Ballarat Central, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Ballarat Central VIC is 5,378 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Ballarat Central is $821 per week ($42,692 per year). Median rent in Ballarat Central is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Ballarat Central has a median age of 41 years, older than the national median of 38. Ballarat Central has a population density of 1,422 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Ballarat Central is England. The most common religion is No religion (48.8% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ballarat Central is $1,600.

There were 2,894 recorded offences in Ballarat Central in 2025-25, a rate of 538 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was justice procedures (923 offences).

Population
5,378
Census 2021
Median income
$821/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$300/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
41years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au), 2025-25.

Ballarat Central vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Ballarat Central is $821 a week, 7% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 459th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $300 a week, $16 less than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 20.6% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 41, 2 years younger than in the typical VIC suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBallarat CentralTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$821/wk$767/wk +7%$766/wk
Household income$1,454/wk$1,687/wk −14%$1,637/wk
Rent$300/wk$316/wk −5%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,600/mo$1,723/mo −7%$1,733/mo
Median age4143 −2 yrs42
Rent share of household income20.6%19.1% +1.5 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Ballarat Central, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Ballarat Central Population

5,378 residents at the 2021 Census.

Ballarat Central Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$821/wk
$42,692 per year
Ranked 3,235 of 14,663
Median Rent
$300/wk
$1,300 per month
Ranked 4,529 of 14,663
Median Age
41years
3 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,600/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Ballarat Central Rent Prices & Affordability

21% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,454/wk
Median rent $300/wk
Rent to income 20.6%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Ballarat Central against your income

About $6,301 a month
Median rent $300/wk
Left after rent $1,154/wk
Rent share 20.6%

Ballarat Central Schools

28
schools nearby
15
government
1035
avg ICSEA score
10,803
total students
Ballarat Clarendon College Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,896 students
1172
ICSEA
Ballarat Grammar Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,989 students
1120
ICSEA
St Patrick's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 249 students
1096
ICSEA
Pleasant Street Primary School (Ballarat) Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 350 students
1095
ICSEA
St Columba's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 334 students
1090
ICSEA
Loreto College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 948 students
1073
ICSEA
Ballarat Primary School (Dana Street) Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 227 students
1069
ICSEA
St Patrick's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,267 students
1055
ICSEA
St Alipius' Parish School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 248 students
1052
ICSEA
Black Hill Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 397 students
1042
ICSEA
St Aloysius' School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 254 students
1022
ICSEA
Newington Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 278 students
1007
ICSEA
Ballarat North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 330 students
1002
ICSEA
Mount Pleasant Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 129 students
972
ICSEA
Canadian Lead Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 235 students
952
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 28 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Ballarat Central, with a map

Ballarat Central Map

Ballarat Central, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Ballarat Central

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.3% (2,546) Female 52.7% (2,833)

Population Density

1,422
people per km²
5,378 people · 3.8 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$2,120
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
2.4%
India
1.8%
New Zealand
1.1%
United States of America
0.5%
China
0.5%
Nepal
0.4%
Scotland
0.4%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
0.8%
Punjabi
0.8%
Japanese
0.5%
Nepali
0.4%
Malayalam
0.4%
Bengali
0.4%
Vietnamese
0.4%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
41.4%
Australian
35.0%
Irish
20.0%
Scottish
14.6%
German
4.3%
Italian
3.0%
Dutch
2.4%
Indian
1.9%
Chinese
1.5%
Australian Aboriginal
1.1%
Greek
0.9%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
48.8%
Catholic
21.3%
Anglican
7.2%
Not stated
7.2%
Uniting Church
4.3%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.5%
Other religions
1.2%
Buddhism
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.1%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
37.2% 1,715
Separated
4.4% 205
Divorced
10.2% 470
Widowed
4.9% 227
Never married
43.3% 1,995

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
39.5%
Couple: no children
32.7%
Couple: no children under 15
12.0%
One parent: no children under 15
8.1%
One parent: children under 15
7.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
40.0%
2 persons
32.4%
3 persons
12.9%
4 persons
10.6%
5 persons
3.5%
6+ persons
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Ballarat Central

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,345 occupied private dwellings in Ballarat Central at the 2021 Census, 40.1% were rented, 32.3% owned outright and 25.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 29 dwellings
Owned outright
32.3% 758 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
25.3% 594 dwellings
Rented
40.1% 940 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.1% 26 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
85.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
11.0%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
5.5%
2 bedrooms
27.1%
3 bedrooms
49.0%
4 bedrooms
15.7%
5 bedrooms
2.4%
6+ bedrooms
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.6%
$300-$449/mo
3.1%
$450-$599/mo
2.7%
$600-$799/mo
5.7%
$800-$999/mo
8.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
17.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
19.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
8.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
6.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
9.3%
1 vehicle
47.8%
2 vehicles
33.0%
3 vehicles
7.2%
4+ vehicles
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Ballarat Central

