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Wollongong vs Ballarat

Name: Wollongong vs Ballarat — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Urban Area comparison ≈ 719 km apart · Wollongong profile · Ballarat profile

Wollongong Ballarat

Wollongong and Ballarat are both significant regional centres, but they differ in their housing and diversity. Wollongong is more diverse, with 19.5% of people born overseas and 13.8% using another language at home, compared to 11.4% and 7.1% in Ballarat. Housing costs are also much higher in Wollongong, where the typical weekly rent is $400 and the usual monthly mortgage payment is $2,167, while in Ballarat these are $300 and $1,473. Ballarat has a much higher share of separate houses at 85.0%, whereas Wollongong's share is 71.3%.

These two areas have tracked closely since 2011, sharing a similar age profile and very similar typical weekly incomes of around $750. They are both somewhat walkable, though Wollongong has a far higher share of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport at 93.8%, compared to 81.6% in Ballarat. While both areas sit near the national figure for the share of people with no religion, this figure is notably higher in Ballarat at 48.1% than in Wollongong at 38.5%.

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Where they differ most

Population: 193,718 larger in Wollongong People / bedroom: 0.10 higher in Wollongong Living alone: 5.3 pts higher in Ballarat Separate houses: 13.7 pts higher in Ballarat Mortgage: $694 higher in Wollongong

Demographics & Identity

Population in Wollongong in Ballarat +193,718 larger in Wollongong

305,691 86th pct 111,973 74th pct

Median age in Wollongong in Ballarat +1 yrs older in Wollongong

39 yrs 43rd pct 38 yrs 29th pct

Age structure

25.2% Young adults (25–44) +0.9 pts ▸ 26.1%

24.9% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +1.2 pts 23.7%

19.0% Seniors (65+) ◂ +0.1 pts 18.9%

17.9% Children (0–14) +0.9 pts ▸ 18.8%

13.0% Youth (15–24) ◂ +0.5 pts 12.5%

Marital status

45.8% Married ◂ +3.7 pts 42.0%

36.2% Never married +2.5 pts ▸ 38.7%

9.0% Divorced +0.5 pts ▸ 9.5%

5.8% Widowed even 5.9%

3.1% Separated +0.7 pts ▸ 3.8%

Age & sex structure

Wollongong Ballarat

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

76.3% Australia +7.4 pts ▸ 83.7%

3.9% England ◂ +1.8 pts 2.1%

0.9% India +0.8 pts ▸ 1.6%

1.1% New Zealand ◂ +0.2 pts 0.9%

0.9% Italy ◂ +0.8 pts 0.1%

0.7% China ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%

0.6% Philippines even 0.6%

0.4% Vietnam ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.4% South Africa ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%

0.1% Nepal +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

Ancestry

37.0% English +4.8 pts ▸ 41.8%

35.8% Australian +3.5 pts ▸ 39.3%

10.1% Irish +5.0 pts ▸ 15.2%

9.8% Scottish +2.8 pts ▸ 12.6%

5.5% Italian ◂ +2.8 pts 2.7%

3.9% German +0.5 pts ▸ 4.4%

1.8% Dutch +1.0 pts ▸ 2.8%

1.1% Indian +0.6 pts ▸ 1.8%

1.7% Chinese +0.1 pts ▸ 1.7%

1.5% Greek ◂ +1.0 pts 0.5%

1.0% Filipino ◂ +0.2 pts 0.8%

0.5% Vietnamese ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

Language

Language used at home

81.7% English only +6.3 pts ▸ 88.0%

1.1% Italian ◂ +0.9 pts 0.2%

1.1% Arabic ◂ +0.9 pts 0.2%

0.8% Mandarin even 0.9%

0.1% Punjabi +0.6 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.6% Greek ◂ +0.5 pts 0.1%

0.4% Vietnamese ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

0.2% Hindi +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.2% Tagalog even 0.2%

