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Colac vs Warrnambool

Urban Area comparison ≈ 89 km apart · Colac profile · Warrnambool profile

Colac Warrnambool

Warrnambool and Colac are two Victorian regional centres with distinct profiles. Colac is much more walkable, with 71.5% of homes having a 15-minute-city walkshed compared to 52.0% in Warrnambool. This convenience extends to essential services; homes in Colac are far more likely to be within a 15-minute walk of health services (51.8% vs 32.5%), schools (82.0% vs 66.6%), and groceries (74.8% vs 62.1%). In contrast, Warrnambool has a more highly qualified workforce, with 19.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher compared to 11.4% in Colac. This is reflected in the jobs market, where professionals make up a larger share of the workforce in Warrnambool, while labourers are more common in Colac.

Since 2011, the two areas have moved further apart in several key areas. The gap in higher education has widened from a negligible 0.2% to 8.0%, and the difference in typical weekly household income has grown to $175. Despite these shifts, they remain very similar in other ways. Both have a typical resident age of 42, and the proportion of people born overseas is nearly identical at around 9% to 10%. They also share very similar household sizes, with 2.3 people per home in both places.

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Where they differ most

Population: 22,987 larger in Warrnambool Bachelor+: 8.0 pts higher in Warrnambool No car: 2.2 pts higher in Colac Year 12: 8.1 pts higher in Warrnambool Needs assistance: 2.2 pts higher in Colac

Demographics & Identity

Population in Colacin Warrnambool +22,987 larger in Warrnambool gap widening
12,756 12th pct 35,743 54th pct
Median age in Colacin Warrnambool even gap narrowing
42 yrs 57th pct 42 yrs 57th pct
First Nations in Colacin Warrnambool +0.4 pts higher in Warrnambool gap steady
1.5% 6th pct 2.0% 14th pct
Aged 65+ in Colacin Warrnambool +2.9 pts higher in Colac gap steady
24.1% 75th pct 21.2% 59th pct
Under 15 in Colacin Warrnambool +0.5 pts higher in Warrnambool gap narrowing
17.0% 27th pct 17.5% 36th pct
De facto in Colacin Warrnambool +0.5 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
12.3% 39th pct 11.8% 28th pct

Age structure

23.9% Older adults (45–64) +1.6 pts ▸ 25.5%
24.1% Young adults (25–44) +0.6 pts ▸ 24.7%
24.1% Seniors (65+) ◂ +2.9 pts 21.2%
17.0% Children (0–14) +0.5 pts ▸ 17.5%
10.8% Youth (15–24) +0.3 pts ▸ 11.1%

Marital status

42.3% Married +3.4 pts ▸ 45.7%
36.7% Never married ◂ +1.3 pts 35.4%
9.7% Divorced ◂ +0.6 pts 9.1%
7.9% Widowed ◂ +1.5 pts 6.4%
3.5% Separated even 3.5%

Age & sex structure

Colac Warrnambool

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Colacin Warrnambool +0.4 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
9.9% 21st pct 9.6% 17th pct

Country of birth

84.7% Australia +0.1 pts ▸ 84.9%
1.3% England +0.3 pts ▸ 1.7%
1.3% China ◂ +0.6 pts 0.7%
0.9% New Zealand +0.2 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.6% Philippines even 0.6%
0.5% India even 0.5%
0.0% South Africa +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.1% Vietnam +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.3% Italy ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%
0.1% Nepal even 0.1%

Ancestry

41.7% Australian ◂ +2.4 pts 39.3%
40.4% English +0.7 pts ▸ 41.1%
14.7% Irish +4.1 pts ▸ 18.8%
12.3% Scottish +0.4 pts ▸ 12.7%
3.3% German +0.7 pts ▸ 4.1%
2.9% Italian ◂ +1.2 pts 1.7%
2.2% Chinese ◂ +0.9 pts 1.4%
1.6% Dutch +0.3 pts ▸ 2.0%
0.7% Filipino +0.1 pts ▸ 0.8%
0.5% Indian +0.1 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.4% Greek even 0.4%
0.1% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%

Language

Other language in Colacin Warrnambool +2.0 pts higher in Colac gap widening
7.3% 58th pct 5.3% 33rd pct
Limited English in Colacin Warrnambool +1.2 pts higher in Colac gap steady
2.1% 86th pct 0.9% 62nd pct

Language used at home

87.8% English only +1.3 pts ▸ 89.1%
2.2% Mandarin ◂ +1.3 pts 0.9%
0.1% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.3% Italian ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%
0.3% Arabic ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%
0.2% Tagalog even 0.2%
0.2% Punjabi even 0.2%
0.1% Hindi even 0.1%
0.1% Cantonese even 0.1%
0.0% Greek even 0.1%

