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Colac vs Geelong

Urban Area comparison ≈ 82 km apart · Colac profile · Geelong profile

Colac Geelong

Geelong and Colac are two distinct Victorian hubs, with Geelong being a much larger regional centre. Geelong has a more highly qualified workforce, with 25.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher compared to 11.4% in Colac. This is reflected in the typical weekly household income, which is well higher in Geelong at $1,660 than the $1,250 seen in Colac. While Geelong has far more people working from home (19.7% versus 6.2%), Colac has a far higher share of recent overseas arrivals at 30.7%.

Both areas are very similar in how they live and volunteer, with nearly identical shares of people in de facto relationships and those who have served in the Defence Force. They also both have a very similar level of public transport access, with about 86% of homes within a 10 minute walk of a stop. Over time, the gap in typical incomes and education has widened, while the difference in the typical age of residents has narrowed since 2011.

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Where they differ most

Population: 276,874 larger in Geelong Bachelor+: 14.2 pts higher in Geelong Year 12: 17.0 pts higher in Geelong PT commute: 1.1 pts higher in Geelong Recent arrivals: 16.6 pts higher in Colac

Demographics & Identity

Population in Colacin Geelong +276,874 larger in Geelong gap widening
12,756 12th pct 289,630 86th pct
Median age in Colacin Geelong +3 yrs older in Colac gap narrowing
42 yrs 57th pct 39 yrs 43rd pct
First Nations in Colacin Geelong +0.3 pts higher in Colac gap steady
1.5% 6th pct 1.3% 0th pct
Aged 65+ in Colacin Geelong +5.0 pts higher in Colac gap steady
24.1% 75th pct 19.1% 43rd pct
Under 15 in Colacin Geelong +1.1 pts higher in Geelong gap steady
17.0% 27th pct 18.1% 50th pct
De facto in Colacin Geelong even gap narrowing
12.3% 39th pct 12.3% 39th pct

Age structure

24.1% Young adults (25–44) +2.8 pts ▸ 26.9%
24.1% Seniors (65+) ◂ +5.0 pts 19.1%
23.9% Older adults (45–64) +0.1 pts ▸ 24.0%
17.0% Children (0–14) +1.1 pts ▸ 18.1%
10.8% Youth (15–24) +1.0 pts ▸ 11.9%

Marital status

42.3% Married +3.8 pts ▸ 46.1%
36.7% Never married ◂ +0.2 pts 36.5%
9.7% Divorced ◂ +0.9 pts 8.8%
7.9% Widowed ◂ +2.4 pts 5.5%
3.5% Separated ◂ +0.3 pts 3.2%

Age & sex structure

Colac Geelong

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Colacin Geelong +7.2 pts higher in Geelong gap widening
9.9% 21st pct 17.2% 74th pct

Country of birth

84.7% Australia ◂ +6.5 pts 78.2%
1.3% England +1.9 pts ▸ 3.2%
0.5% India +1.3 pts ▸ 1.8%
1.3% China ◂ +0.7 pts 0.6%
0.9% New Zealand +0.2 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.6% Philippines +0.1 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.3% Italy +0.3 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.0% South Africa +0.3 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.1% Vietnam +0.2 pts ▸ 0.2%
0.1% Nepal even 0.1%

Ancestry

41.7% Australian ◂ +5.7 pts 35.9%
40.4% English ◂ +1.6 pts 38.8%
14.7% Irish ◂ +1.5 pts 13.2%
12.3% Scottish ◂ +0.5 pts 11.8%
3.3% German +1.2 pts ▸ 4.5%
2.9% Italian +1.5 pts ▸ 4.4%
1.6% Dutch +1.0 pts ▸ 2.7%
2.2% Chinese ◂ +0.6 pts 1.6%
0.5% Indian +1.2 pts ▸ 1.7%
0.7% Filipino +0.3 pts ▸ 1.0%
0.4% Greek +0.5 pts ▸ 0.9%
0.1% Vietnamese +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%

Language

Other language in Colacin Geelong +3.9 pts higher in Geelong gap narrowing
7.3% 58th pct 11.2% 77th pct
Limited English in Colacin Geelong +0.6 pts higher in Colac gap steady
2.1% 86th pct 1.5% 78th pct

Language used at home

87.8% English only ◂ +4.0 pts 83.8%
2.2% Mandarin ◂ +1.5 pts 0.8%
0.2% Punjabi +0.6 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.3% Italian +0.4 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.1% Hindi +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.0% Greek +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.3% Arabic even 0.3%
0.1% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.2% Tagalog +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.1% Cantonese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

Religion

No religion in Colacin Geelong +0.7 pts higher in Geelong gap steady
44.7% 62nd pct 45.3% 65th pct

