Ballarat East VIC 3350
Located in Victoria, Ballarat East sits 112 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 20 minutes by car. The suburb has 5,937 residents, a median age of 43, and a median household income of $58,396 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The suburb grew 5.6% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $290 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,300. Ballarat East is characterised by high crime risk and high bushfire risk. 4 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is high.
Is Ballarat East a good suburb?
Ballarat East scores a D (30/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on schools and safety.
Below the state average
4 schools · Bottom 10% in VIC
Very walkable
Walkability 71/100 · 112.2 km · 81 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $540K · Cheaper than 82% of VIC
High bushfire risk
Fire 71/100 · Crime 87/100 · Flood 0/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 3/10 · median age 43 · 5,937 residents
Liveability Rating
30 / 100 · Ranked #715 in VICEach bar is Ballarat East's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Ballarat East?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
30 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataBallarat East's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $540,000, roughly 10% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$540,000
10% below its 8 neighbours (median $600,000)
Based on 225 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 28 days — median across 98 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 37 sales $430K
- 3 bed 140 sales $540K
- 4 bed 42 sales $648K
Units
$391,000
7% below its 3 neighbours (median $422,000)
Based on 18 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 117 days — median across 5 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 16 sales $391K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Ballarat East are currently listed at around $615,000 on average. Based on 65 houses listed in the past six months.
$615K
65 houses listed in the last 6 months.
65 of the suburb's 2,559 dwellings (2.5%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Ballarat East rent for around $450 a week on average, based on 31 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$450/wk
In line with its 4 neighbours (median $460/wk)
31 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
33 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,057 rented homes (3.1%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025120 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 25% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3350.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$450/week ($23,000 a year) on a $615,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Ballarat East safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Ballarat East sits in the high band, with 690 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 50% on the prior year.
690 offences
50.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202525 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Four schools serve Ballarat East, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 1,332 students across 3 schools (avg 444)
- • Sectors: 2 Catholic, 1 Independent, 1 Government
- • ICSEA 988-1071, median 1052 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Woodmans Hill Secondary College (602 students)
Primary
Secondary
Universities nearby
1.7% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Ballarat East is very walkable on foot — at 71/100, most daily errands can be done on foot. Within the suburb there are 2 supermarkets, 5 parks and 3 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Ballarat East.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 78.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 76.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 68.4 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 16.9 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Ballarat East.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 97%
- Premises covered
- 3,621
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Ballarat: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 15 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 5 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Ballarat East is home to about 5,900 residents, with a median age of 43, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $58,000 a year, with unemployment at 6.6%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
5,937
Median Age
43
Median Household Income
$58,396/yr
Census Median Rent
$290/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,300/mo
Avg Household Size
2.1
Median Personal Income
$33,072/yr
Unemployment Rate
6.6%
Unoccupied Dwellings
9.3%
Total Dwellings
2,559
Owner-Occupier Rate
58.7%
Houses
89.3%
Rental Stress
25.8%
Mortgage Stress
26.7%
Work From Home
21.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
123 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 17 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 987 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 83.5%
- English Spoken at Home
- 88.1%
- Employment Rate
- 49.1%
- Completed Year 12
- 41.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
121 residents (2.0%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
10.0% of residents (567) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (468).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 5,675 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
5% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (113 of 2,484).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,086 a year through Ballarat based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 56%
- Other and special use 16%
- Infrastructure and transport 10%
- Parks and recreation 8%
- Industrial 4%
- Rural and farming 4%
- Commercial 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Ballarat
In the year to August 2026, 1,451 new dwellings were approved across Ballarat. That mix is 1,134 houses and 317 units. Approvals are up 41.8% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2009).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Climate & Setting
from Ballarat Aerodrome, 10.3 kmModerate rainfall — warm summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 452 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Annual rainfall
- 605 mm
- 97 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 25.7°C
- 6 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 3.5°C
- 17 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
7 facilities within 5 km- 1.6 kmRail Passenger TransportTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene) · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 2.9 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
- 3.6 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.6 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.7 kmGold Ore MiningTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
EV adoption
In postcode 3350, 464 of 54,066 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.9% (1,565 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.8%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3350, 8,427 rooftop-solar systems totalling 57.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 28,431 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 702 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
49 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3350 in 2025-26, rank 30 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 548, in 2009-10.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
35 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 3350.
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $540,000 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Catherine King Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Catherine King | 60.7% | 39.3% | -2.3 |
| 2022 | Catherine King | 63.0% | 37.0% | -2.7 |
| 2019 | Catherine King | 61.0% | 39.0% | -3.6 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Michaela Settle Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Michaela Settle ALP | 57.2% | 57.2% | 42.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Ballarat East?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 5,937 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
- #2 in Ballarat suburbs where seniors live
- #3 in Ballarat suburbs with the deepest rental markets
- #4 in Ballarat suburbs with the best public transport
- #4 in Ballarat suburbs that suit young professionals
- #5 in Best Ballarat suburbs to rent in
- #5 in Best Ballarat suburbs for good private primary schools
- #5 in Best Ballarat suburbs for first-home buyers (houses)
- #6 in Ballarat suburbs that added the most residents, 2016-2021
- #6 in Ballarat suburbs with the largest non-religious population
- #7 in Where the Indian community lives in Ballarat
- #8 in Highest-yielding Ballarat suburbs (houses)
- #8 in Ballarat suburbs with the largest Hindu community
- #8 in Ballarat suburbs where the most residents moved from a capital city
- #9 in Ballarat suburbs where the most homes are owned outright
- #10 in Most walkable suburbs in Ballarat
- #10 in Ballarat suburbs with the largest Sikh community
- #10 in Sportiest Ballarat suburbs
- #11 in Ballarat suburbs with the largest Muslim community
- #12 in Ballarat suburbs that grew fastest, 2016-2021
- #12 in Ballarat suburbs with the best NBN connectivity
- #14 in Ballarat's most educated suburbs
Nearby suburbs
Ballarat Central VIC 3350
Brown Hill VIC 3350
Canadian VIC 3350
Soldiers Hill VIC 3350
Golden Point VIC 3350
Black Hill VIC 3350
Compare Ballarat East to another suburb
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Common questions about Ballarat East
Is Ballarat East a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Ballarat East is high (87/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Ballarat East?
Ballarat East has a high recorded bushfire history (71/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). No mapped flood overlay applies. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Ballarat East a good place to live?
Ballarat East has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (30/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Ballarat East?
Ballarat East, VIC had a population of 5,937 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Ballarat East, VIC?
The postcode for Ballarat East, VIC is 3350.
How far is Ballarat East from Melbourne?
Ballarat East is 112 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 81 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Ballarat East?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Ballarat East was $58,396 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Ballarat East?
The median advertised rent in Ballarat East is $450 a week for houses (31 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Ballarat East?
The median age of residents in Ballarat East was 43 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Ballarat East at risk of bushfire?
Ballarat East has a high recorded bushfire history (71/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Ballarat East?
There are 4 schools inside the Ballarat East boundary: 2 at and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Ballarat East walkable?
Ballarat East scores 71/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Ballarat East?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Ballarat East, Ballarat Aerodrome (10.3 km away), summer days average 25.7°C, winter nights 3.5°C, 605 mm of rain a year over 97 rainy days, and 6 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Ballarat East?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Ballarat East belong to?
Ballarat East sits within the Ballarat local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Ballarat East?
The average residential rates bill through Ballarat is $2,086 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Ballarat East?
Across Ballarat, 1,451 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 41.8% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Ballarat East in?
Ballarat East sits within the federal Division of Ballarat, currently held by Catherine King (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.