Religion

No religion in Colacin Warrnambool +1.1 pts higher in Colac gap steady
44.7% 62nd pct 43.6% 58th pct

Religious affiliation

46.6% Christianity +0.8 pts ▸ 47.4%
44.7% No religion ◂ +1.1 pts 43.6%
6.8% Not stated +0.2 pts ▸ 7.0%
0.7% Buddhism +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%
0.6% Islam ◂ +0.2 pts 0.3%
0.4% Hinduism +0.1 pts ▸ 0.5%
0.3% Other religions even 0.3%
0.0% Judaism even 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Colacin Warrnambool +8.1 pts higher in Warrnambool gap widening
39.8% 27th pct 47.9% 67th pct
Bachelor+ in Colacin Warrnambool +8.0 pts higher in Warrnambool gap widening
11.4% 16th pct 19.4% 72nd pct

Highest year of school

39.8% Year 12 +8.1 pts ▸ 47.9%
19.3% Year 10 ◂ +3.1 pts 16.3%
17.7% Year 9 or below ◂ +5.0 pts 12.7%
16.6% Year 11 ◂ +0.6 pts 16.0%

Highest qualification level

41.2% Certificate III / IV ◂ +8.4 pts 32.8%
16.3% Bachelor degree +5.9 pts ▸ 22.2%
15.1% Advanced diploma / diploma +0.4 pts ▸ 15.5%
3.3% Postgraduate degree +2.5 pts ▸ 5.8%
2.8% Graduate diploma / certificate +1.9 pts ▸ 4.7%
2.2% Certificate I / II ◂ +0.3 pts 1.9%

Field of qualification

10.8% Health +3.9 pts ▸ 14.6%
12.7% Management & commerce +1.3 pts ▸ 14.0%
13.5% Engineering & related ◂ +2.7 pts 10.9%
13.3% Society & culture ◂ +1.2 pts 12.1%
9.9% Education +1.3 pts ▸ 11.2%
7.9% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +1.3 pts 6.6%
6.5% Architecture & building +0.2 pts ▸ 6.6%
3.4% Agriculture & environment ◂ +0.4 pts 2.9%
2.1% Creative arts +0.5 pts ▸ 2.6%
1.5% Natural & physical sciences +0.8 pts ▸ 2.3%
1.1% Information technology +0.1 pts ▸ 1.2%

Income

Personal income in Colacin Warrnambool +$59 higher in Warrnambool gap widening
$701 40th pct $760 59th pct
Household income in Colacin Warrnambool +$175 higher in Warrnambool gap widening
$1,250 27th pct $1,425 50th pct
Family income in Colacin Warrnambool +$194 higher in Warrnambool gap widening
$1,701 35th pct $1,895 56th pct
High earners in Colacin Warrnambool +2.8 pts higher in Warrnambool gap widening
4.8% 9th pct 7.7% 40th pct
High-income homes in Colacin Warrnambool +4.5 pts higher in Warrnambool gap widening
10.5% 19th pct 15.0% 49th pct

Household income distribution

32.4% $650–$1,499 ◂ +1.6 pts 30.8%
28.0% $1,500–$2,999 +1.4 pts ▸ 29.3%
22.5% Under $650 ◂ +4.0 pts 18.6%
6.0% $3,000–$3,999 +2.2 pts ▸ 8.2%
4.5% $4,000 or more +2.3 pts ▸ 6.8%

Personal income distribution

43.9% Under $650 ◂ +3.6 pts 40.3%
37.6% $650–$1,499 ◂ +1.9 pts 35.8%
10.5% $1,500–$2,999 +3.7 pts ▸ 14.3%
1.4% $3,000 or more +1.2 pts ▸ 2.7%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Colacin Warrnambool +1.4 pts higher in Colac
33.5% 58th pct 32.2% 46th pct
Mental health in Colacin Warrnambool +0.4 pts higher in Warrnambool
10.0% 39th pct 10.4% 47th pct
Needs assistance in Colacin Warrnambool +2.2 pts higher in Colac gap widening
8.8% 86th pct 6.6% 47th pct

Long-term health conditions reported

11.6% Arthritis ◂ +2.0 pts 9.7%
10.0% Mental health +0.4 pts ▸ 10.4%
9.1% Asthma +0.9 pts ▸ 9.9%
7.9% Other condition +0.2 pts ▸ 8.1%
5.9% Diabetes ◂ +0.9 pts 5.0%
5.0% Heart disease ◂ +0.2 pts 4.9%
3.4% Cancer +0.1 pts ▸ 3.4%
2.4% Lung condition ◂ +0.4 pts 2.0%
1.4% Stroke ◂ +0.2 pts 1.3%
1.1% Dementia ◂ +0.4 pts 0.7%

