should use comparable rural-fringe VIC benchmarks when pricing. The low-density, owner-occupier character means competition for listings is limited but supply is also infrequent.
For Buyers
Ross Creek suits buyers seeking large-format detached housing at a more accessible price point than inner Ballarat. Every dwelling recorded in the suburb is a separate house, with 54.9% having four or more bedrooms and 38.2% having three bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership sits at 39.4% versus mortgage holders at 56.6%, suggesting many long-term residents have fully repaid, while a 4% renter share confirms demand is concentrated firmly on ownership. With no median sale price recorded in the brief data, buyers should use comparable rural-fringe VIC benchmarks when pricing. The low-density, owner-occupier character means competition for listings is limited but supply is also infrequent.
For Investors
The rental market is thin: only 4% of dwellings are rented, with weekly rent at $310, and the vacancy rate runs at 6.8%, which is elevated compared with tighter urban rental markets. Net migration averages 44 internal arrivals and 15 overseas arrivals annually, a balanced driver that underpins gradual household growth rather than rapid tenant demand. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, indicating no new supply pressure but also limited land-release interest from developers. Population grew 17.4% over the decade and is forecast to continue at roughly 1.37% per year, adding around 43 persons annually through to 2031. The investment case is built on capital growth from rural-fringe gentrification at an early stage, not on rental yield, given how few residents actually rent.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
Demographics
Ross Creek has a median age of 40, equal to the national figure, though the trajectory is aging: the senior share of the population rose 5.4 points over the decade while the young adult share fell 3.9 points. Overseas-born residents account for just 7.6% of the population, 14 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the suburb's strongly Anglo-Celtic character. English ancestry is the most common at 525 residents, followed by Irish (152) and Scottish (117), with German heritage notable at 53. University qualifications reach 23.2%, which is 6.9 points below the national rate, consistent with the blue-collar and trade-based economy. Average household size is 3.0, which is 0.5 persons above national, reflecting the family-with-children profile: couples with children account for 541 of 1,088 total families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock in Ross Creek is entirely separate houses, with not a single apartment or semi-detached dwelling recorded. Over half of all dwellings (54.9%) have four or more bedrooms, making it one of the larger-format residential areas in regional VIC. Tenure is overwhelmingly owner-focused: 39.4% own outright and 56.6% are paying a mortgage, leaving just 4% renting. This concentration of ownership is above state and national norms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, below the national median for mortgage holders, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4% is well within affordable territory. Rent averages $310 per week, with a rent-to-income ratio of just 15%, indicating renters face no housing stress. The vacancy rate of 6.8% is relatively high for a small suburb, reflecting limited tenant turnover in a predominantly owner-occupied area.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$823
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
29
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.3%
Couples, no children
1,088
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 26.7% of the local workforce (114 workers), more than double the share in the next-largest sector, Construction at 13.3% (57 workers). Manufacturing (10.1%) and Public Administration plus Education (8.7% each) round out the top five industries. By occupation, Professionals lead at 111 workers, followed by Managers (83) and Community/Personal service workers (82). The unemployment rate is low at 3.3%, compared with higher rates in some outer-regional areas, and the full-time employment rate of 61.7% is solid. Participation sits at 66.9%. SEIFA scores place the suburb at IRSD decile 4 and IRSAD decile 5, indicating moderate relative disadvantage in terms of both deprivation and advantage when ranked against all Australian suburbs. Real incomes grew 6.9% over the decade, a moderate pace below the national wage-growth rate.
Unemployment
1.9%
Labour Force
2,108
Unemployed
41
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.7%
Part-time
35.0%
Participation
66.9%
Employed
611
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.2%
Postgraduate
4.4%
Born Overseas
7.6%
Dwellings
396
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total in Ross Creek: 94% of residents drive to work and only 1.9% walk or cycle, reflecting the rural-fringe location and 40 square kilometre area with no recorded public transport usage. No schools are listed within the suburb boundary in the dataset, so families depend on facilities in Ballarat and surrounding townships. Crime totals 39 recorded offences, giving a rate of 31.9 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 17 of those. Volunteering runs at a strong 16.7% of the population, above typical urban rates, reflecting community cohesion in a small rural area. Mortgage stress is absent at a 19.4% mortgage-to-income ratio, and rent stress is equally low at 15%, making affordability one of the suburb's genuine strengths compared with metro Victoria benchmarks.
Drive
94.0%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.37%/yr
(+43 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has grown 17.4% over the decade and is forecast to continue rising, with the medium scenario projecting an increase from approximately 3,147 in 2025 to 3,385 by 2031, adding around 43 persons per year at 1.37% annual growth. Migration is balanced: internal migration contributes an average of 44 net arrivals annually while overseas migration adds 15, meaning organic household formation rather than large migration waves drives growth. The gentrification score of 22 places the suburb at the early-signs stage, with signals including 22% population growth since 2011. Affordability worsened from 21.2% in 2011 to 29.5% in 2021, and rent grew 83% over the period, substantially above income growth of 6.9%, indicating increasing pricing pressure relative to local earnings.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+15
Net Internal / yr
+44
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Accelerating: -0% → 22%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
39
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
31.9
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 Ross Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ross Creek a good suburb to live in?
Ross Creek offers affordable housing, with mortgage-to-income at 19.4% and household income in the 77.7th percentile nationally. The suburb is entirely separate houses on large lots, low crime at 31.9 offences per 1,000 residents, and strong community participation with a 16.7% volunteering rate. The main trade-off is total car dependency, with 94% of residents driving to work and no public transport recorded.
What is the median house price in Ross Creek?
No median sale price is recorded for Ross Creek in the current dataset due to limited transaction volume. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, suggesting purchase prices are moderate compared with metro VIC benchmarks. Weekly rent averages $310.
What schools are in Ross Creek?
No schools are recorded within the Ross Creek suburb boundary in the current dataset. With a population of 1,221 residents across 40.38 km2, families travel to Ballarat and nearby townships for primary and secondary education. University qualifications among residents sit at 23.2%.
Is Ross Creek safe?
Ross Creek recorded 39 total offences in the reference period, a rate of 31.9 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the most common at 17 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 10 and crimes against the person at 9. The suburb's IRSD decile 4 score reflects moderate relative disadvantage compared with national benchmarks.
Is Ross Creek good for property investment?
The investment profile is primarily capital-growth focused. Only 4% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 6.8%, limiting rental yield potential with weekly rent at $310. However, population grew 17.4% over the decade and is forecast to add 43 persons a year through 2031, while the gentrification score of 22 signals early-stage price appreciation pressure compared with more mature regional markets.
How is Ross Creek's population changing?
The population stood at approximately 3,147 in 2025, up 17.4% over the decade. Medium forecasts project growth to around 3,385 by 2031 at 1.37% per year, adding roughly 43 residents annually. Migration is balanced, with 44 net internal arrivals and 15 net overseas arrivals per year on average. The demographic trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 5.4 points over 10 years.
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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