Ballarat East

The community is noticeably older than the state and national average, with 25.5% of people aged 65 and over. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 14.9%, which is well below the national figure of 18.2%.

Most residents were born in Australia, with 83.5% of the population born here. This is far below the Victoria and Australia figures, and the most common ancestries are English, Australian, Irish and Scottish.

English is the main language for 88.1% of the community. While 5.9% use another language at home—a figure higher than most similar areas—this is still far below the state and national averages.

More than half the population (51.6%) report having no religion, which is far above the national figure of 38.9% and much higher than most similar areas.

The area has a high proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher at 23.8%, though this remains well below the state average. Year 12 completion is also far below the Victoria average, sitting at 49.8%.

Incomes are much lower than in most similar areas, with a typical weekly household income of $1,123. This is well below the national figure of $1,746, and only 9.3% of households earn $3,000 or more a week.

Health challenges are common here, with 41.9% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is far above the national figure, and 12.4% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is more common than in most areas, with 14.6% of people providing this support. Additionally, 3.5% of residents have served in the Defence Force, which is a little above the state average.

The First Nations community is larger than in 90% of similar areas, though it faces significant challenges. Typical personal income is much lower than most areas, and the unemployment rate is well above the national figure at 18.2%.

Living arrangements are distinctive, with 39.2% of people living alone—far above the national average. One-parent families also make up 21.6% of households, which is well above the state figure.

Renting is very common here, with 38.6% of households renting, far above the state average. Most people live in separate houses (89.3%), and typical weekly rent is $290, which is well below the national figure.

The area is well served by public transport, with 38 stops and 14 routes. While 8.2% of homes have no motor vehicle, the typical walk to the nearest stop is just 2 minutes.

The community is quite mobile, with 41.4% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 14.7% of the population, which is much higher than most similar areas.

Job activity is lower than in most similar areas, with only 52.6% of adults working or looking for work. The unemployment rate of 6.6% is a little above both the state and national figures.

Ballarat East is very walkable, with 99.2% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Nearly 97% of residents can also walk to a park within 15 minutes.