Number of long-term health conditions

58.2% None +1.0 pts ▸ 59.2%
22.0% One condition ◂ +0.3 pts 21.7%
7.4% Two conditions ◂ +0.6 pts 6.9%
4.1% Three or more ◂ +0.5 pts 3.6%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Colacin Warrnambool +2.4 pts higher in Warrnambool gap narrowing
15.1% 46th pct 17.5% 78th pct
Unpaid carers in Colacin Warrnambool +0.4 pts higher in Warrnambool gap steady
14.1% 83rd pct 14.4% 92nd pct
Unpaid child care in Colacin Warrnambool +2.2 pts higher in Warrnambool gap steady
24.9% 38th pct 27.1% 70th pct
Defence service in Colacin Warrnambool even
2.4% 13th pct 2.4% 13th pct
Housework 15h+ in Colacin Warrnambool +0.3 pts higher in Colac gap steady
21.7% 50th pct 21.4% 45th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Colacin Warrnambool even gap narrowing
2.3 14th pct 2.3 14th pct
One-parent in Colacin Warrnambool +0.4 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
16.0% 43rd pct 15.6% 38th pct
Living alone in Colacin Warrnambool +4.2 pts higher in Colac gap steady
34.3% 91st pct 30.1% 67th pct

Family composition

52.1% Couples with children +1.1 pts ▸ 53.3%
30.3% Couples without children ◂ +0.4 pts 29.9%
16.0% One-parent families ◂ +0.4 pts 15.6%
1.4% Other families ◂ +0.2 pts 1.3%

Household size

33.2% 2 people +2.3 pts ▸ 35.5%
34.3% 1 person ◂ +4.2 pts 30.1%
12.7% 3 people +1.5 pts ▸ 14.2%
11.4% 4 people +1.2 pts ▸ 12.6%
5.8% 5 people ◂ +0.2 pts 5.6%
2.6% 6 or more ◂ +0.6 pts 2.0%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Colacin Warrnambool +$35 higher in Warrnambool gap widening
$260 22nd pct $295 43rd pct
Mortgage in Colacin Warrnambool +$130 higher in Warrnambool gap widening
$1,300 29th pct $1,430 38th pct
People / bedroom in Colacin Warrnambool even gap steady
0.70 0th pct 0.70 0th pct
Renting in Colacin Warrnambool +2.1 pts higher in Warrnambool gap narrowing
25.8% 24th pct 27.9% 34th pct
Owned outright in Colacin Warrnambool +2.9 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
39.8% 80th pct 36.8% 69th pct
Separate houses in Colacin Warrnambool +4.6 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
88.1% 78th pct 83.4% 45th pct
3+ bedrooms in Colacin Warrnambool +4.1 pts higher in Colac gap narrowing
79.6% 68th pct 75.5% 32nd pct

How homes are owned or rented

39.8% Owned outright ◂ +2.9 pts 36.8%
31.0% Owned with a mortgage +1.1 pts ▸ 32.1%
25.8% Rented +2.1 pts ▸ 27.9%
2.1% Not stated ◂ +0.7 pts 1.4%
1.3% Other tenure +0.5 pts ▸ 1.8%

Types of homes

88.1% Separate house ◂ +4.6 pts 83.4%
10.7% Townhouse / semi-detached +0.6 pts ▸ 11.3%
0.0% Flat or apartment +4.4 pts ▸ 4.4%
1.1% Other dwelling ◂ +0.3 pts 0.8%

Bedrooms per home

52.8% 3 bedrooms ◂ +6.3 pts 46.5%
23.5% 4 bedrooms +0.9 pts ▸ 24.4%
14.4% 2 bedrooms +5.5 pts ▸ 19.9%
3.2% 5 or more +1.3 pts ▸ 4.5%
3.8% 1 bedroom ◂ +0.7 pts 3.1%
0.4% Studio / none ◂ +0.2 pts 0.2%

Weekly rent distribution

55.0% $200–$349 ◂ +7.3 pts 47.6%
17.5% $350–$549 +11.1 pts ▸ 28.6%
21.2% Under $200 ◂ +2.9 pts 18.4%
0.4% $550–$749 +1.1 pts ▸ 1.5%
0.0% $750 or more +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%

