Colac, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Colac VIC is 9,243 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Colac is $661 per week ($34,372 per year). Median rent in Colac is $260 per week ($1,127 per month). Colac has a median age of 44 years, older than the national median of 38. Colac has a population density of 246 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Colac is China. The most common religion is No religion (45.2% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Colac is $1,213.

There were 1,274 recorded offences in Colac in 2025-25, a rate of 138 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was justice procedures (361 offences).

Population
9,243
Census 2021
Median income
$661/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$260/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
44years
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.

Colac vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Colac is $661 a week, 14% below the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 966th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $260 a week, $56 less than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 23.5% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 44, 1 year older 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.
MeasureColacTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$661/wk$767/wk −14%$766/wk
Household income$1,108/wk$1,687/wk −34%$1,637/wk
Rent$260/wk$316/wk −18%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,213/mo$1,723/mo −30%$1,733/mo
Median age4443 +1 yrs42
Rent share of household income23.5%19.1% +4.4 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 Colac, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Colac Population

9,243 residents at the 2021 Census.

Colac Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$661/wk
$34,372 per year
Ranked 6,140 of 14,663
Median Rent
$260/wk
$1,127 per month
Ranked 5,884 of 14,663
Median Age
44years
6 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,213/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Colac Rent Prices & Affordability

23% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,108/wk
Median rent $260/wk
Rent to income 23.5%

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

Median rent in Colac against your income

About $4,801 a month
Median rent $260/wk
Left after rent $848/wk
Rent share 23.5%

Colac Schools

4
schools nearby
3
government
951
avg ICSEA score
574
total students
St Mary's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 266 students
1025
ICSEA
Colac Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 164 students
946
ICSEA
Lake Colac School Government
Combined · U · 82 students
933
ICSEA
Colac West Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 62 students
899
ICSEA

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

All schools near Colac, with a map

Colac Map

Colac, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Colac, Victoria: 38.3096°S, 143.5889°E

Colac Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (4)

People in Colac

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.6% (4,492) Female 51.4% (4,751)

Population Density

246
people per km²
9,243 people · 37.6 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,541
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

China
1.5%
England
1.4%
Taiwan
1.3%
New Zealand
1.0%
India
0.6%
Philippines
0.6%
Scotland
0.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
2.6%
Samoan
0.3%
Other Chinese languages
0.3%
Malayalam
0.3%
Southeast Asian Austronesian languages: Other
0.3%
Punjabi
0.3%
Italian
0.2%

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

Ancestry

Australian
40.7%
English
39.9%
Irish
13.6%
Scottish
12.0%
German
3.4%
Italian
2.8%
Chinese
2.6%
Australian Aboriginal
1.6%
Dutch
1.5%
Filipino
0.7%
Indian
0.6%

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
45.2%
Catholic
22.8%
Anglican
8.5%
Not stated
7.8%
Uniting Church
5.4%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.2%
Christian (other)
1.4%
Pentecostal
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.7%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
38.0% 2,954
Separated
3.9% 303
Divorced
10.4% 807
Widowed
9.3% 720
Never married
38.5% 2,990

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
35.0%
Couple: no children
31.9%
Couple: no children under 15
12.7%
One parent: children under 15
12.2%
One parent: no children under 15
8.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
38.7%
2 persons
32.2%
3 persons
12.0%
4 persons
10.1%
5 persons
4.8%
6+ persons
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Colac

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,874 occupied private dwellings in Colac at the 2021 Census, 30.1% were rented, 38.2% owned outright and 27.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.5% 57 dwellings
Owned outright
38.2% 1,481 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
27.6% 1,071 dwellings
Rented
30.1% 1,165 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.5% 97 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
87.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
12.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.3%
2 bedrooms
18.0%
3 bedrooms
58.4%
4 bedrooms
17.1%
5 bedrooms
1.9%
6+ bedrooms
0.3%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.0%
$300-$449/mo
3.1%
$450-$599/mo
3.3%
$600-$799/mo
7.8%
$800-$999/mo
12.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
35.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
19.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
9.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
3.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
10.0%
1 vehicle
41.6%
2 vehicles
33.3%
3 vehicles
10.4%
4+ vehicles
4.8%

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

Work, income and education in Colac

Employment

Employed full-time
33.0% 2,305 people
Employed part-time
20.4% 1,427 people
Unemployed
1.9% 132 people
Not in labour force
44.7% 3,125 people