0.2% Cantonese ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Religion

Religious affiliation

51.3% Christianity ◂ +9.4 pts 41.9%

38.5% No religion +9.6 pts ▸ 48.1%

5.9% Not stated +0.5 pts ▸ 6.4%

2.1% Islam ◂ +1.5 pts 0.7%

0.7% Hinduism +0.4 pts ▸ 1.2%

1.0% Buddhism ◂ +0.2 pts 0.8%

0.4% Other religions +0.6 pts ▸ 1.0%

0.1% Judaism even 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

50.7% Year 12 +2.1 pts ▸ 52.8%

26.5% Year 10 ◂ +10.7 pts 15.9%

5.9% Year 11 +7.8 pts ▸ 13.7%

11.2% Year 9 or below even 11.2%

Highest qualification level

32.2% Certificate III / IV ◂ +2.3 pts 30.0%

22.9% Bachelor degree +1.6 pts ▸ 24.5%

15.2% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +0.2 pts 15.0%

8.8% Postgraduate degree ◂ +0.6 pts 8.2%

3.5% Graduate diploma / certificate +1.9 pts ▸ 5.3%

2.1% Certificate I / II even 2.1%

Field of qualification

17.7% Management & commerce ◂ +2.6 pts 15.2%

16.9% Engineering & related ◂ +5.6 pts 11.3%

10.4% Health +3.1 pts ▸ 13.5%

12.5% Society & culture +0.8 pts ▸ 13.3%

9.1% Education +1.8 pts ▸ 10.9%

6.5% Architecture & building ◂ +0.6 pts 5.9%

4.9% Food, hospitality & personal services +0.4 pts ▸ 5.3%

3.7% Creative arts +0.4 pts ▸ 4.0%

2.4% Information technology +0.3 pts ▸ 2.7%

2.7% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.4 pts 2.3%

1.5% Agriculture & environment +0.6 pts ▸ 2.1%

Income

Personal income in Wollongong in Ballarat +$8 higher in Wollongong

$751 56th pct $743 53rd pct

Household income in Wollongong in Ballarat +$249 higher in Wollongong

$1,676 74th pct $1,427 50th pct

Family income in Wollongong in Ballarat +$235 higher in Wollongong

$2,104 78th pct $1,869 54th pct

Household income distribution

26.2% $650–$1,499 +4.7 pts ▸ 30.9%

28.9% $1,500–$2,999 +0.1 pts ▸ 29.0%

17.0% Under $650 +1.4 pts ▸ 18.4%

11.0% $4,000 or more ◂ +3.8 pts 7.3%

10.8% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +2.4 pts 8.4%

Personal income distribution

42.2% Under $650 ◂ +0.4 pts 41.7%

30.5% $650–$1,499 +2.7 pts ▸ 33.2%

17.8% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +2.5 pts 15.3%

3.8% $3,000 or more ◂ +0.7 pts 3.2%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

10.2% Mental health +3.0 pts ▸ 13.2%

8.7% Asthma +2.7 pts ▸ 11.4%

10.4% Arthritis +0.1 pts ▸ 10.5%

8.8% Other condition +0.9 pts ▸ 9.7%

5.2% Diabetes even 5.2%

4.2% Heart disease +0.4 pts ▸ 4.6%

3.2% Cancer +0.2 pts ▸ 3.4%

2.1% Lung condition +0.3 pts ▸ 2.4%

1.1% Stroke +0.1 pts ▸ 1.2%

0.9% Dementia ◂ +0.1 pts 0.8%

Number of long-term health conditions

61.6% None ◂ +4.3 pts 57.2%

20.7% One condition +2.2 pts ▸ 22.9%

6.8% Two conditions +1.2 pts ▸ 8.0%

3.7% Three or more +0.5 pts ▸ 4.1%

Community Participation

Family & Households

Household size in Wollongong in Ballarat +0.1 larger in Wollongong

2.5 71st pct 2.4 43rd pct

Family composition

57.2% Couples with children ◂ +3.7 pts 53.5%

26.7% Couples without children +1.0 pts ▸ 27.7%

15.1% One-parent families +2.6 pts ▸ 17.6%

1.0% Other families +0.1 pts ▸ 1.1%

Household size

34.0% 2 people +0.1 pts ▸ 34.1%

25.1% 1 person +5.3 pts ▸ 30.4%

15.9% 4 people ◂ +2.5 pts 13.4%

15.8% 3 people ◂ +1.5 pts 14.3%

6.4% 5 people ◂ +0.7 pts 5.7%

2.8% 6 or more ◂ +0.7 pts 2.2%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Wollongong in Ballarat +$100 higher in Wollongong

$400 90th pct $300 48th pct

Mortgage in Wollongong in Ballarat +$694 higher in Wollongong

$2,167 95th pct $1,473 41st pct

People / bedroom in Wollongong in Ballarat +0.10 higher in Wollongong

0.80 57th pct 0.70 0th pct

How homes are owned or rented

34.8% Owned outright ◂ +2.4 pts 32.4%

33.0% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +0.1 pts 32.9%

29.3% Rented +2.6 pts ▸ 31.9%

1.6% Other tenure ◂ +0.2 pts 1.4%

1.3% Not stated +0.1 pts ▸ 1.4%

Types of homes

71.3% Separate house +13.7 pts ▸ 85.0%

14.8% Flat or apartment ◂ +12.3 pts 2.5%

12.9% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +0.8 pts 12.1%

0.8% Other dwelling ◂ +0.6 pts 0.2%

Bedrooms per home

41.6% 3 bedrooms +5.7 pts ▸ 47.3%

26.4% 4 bedrooms +2.1 pts ▸ 28.6%

19.1% 2 bedrooms ◂ +3.3 pts 15.8%

7.2% 5 or more ◂ +3.5 pts 3.7%

4.2% 1 bedroom ◂ +1.0 pts 3.2%

0.3% Studio / none ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Weekly rent distribution