Monthly mortgage distribution

49.4% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +2.4 pts 47.0%
25.0% Under $1,000 ◂ +3.8 pts 21.2%
16.3% $1,800–$2,999 +4.5 pts ▸ 20.8%
3.9% $3,000 or more +1.8 pts ▸ 5.7%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Colacin Warrnambool +2.2 pts higher in Colac gap steady
7.8% 86th pct 5.6% 40th pct
Work from home in Colacin Warrnambool +3.3 pts higher in Warrnambool gap steady
6.2% 33rd pct 9.5% 58th pct
PT commute in Colacin Warrnambool +0.3 pts higher in Warrnambool gap steady
0.2% 7th pct 0.5% 42nd pct

How people get to work

67.8% Car (driver) ◂ +1.2 pts 66.6%
6.2% Worked at home +3.3 pts ▸ 9.5%
6.4% Car (passenger) ◂ +0.7 pts 5.7%
4.5% Walked ◂ +0.9 pts 3.6%
0.7% Bicycle +0.1 pts ▸ 0.8%
0.1% Bus +0.3 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.1% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

35.8% 2 vehicles +3.2 pts ▸ 39.0%
37.5% 1 vehicle ◂ +0.5 pts 37.1%
12.2% 3 vehicles ◂ +0.1 pts 12.1%
7.8% No vehicle ◂ +2.2 pts 5.6%
6.7% 4 or more ◂ +0.3 pts 6.4%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Colacin Warrnambool +1.8 pts higher in Warrnambool gap narrowing
35.6% 20th pct 37.4% 29th pct
Recent arrivals in Colacin Warrnambool +7.5 pts higher in Colac gap widening
30.7% 99th pct 23.2% 88th pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Colacin Warrnambool +0.1 pts higher in Warrnambool gap steady
3.0% 3rd pct 3.1% 6th pct
Participation in Colacin Warrnambool +3.5 pts higher in Warrnambool gap steady
57.7% 49th pct 61.2% 72nd pct
Full-time in Colacin Warrnambool +1.7 pts higher in Colac gap steady
57.0% 46th pct 55.3% 29th pct

Industries people work in

19.8% Manufacturing ◂ +10.8 pts 9.1%
14.4% Health care & social assistance +5.0 pts ▸ 19.4%
10.2% Retail trade +1.6 pts ▸ 11.8%
6.8% Education & training +2.5 pts ▸ 9.4%
8.2% Construction +0.5 pts ▸ 8.6%
6.5% Accommodation & food +1.3 pts ▸ 7.8%
5.5% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +2.3 pts 3.2%
4.0% Public administration & safety +1.3 pts ▸ 5.4%
2.8% Professional & technical +1.3 pts ▸ 4.1%
3.8% Other services ◂ +0.2 pts 3.6%
3.7% Administrative & support ◂ +1.0 pts 2.6%
3.4% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.4 pts 3.0%

Occupations people work in

22.8% Labourers ◂ +9.0 pts 13.7%
11.4% Professionals +8.5 pts ▸ 19.9%
14.3% Technicians & trades ◂ +0.4 pts 13.9%
13.5% Community & personal service ◂ +0.3 pts 13.1%
9.7% Managers +1.3 pts ▸ 11.0%
8.8% Clerical & administrative +2.0 pts ▸ 10.8%
9.1% Sales workers +1.2 pts ▸ 10.3%
8.3% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +2.9 pts 5.4%

Walkability

Walk score in Colacin Warrnambool +0.7 higher in Colac
5.8 80th pct 5.1 53rd pct
Types ≤15 min in Colacin Warrnambool +1.1 more in Colac
5.8 86th pct 4.7 46th pct
15-min city in Colacin Warrnambool +19.5 pts higher in Colac
71.5% 86th pct 52.0% 46th pct
Walk to shops in Colacin Warrnambool +12.7 pts higher in Colac
74.8% 90th pct 62.1% 72nd pct
Walk to transit in Colacin Warrnambool +3.4 pts higher in Colac
86.4% 64th pct 83.0% 50th pct
Walk to school in Colacin Warrnambool +15.4 pts higher in Colac
82.0% 91st pct 66.6% 58th pct
Walk to a park in Colacin Warrnambool +0.3 pts higher in Warrnambool
91.3% 59th pct 91.6% 61st pct
Walk to health in Colacin Warrnambool +19.3 pts higher in Colac
51.8% 80th pct 32.5% 25th pct
Amenities/1k in Colacin Warrnambool +2.1 more in Colac
15.7 55th pct 13.6 39th pct
Intersections/km² in Colacin Warrnambool +9 higher in Warrnambool
18 46th pct 27 65th pct
Mean slope in Colacin Warrnambool +1.5 pts higher in Warrnambool
3.4% 18th pct 4.9% 46th 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 Warrnambool with nearby areas

Portland Colac Ballarat Horsham Geelong Mount Gambier Not in any Significant Urban Area Bacchus Marsh Castlemaine Gisborne Bendigo Melbourne

Cite this page

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