# Melton vs Ballarat — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Area comparison · about 77 km apart

Melton and Ballarat are both Victorian regional hubs, but they offer very different levels of convenience. Ballarat is much more walkable, with 64.1% of homes in a 15-minute-city walkshed and 63.8% within a short walk of groceries, compared to 37.1% and 39.0% in Melton. While Melton has far higher street connectivity with 77 intersections per square kilometre, Ballarat residents have better access to health services and schools. There is also a notable difference in education outcomes for First Nations people, with 43.6% finishing Year 12 in Ballarat compared to 31.7% in Melton.

Everyday life is similar in both places when it comes to nature and identity. Almost all homes in both areas are within a 15-minute walk of a park, and both have around 2,100 First Nations residents. These populations share similar personal incomes and a similar share of people who speak a First Nations language. While Ballarat is generally more walkable, both areas are rated as somewhat walkable by the census.

## First Nations

| Statistic | Melton | Ballarat | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 2,123 | 2,196 | 73 larger in Ballarat |  |
| Median age | 25 yrs | 22 yrs | 3 yrs older in Melton |  |
| Year 12 | 31.7% | 43.6% | 11.9 pts higher in Ballarat |  |
| Unemployment | 13.4% | 12.2% | 1.2 pts higher in Melton |  |
| Median income | $588 | $553 | $35 higher in Melton |  |
| Household income | $1,662 | $1,364 | $298 higher in Melton |  |
| Indigenous language | 4.1% | 5.1% | 1.0 pts higher in Ballarat |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Melton | Ballarat | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 4.0 | 5.6 | 1.6 higher in Ballarat |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 3.8 | 5.5 | 1.6 more in Ballarat |  |
| 15-min city | 37.1% | 64.1% | 27.0 pts higher in Ballarat |  |
| Walk to shops | 39.0% | 63.8% | 24.8 pts higher in Ballarat |  |
| Walk to transit | 59.5% | 79.0% | 19.5 pts higher in Ballarat |  |
| Walk to school | 60.8% | 70.2% | 9.4 pts higher in Ballarat |  |
| Walk to a park | 93.4% | 93.0% | 0.3 pts higher in Melton |  |
| Walk to health | 28.7% | 48.2% | 19.5 pts higher in Ballarat |  |
| Intersections/km² | 77 | 23 | 54 higher in Melton |  |
| Mean slope | 2.6% | 4.8% | 2.2 pts higher in Ballarat |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/iare/IARE201013/melton/vs/IARE202001/ballarat