20.3% $200–$349 +33.5 pts ▸ 53.8%

43.5% $350–$549 ◂ +16.9 pts 26.6%

16.0% Under $200 ◂ +0.7 pts 15.3%

14.6% $550–$749 ◂ +13.8 pts 0.8%

2.4% $750 or more ◂ +2.0 pts 0.4%

Monthly mortgage distribution

22.7% $1,000–$1,799 +22.4 pts ▸ 45.1%

38.7% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +15.9 pts 22.7%

12.5% Under $1,000 +8.6 pts ▸ 21.1%

20.7% $3,000 or more ◂ +14.4 pts 6.2%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

50.7% Car (driver) +10.9 pts ▸ 61.6%

24.6% Worked at home ◂ +9.2 pts 15.4%

3.0% Car (passenger) +1.8 pts ▸ 4.8%

1.8% Walked +0.6 pts ▸ 2.4%

0.6% Bus ◂ +0.1 pts 0.5%

0.6% Train ◂ +0.3 pts 0.3%

0.4% Bicycle +0.2 pts ▸ 0.6%

Motor vehicles per home

35.1% 1 vehicle +3.0 pts ▸ 38.2%

37.5% 2 vehicles +0.1 pts ▸ 37.6%

12.5% 3 vehicles ◂ +0.7 pts 11.8%

7.5% 4 or more ◂ +1.1 pts 6.3%

7.4% No vehicle ◂ +1.3 pts 6.1%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

17.3% Health care & social assistance +1.9 pts ▸ 19.2%

10.5% Education & training +0.3 pts ▸ 10.9%

9.0% Retail trade +1.1 pts ▸ 10.1%

10.0% Construction ◂ +0.5 pts 9.5%

6.9% Accommodation & food +0.3 pts ▸ 7.3%

7.3% Public administration & safety ◂ +0.8 pts 6.4%

6.0% Manufacturing +1.2 pts ▸ 7.2%

6.1% Professional & technical ◂ +0.7 pts 5.4%

4.5% Transport & warehousing ◂ +1.2 pts 3.4%

3.8% Other services ◂ +0.3 pts 3.5%

3.3% Finance & insurance ◂ +1.6 pts 1.7%

3.1% Administrative & support ◂ +0.4 pts 2.7%

Occupations people work in

23.1% Professionals ◂ +0.3 pts 22.8%

14.7% Technicians & trades ◂ +0.9 pts 13.8%

13.2% Community & personal service +0.6 pts ▸ 13.8%

12.6% Clerical & administrative ◂ +0.3 pts 12.3%

11.3% Managers ◂ +0.1 pts 11.2%

8.7% Labourers +1.2 pts ▸ 9.9%

8.2% Sales workers +1.3 pts ▸ 9.5%

6.6% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +1.4 pts 5.2%

Walkability

Walk score in Wollongong in Ballarat +0.2 higher in Wollongong

5.9 84th pct 5.8 79th pct

Types ≤15 min in Wollongong in Ballarat +0.1 more in Wollongong

5.7 86th pct 5.6 84th pct

15-min city in Wollongong in Ballarat +4.3 pts higher in Wollongong

70.7% 85th pct 66.4% 76th pct

Walk to shops in Wollongong in Ballarat +5.5 pts higher in Ballarat

60.8% 70th pct 66.3% 78th pct

Walk to transit in Wollongong in Ballarat +12.2 pts higher in Wollongong

93.8% 91st pct 81.6% 45th pct

Walk to school in Wollongong in Ballarat +6.4 pts higher in Wollongong

79.0% 87th pct 72.6% 73rd pct

Walk to a park in Wollongong in Ballarat +1.3 pts higher in Ballarat

94.5% 80th pct 95.8% 88th pct

Walk to health in Wollongong in Ballarat +8.4 pts higher in Ballarat

41.5% 57th pct 49.9% 75th pct

Amenities/1k in Wollongong in Ballarat +4.1 more in Ballarat

12.0 22nd pct 16.1 58th pct

Intersections/km² in Wollongong in Ballarat +27 higher in Ballarat

47 85th pct 74 96th pct

Mean slope in Wollongong in Ballarat +2.1 pts higher in Wollongong

6.9% 83rd pct 4.8% 44th pct

Compare Wollongong with nearby areas

Bowral - Mittagong Nowra - Bomaderry Sydney St Georges Basin - Sanctuary Point Ulladulla Central Coast Goulburn Lithgow Batemans Bay Morisset - Cooranbong Bathurst Newcastle - Maitland

Compare Ballarat with nearby areas

Castlemaine Bacchus Marsh Geelong Gisborne Colac Bendigo Not in any Significant Urban Area Melbourne Warrnambool Echuca - Moama Horsham Shepparton - Mooroopna

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Wollongong vs Ballarat [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/1036/wollongong/vs/2003/ballarat