Religious affiliation

46.6% Christianity ◂ +3.2 pts 43.3%
44.7% No religion +0.7 pts ▸ 45.3%
6.8% Not stated ◂ +0.1 pts 6.6%
0.6% Islam +0.8 pts ▸ 1.4%
0.4% Hinduism +0.9 pts ▸ 1.3%
0.7% Buddhism +0.3 pts ▸ 1.0%
0.3% Other religions +0.6 pts ▸ 0.9%
0.0% Judaism even 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Colacin Geelong +17.0 pts higher in Geelong gap widening
39.8% 27th pct 56.8% 87th pct
Bachelor+ in Colacin Geelong +14.2 pts higher in Geelong gap widening
11.4% 16th pct 25.5% 88th pct

Highest year of school

39.8% Year 12 +17.0 pts ▸ 56.8%
19.3% Year 10 ◂ +5.5 pts 13.8%
17.7% Year 9 or below ◂ +7.8 pts 9.9%
16.6% Year 11 ◂ +3.1 pts 13.4%

Highest qualification level

41.2% Certificate III / IV ◂ +13.3 pts 28.0%
16.3% Bachelor degree +10.4 pts ▸ 26.6%
15.1% Advanced diploma / diploma +1.3 pts ▸ 16.4%
3.3% Postgraduate degree +5.2 pts ▸ 8.5%
2.8% Graduate diploma / certificate +2.1 pts ▸ 4.9%
2.2% Certificate I / II ◂ +0.6 pts 1.6%

Field of qualification

12.7% Management & commerce +3.0 pts ▸ 15.7%
13.5% Engineering & related ◂ +0.8 pts 12.7%
13.3% Society & culture ◂ +0.8 pts 12.5%
10.8% Health +2.3 pts ▸ 13.1%
9.9% Education +0.2 pts ▸ 10.1%
7.9% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +2.9 pts 5.0%
6.5% Architecture & building +0.8 pts ▸ 7.3%
2.1% Creative arts +1.9 pts ▸ 4.0%
3.4% Agriculture & environment ◂ +1.4 pts 1.9%
1.5% Natural & physical sciences +1.4 pts ▸ 2.9%
1.1% Information technology +1.2 pts ▸ 2.3%

Income

Personal income in Colacin Geelong +$89 higher in Geelong gap widening
$701 40th pct $790 72nd pct
Household income in Colacin Geelong +$410 higher in Geelong gap widening
$1,250 27th pct $1,660 73rd pct
Family income in Colacin Geelong +$412 higher in Geelong gap widening
$1,701 35th pct $2,113 79th pct
High earners in Colacin Geelong +6.5 pts higher in Geelong gap widening
4.8% 9th pct 11.4% 73rd pct
High-income homes in Colacin Geelong +10.3 pts higher in Geelong gap widening
10.5% 19th pct 20.8% 79th pct

Household income distribution

32.4% $650–$1,499 ◂ +5.3 pts 27.1%
28.0% $1,500–$2,999 +1.8 pts ▸ 29.7%
22.5% Under $650 ◂ +6.4 pts 16.2%
6.0% $3,000–$3,999 +4.5 pts ▸ 10.5%
4.5% $4,000 or more +5.8 pts ▸ 10.3%

Personal income distribution

43.9% Under $650 ◂ +4.2 pts 39.6%
37.6% $650–$1,499 ◂ +5.9 pts 31.7%
10.5% $1,500–$2,999 +7.2 pts ▸ 17.8%
1.4% $3,000 or more +2.7 pts ▸ 4.1%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Colacin Geelong +2.6 pts higher in Colac
33.5% 58th pct 31.0% 36th pct
Mental health in Colacin Geelong +0.8 pts higher in Geelong
10.0% 39th pct 10.8% 56th pct
Needs assistance in Colacin Geelong +2.5 pts higher in Colac gap widening
8.8% 86th pct 6.2% 38th pct

Long-term health conditions reported

11.6% Arthritis ◂ +2.7 pts 8.9%
10.0% Mental health +0.8 pts ▸ 10.8%
9.1% Asthma +0.6 pts ▸ 9.7%
7.9% Other condition +0.7 pts ▸ 8.6%
5.9% Diabetes ◂ +1.3 pts 4.6%
5.0% Heart disease ◂ +0.9 pts 4.2%
3.4% Cancer ◂ +0.2 pts 3.1%
2.4% Lung condition ◂ +0.6 pts 1.8%
1.4% Stroke ◂ +0.4 pts 1.1%
1.1% Dementia ◂ +0.2 pts 0.9%