Employment

Employed full-time
37.0% 1,537 people
Employed part-time
24.7% 1,028 people
Unemployed
3.3% 137 people
Not in labour force
35.0% 1,455 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
42.8%
Managers
14.6%
Community & Personal Service
11.8%
Technicians & Trade Workers
10.0%
Clerical & Administrative
9.9%
Sales Workers
5.0%
Labourers
3.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
0.9%
$150-$299/wk
1.7%
$300-$399/wk
2.6%
$400-$499/wk
7.5%
$500-$649/wk
5.7%
$650-$799/wk
6.6%
$800-$999/wk
7.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.7%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.4%
$4,000+/wk
10.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.6%
$1-$149/wk
4.8%
$150-$299/wk
5.8%
$300-$399/wk
3.4%
$400-$499/wk
4.1%
$500-$649/wk
4.5%
$650-$799/wk
9.4%
$800-$999/wk
10.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500+/wk
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
59.0%
Walked only
15.5%
Did not go to work
15.4%
Car (passenger)
5.1%
Bicycle
2.0%
Bus
1.2%
Other
0.8%
Train
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%
Truck
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
71.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
12.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
11.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
4.2%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
35.9%
Certificate III/IV
21.2%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.3%
Postgraduate Degree
16.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
8.5%
Certificate I/II
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Health
22.3%
Management & Commerce
16.7%
Society & Culture
15.9%
Education
10.8%
Architecture & Building
7.0%
Creative Arts
6.8%
Engineering
6.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.3%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.4%
Information Technology
2.8%
Agriculture & Environment
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
18.9%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
15.2%
Vocational Education
13.2%
Pre-school
12.2%
Secondary: Catholic
11.9%
Primary: Catholic
10.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
9.9%
Secondary: Government
8.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
87.9%
Has need for assistance
6.0%
Need for assistance not stated
6.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
737
Asthma
239
Arthritis
159
Heart disease
147
Diabetes
125
Lung condition
114
Cancer
78
Kidney disease
49
Stroke
49
Dementia
22

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.1% 562
Did not provide
86.9% 3,723

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
19.7% 844
Not a volunteer
80.3% 3,448

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 3
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 6
Previously served
2.4% 104
Never served
97.4% 4,198

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
41.2%
1 child
13.0%
2 children
25.5%
3 children
13.7%
4 children
5.2%
5+ children
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
14
1951: 1960
54
1961: 1970
54
1971: 1980
53
1981: 1990
78
1991: 2000
52
2001: 2010
111
2011: 2015
94
2016
28
2017
28
2018
36
2019
57
2020
25
2021
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

20.8%
moved in the last year
48.7%
moved in the last 5 years
4.9%
unemployment rate (Census)
61.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,972
Moved from VIC
770
Moved: same area (SA2)
150
Moved from QLD
36
Moved from overseas
35
Moved from NSW
17
Moved from NT
8
Moved from TAS
5
Moved from WA
4
Moved from SA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.3%
5: 14 hours
33.3%
15: 29 hours
13.5%
30+ hours
7.2%
Did not do domestic work
22.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
90.2%
Step family: no other children
9.1%
Blended family: no other children
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Ballarat Central Crime Statistics

2,894 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Justice Procedures
923
Theft
915
Assault
340
Property Damage
199
Drug Offences
123
Break & Enter
117
Weapons
105
Fraud
92
Public Order
62
Robbery
12
Other
6

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Ballarat Central

The closest suburb to Ballarat Central is Soldiers Hill (Vic.), 1.1 km away.

Soldiers Hill (Vic.)
1.1 km away · income $842/wk · rent $300/wk
Lake Wendouree
1.8 km away · income $1,010/wk · rent $321/wk
Golden Point (Ballarat - Vic.)
2.0 km away · income $757/wk · rent $290/wk
Newington (Vic.)
2.1 km away · income $802/wk · rent $315/wk
Black Hill (Vic.)
2.2 km away · income $805/wk · rent $290/wk
Redan
2.2 km away · income $654/wk · rent $255/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Ballarat Central

What is the population of Ballarat Central VIC?

The population of Ballarat Central VIC is 5,378 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,422 people per km². Ballarat Central is ranked #1,466 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Ballarat Central?

The median personal income in Ballarat Central VIC is $821 per week, or $42,692 per year. The median household income is $1,454 per week. Family income is $2,120 per week. Ballarat Central is ranked #3,235 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Ballarat Central?

Median rent in Ballarat Central VIC is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Rent represents 20.6% of household income, which is considered affordable. Ballarat Central ranks #4,529 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Ballarat Central?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ballarat Central VIC is $1,600. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Ballarat Central?

The median age in Ballarat Central VIC is 41 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Ballarat Central a good suburb to live in?

Ballarat Central is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 5,378. The median income is $821/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (20.6% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20111. All dollar figures in AUD.