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

Occupation

Community & Personal Service
18.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
18.2%
Labourers
17.1%
Professionals
15.9%
Managers
10.8%
Clerical & Administrative
8.4%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
5.9%
Sales Workers
5.4%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.1%
$1-$149/wk
1.1%
$150-$299/wk
2.3%
$300-$399/wk
3.9%
$400-$499/wk
11.3%
$500-$649/wk
7.0%
$650-$799/wk
8.6%
$800-$999/wk
9.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.2%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.5%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.7%
$4,000+/wk
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.3%
$1-$149/wk
4.4%
$150-$299/wk
7.3%
$300-$399/wk
5.4%
$400-$499/wk
6.2%
$500-$649/wk
4.6%
$650-$799/wk
11.3%
$800-$999/wk
15.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
15.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.0%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.6%
$3,500+/wk
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
72.1%
Did not go to work
12.2%
Car (passenger)
7.6%
Walked only
5.6%
Bicycle
0.9%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.6%
Other
0.5%
Truck
0.3%
Train
0.1%
Bus
0.1%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.1%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
45.7%
Year 10 or equivalent
23.7%
Year 11 or equivalent
19.6%
Year 9 or equivalent
11.0%

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

Certificate III/IV
52.4%
Bachelor Degree
19.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.8%
Postgraduate Degree
4.1%
Certificate I/II
3.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.6%

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

Field of Study

Society & Culture
18.8%
Management & Commerce
16.3%
Engineering
15.6%
Health
10.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
10.5%
Architecture & Building
8.5%
Education
8.4%
Agriculture & Environment
4.7%
Creative Arts
2.5%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.1%
Information Technology
1.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
25.7%
Primary: Catholic
18.3%
Secondary: Government
15.4%
Secondary: Catholic
15.1%
Vocational Education
12.2%
Pre-school
12.2%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
0.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
0.5%

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
83.6%
Has need for assistance
10.3%
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
994
Arthritis
408
Asthma
340
Diabetes
281
Heart disease
277
Lung condition
268
Stroke
154
Cancer
140
Kidney disease
126
Dementia
52

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.4% 1,043
Did not provide
85.6% 6,205

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
14.9% 1,082
Not a volunteer
85.1% 6,177

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
2.5% 181
Never served
97.5% 7,109

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
30.5%
1 child
10.9%
2 children
25.0%
3 children
19.1%
4 children
10.6%
5+ children
3.8%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
26
1951: 1960
78
1961: 1970
85
1971: 1980
46
1981: 1990
55
1991: 2000
48
2001: 2010
154
2011: 2015
111
2016
39
2017
68
2018
111
2019
103
2020
29
2021
24

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

Population Mobility

13.1%
moved in the last year
38.2%
moved in the last 5 years
3.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
53.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
7,422
Moved: same area (SA2)
572
Moved from VIC
404
Moved from overseas
60
Moved from NSW
27
Moved from QLD
18
Moved from SA
7
Moved from TAS
7
Moved from NT
6

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
19.3%
5: 14 hours
25.0%
15: 29 hours
12.1%
30+ hours
9.9%
Did not do domestic work
33.7%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
86.8%
Step family: no other children
8.9%
Blended family: no other children
2.8%
Other couple: children only
0.8%
Intact family: other children present
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Colac Crime Statistics

1,274 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Justice Procedures
361
Theft
281
Assault
220
Property Damage
113
Drug Offences
92
Fraud
87
Break & Enter
59
Weapons
33
Public Order
24
Robbery
2
Other
2

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

Merbein
Income: $608/wk Rent: $210/wk $50/wk less rent
Tatura
Income: $715/wk Rent: $245/wk $15/wk less rent
Briagolong
Income: $705/wk Rent: $250/wk $10/wk less rent
Carisbrook
Income: $603/wk Rent: $223/wk $37/wk less rent
Newborough
Income: $626/wk Rent: $230/wk $30/wk less rent
Hamilton (Vic.)
Income: $693/wk Rent: $235/wk $25/wk less rent
East Bairnsdale
Income: $551/wk Rent: $250/wk $10/wk less rent
Ararat
Income: $681/wk Rent: $250/wk $10/wk less rent

Suburbs near Colac

The closest suburb to Colac is Elliminyt, 6.9 km away.

Elliminyt
6.9 km away · income $804/wk · rent $290/wk

Compare Colac

Frequently Asked Questions About Colac

What is the population of Colac VIC?

The population of Colac VIC is 9,243 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 246 people per km². Colac is ranked #731 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Colac?

The median personal income in Colac VIC is $661 per week, or $34,372 per year. The median household income is $1,108 per week. Family income is $1,541 per week. Colac is ranked #6,140 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Colac?

Median rent in Colac VIC is $260 per week ($1,127 per month). Rent represents 23.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. Colac ranks #5,884 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Colac?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Colac VIC is $1,213. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Colac?

The median age in Colac VIC is 44 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Colac a good suburb to live in?

Colac is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 9,243. The median income is $661/wk, which is below the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (23.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20607. All dollar figures in AUD.