Number of long-term health conditions

58.2% None +3.2 pts ▸ 61.4%
22.0% One condition ◂ +1.1 pts 21.0%
7.4% Two conditions ◂ +0.8 pts 6.6%
4.1% Three or more ◂ +0.7 pts 3.4%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Colacin Geelong +0.5 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
15.1% 46th pct 14.6% 38th pct
Unpaid carers in Colacin Geelong +0.6 pts higher in Colac gap steady
14.1% 83rd pct 13.4% 65th pct
Unpaid child care in Colacin Geelong +3.2 pts higher in Geelong gap widening
24.9% 38th pct 28.1% 82nd pct
Defence service in Colacin Geelong +0.1 pts higher in Geelong
2.4% 13th pct 2.5% 16th pct
Housework 15h+ in Colacin Geelong +0.2 pts higher in Geelong gap narrowing
21.7% 50th pct 21.9% 54th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Colacin Geelong +0.2 larger in Geelong gap steady
2.3 14th pct 2.5 71st pct
One-parent in Colacin Geelong +1.9 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
16.0% 43rd pct 14.1% 21st pct
Living alone in Colacin Geelong +7.3 pts higher in Colac gap steady
34.3% 91st pct 27.0% 29th pct

Family composition

52.1% Couples with children +4.7 pts ▸ 56.8%
30.3% Couples without children ◂ +2.3 pts 28.0%
16.0% One-parent families ◂ +1.9 pts 14.1%
1.4% Other families ◂ +0.4 pts 1.0%

Household size

33.2% 2 people +1.1 pts ▸ 34.3%
34.3% 1 person ◂ +7.3 pts 27.0%
12.7% 3 people +2.6 pts ▸ 15.3%
11.4% 4 people +3.8 pts ▸ 15.2%
5.8% 5 people +0.2 pts ▸ 6.0%
2.6% 6 or more ◂ +0.5 pts 2.2%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Colacin Geelong +$90 higher in Geelong gap narrowing
$260 22nd pct $350 72nd pct
Mortgage in Colacin Geelong +$433 higher in Geelong gap widening
$1,300 29th pct $1,733 71st pct
People / bedroom in Colacin Geelong +0.10 higher in Geelong gap widening
0.70 0th pct 0.80 57th pct
Renting in Colacin Geelong +1.7 pts higher in Geelong gap narrowing
25.8% 24th pct 27.5% 32nd pct
Owned outright in Colacin Geelong +5.8 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
39.8% 80th pct 33.9% 52nd pct
Separate houses in Colacin Geelong +1.4 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
88.1% 78th pct 86.7% 68th pct
3+ bedrooms in Colacin Geelong +0.5 pts higher in Geelong gap narrowing
79.6% 68th pct 80.1% 74th pct

How homes are owned or rented

39.8% Owned outright ◂ +5.8 pts 33.9%
31.0% Owned with a mortgage +4.4 pts ▸ 35.4%
25.8% Rented +1.7 pts ▸ 27.5%
2.1% Not stated ◂ +0.8 pts 1.4%
1.3% Other tenure +0.5 pts ▸ 1.8%

Types of homes

88.1% Separate house ◂ +1.4 pts 86.7%
10.7% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +0.4 pts 10.3%
0.0% Flat or apartment +2.4 pts ▸ 2.4%
1.1% Other dwelling ◂ +0.6 pts 0.5%

Bedrooms per home

52.8% 3 bedrooms ◂ +6.4 pts 46.4%
23.5% 4 bedrooms +5.6 pts ▸ 29.1%
14.4% 2 bedrooms +0.9 pts ▸ 15.3%
3.2% 5 or more +1.3 pts ▸ 4.6%
3.8% 1 bedroom ◂ +0.6 pts 3.2%
0.4% Studio / none ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

Weekly rent distribution

55.0% $200–$349 ◂ +20.0 pts 35.0%
17.5% $350–$549 +26.8 pts ▸ 44.3%
21.2% Under $200 ◂ +9.8 pts 11.4%
0.4% $550–$749 +4.7 pts ▸ 5.1%
0.0% $750 or more +1.1 pts ▸ 1.1%

Monthly mortgage distribution

49.4% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +15.6 pts 33.8%
16.3% $1,800–$2,999 +16.9 pts ▸ 33.2%
25.0% Under $1,000 ◂ +9.2 pts 15.8%
3.9% $3,000 or more +7.8 pts ▸ 11.7%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Colacin Geelong +2.7 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
7.8% 86th pct 5.1% 29th pct
Work from home in Colacin Geelong +13.5 pts higher in Geelong gap widening
6.2% 33rd pct 19.7% 89th pct
PT commute in Colacin Geelong +1.1 pts higher in Geelong gap narrowing
0.2% 7th pct 1.3% 75th pct

