Colac Otway · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
Colac Otway sits in the middle of the pack compared to similar areas, with an overall advantage score of 938. While it has a fair amount of money and resources, it faces challenges with education and job skills.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Colac Otway — lower than 64% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The area's overall advantage score is smaller than about 62% of similar places. While access to money and resources is higher than 60% of areas, education and job skills are lower than about 60%.
4
Lower than 64% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the 10% most advantaged. IRSAD summarises both advantage and disadvantage, so a high score reflects relatively many high-income, well-educated households and few low-income, low-skill ones.
5
Lower than 57% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the least disadvantaged. IRSD focuses on disadvantage alone (low income, low education, unemployment, unskilled occupations), so a higher decile means relatively less disadvantage.
6
Higher than 57% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Economic Resources, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for economic resources in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IER reflects the income, housing costs, dwelling size and assets of households, so a higher decile means relatively greater economic resources.
4
Lower than 64% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Education and Occupation, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for education and occupation in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IEO reflects residents' qualifications and the skill level of their jobs, so a higher decile means a more highly educated and skilled workforce.
938
Lower than 62% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a raw index score (standardised so the Australian average is about 1000). Higher scores indicate relatively greater advantage; lower scores greater disadvantage.
Annual population estimates and change since the census.
Growth has stalled in Colac Otway, with a population drop of 0.4% since 2021. This is well below the 8.0% growth seen across Victoria.
22,209
Higher than 59% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-0.4%
Lower than 88% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
Business activity remains steady, with 2,477 businesses and 111 approved dwellings, both of which are higher than about 60% of similar areas.
2,477
Higher than 61% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
111
Higher than 61% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Colac Otway [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA21750/colac-otway/topic/economy-advantage