How people get to work

67.8% Car (driver) ◂ +9.9 pts 57.9%
6.2% Worked at home +13.5 pts ▸ 19.7%
6.4% Car (passenger) ◂ +2.5 pts 3.9%
4.5% Walked ◂ +2.6 pts 2.0%
0.1% Bus +0.6 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.7% Bicycle ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%
0.1% Train +0.4 pts ▸ 0.5%

Motor vehicles per home

35.8% 2 vehicles +5.2 pts ▸ 41.1%
37.5% 1 vehicle ◂ +2.2 pts 35.3%
12.2% 3 vehicles ◂ +0.2 pts 12.0%
7.8% No vehicle ◂ +2.7 pts 5.1%
6.7% 4 or more ◂ +0.1 pts 6.6%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Colacin Geelong +7.3 pts higher in Geelong gap widening
35.6% 20th pct 42.9% 70th pct
Recent arrivals in Colacin Geelong +16.6 pts higher in Colac gap widening
30.7% 99th pct 14.2% 55th pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Colacin Geelong +1.3 pts higher in Geelong gap steady
3.0% 3rd pct 4.3% 32nd pct
Participation in Colacin Geelong +3.9 pts higher in Geelong gap steady
57.7% 49th pct 61.6% 74th pct
Full-time in Colacin Geelong +1.4 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
57.0% 46th pct 55.6% 32nd pct

Industries people work in

19.8% Manufacturing ◂ +13.9 pts 6.0%
14.4% Health care & social assistance +2.7 pts ▸ 17.1%
8.2% Construction +3.1 pts ▸ 11.3%
10.2% Retail trade +0.3 pts ▸ 10.5%
6.8% Education & training +3.2 pts ▸ 10.0%
6.5% Accommodation & food +0.4 pts ▸ 6.9%
4.0% Public administration & safety +2.4 pts ▸ 6.5%
2.8% Professional & technical +3.5 pts ▸ 6.3%
5.5% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +4.4 pts 1.0%
3.4% Transport & warehousing +0.5 pts ▸ 3.8%
3.8% Other services ◂ +0.4 pts 3.4%
3.7% Administrative & support ◂ +0.8 pts 2.8%

Occupations people work in

11.4% Professionals +12.0 pts ▸ 23.5%
22.8% Labourers ◂ +13.5 pts 9.3%
14.3% Technicians & trades even 14.3%
13.5% Community & personal service ◂ +0.1 pts 13.4%
9.7% Managers +2.4 pts ▸ 12.1%
8.8% Clerical & administrative +2.5 pts ▸ 11.3%
9.1% Sales workers ◂ +0.2 pts 8.8%
8.3% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +2.6 pts 5.7%

Walkability

Walk score in Colacin Geelong +0.2 higher in Geelong
5.8 80th pct 6.0 84th pct
Types ≤15 min in Colacin Geelong +0.1 more in Colac
5.8 86th pct 5.6 83rd pct
15-min city in Colacin Geelong +4.7 pts higher in Colac
71.5% 86th pct 66.8% 77th pct
Walk to shops in Colacin Geelong +8.1 pts higher in Colac
74.8% 90th pct 66.7% 79th pct
Walk to transit in Colacin Geelong even
86.4% 64th pct 86.3% 64th pct
Walk to school in Colacin Geelong +11.3 pts higher in Colac
82.0% 91st pct 70.7% 69th pct
Walk to a park in Colacin Geelong +4.8 pts higher in Geelong
91.3% 59th pct 96.1% 89th pct
Walk to health in Colacin Geelong +5.2 pts higher in Geelong
51.8% 80th pct 57.0% 88th pct
Amenities/1k in Colacin Geelong +5.2 more in Geelong
15.7 55th pct 20.9 78th pct
Intersections/km² in Colacin Geelong +19 higher in Geelong
18 46th pct 37 76th pct
Mean slope in Colacin Geelong +0.8 pts higher in Geelong
3.4% 18th pct 4.1% 31st pct

Compare Colac with nearby areas

Ballarat Geelong Warrnambool Bacchus Marsh Gisborne Castlemaine Bendigo Melbourne Not in any Significant Urban Area Portland Horsham Warragul - Drouin

Compare Geelong with nearby areas

Bacchus Marsh Gisborne Ballarat Colac Castlemaine Melbourne Bendigo Warragul - Drouin Not in any Significant Urban Area Warrnambool Shepparton - Mooroopna Echuca - Moama

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Colac vs Geelong [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/2006/colac/vs/2008/geelong