Bendigo VIC 3550
Bendigo is a suburb in Victoria, 152 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 55 minutes by car. Population is 5,652; the median age is 43 and the median household income is $74,308 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The suburb grew 2.5% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $290 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,482. Bendigo is characterised by high crime risk and high flood risk. Of 9 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Bendigo a good suburb?
Bendigo scores a C (41/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on safety.
Mixed results
9 schools · 1 above peer schools
Very walkable
Walkability 95/100 · 152.4 km · 113 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $650K
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 98/100 · Flood 70/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 5/10 · median age 43 · 5,652 residents
Liveability Rating
41 / 100 · Ranked #556 in VICEach bar is Bendigo's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Bendigo?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
41 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataBendigo's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $650,000, about 5% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$650,000
7% above its 9 neighbours (median $609,000)
Based on 213 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 40 days — median across 96 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 45 sales $560K
- 3 bed 122 sales $649K
- 4 bed 38 sales $892K
Units
$455,000
6% above its 7 neighbours (median $427,500)
Based on 17 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 38 days — median across 9 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 12 sales $435K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Bendigo are currently listed at around $765,000 on average. Based on 100 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$765K
100 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$442K
11 units listed in the last 6 months.
111 of the suburb's 2,503 dwellings (4.4%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Bendigo rent for around $560 a week on average, based on 59 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$560/wk
8% above its 6 neighbours (median $520/wk)
59 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$450/wk
11 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
70 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,139 rented homes (6.1%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025104 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3550.
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$560/week ($29,000 a year) on a $765,000 median
$450/week ($23,000 a year) on a $442,000 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 Bendigo safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Bendigo sits in the high band, with 2,366 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 13% on the prior year.
2,366 offences
13.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202577 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
Nine schools serve Bendigo, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Creek Street Christian College leads the pack.
- • 5,703 students across 7 schools (avg 815)
- • Sectors: 3 Government, 3 Catholic, 3 Independent
- • ICSEA 961-1148, median 1055 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Bendigo Senior Secondary College (1,918 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
1.9% 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
Bendigo is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 95/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 5 supermarkets, 13 parks and 66 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Bendigo.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 281.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 208.4 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 111.6 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 20.6 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 290.5 min wait
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 Bendigo.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 32%
- Premises covered
- 5,084
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
Greater Bendigo: 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 8 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Bendigo is home to about 5,700 residents, with a median age of 43, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $74,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.5%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
5,652
Median Age
43
Median Household Income
$74,308/yr
Census Median Rent
$290/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,482/mo
Avg Household Size
2.1
Median Personal Income
$42,692/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Unoccupied Dwellings
16.0%
Total Dwellings
2,503
Owner-Occupier Rate
54.5%
Houses
81.8%
Rental Stress
20.3%
Mortgage Stress
23.9%
Work From Home
18.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
87 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 18 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,115 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 82.5%
- English Spoken at Home
- 85.6%
- Employment Rate
- 58.1%
- Completed Year 12
- 47.9%
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.
222 residents (3.9%) 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.
9.1% of residents (492) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (399).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 5,399 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
2% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (60 of 2,859).
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.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 19,272 people work here; 2,859 employed residents live here.
A jobs hub: 6.7 jobs for every working resident. At least 85% of the people who work here must live elsewhere.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,949 a year through Greater Bendigo based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 48%
- Commercial 19%
- Infrastructure and transport 16%
- Parks and recreation 12%
- Other and special use 3%
- Industrial 1%
Proposed rezonings
- Commercial 1 Zone → Activity Centre Zone · C279gben, exhibited Jun 2026 93.8 ha
- Public Use Zone → Activity Centre Zone · C279gben, exhibited Jun 2026 6.1 ha
- General Residential Zone → Activity Centre Zone · C279gben, exhibited Jun 2026 6.0 ha
- Mixed Use Zone → Activity Centre Zone · C279gben, exhibited Jun 2026 4.3 ha
and 5 smaller changes
Land in this suburb moved from one zone to another by a planning scheme amendment (Vicmap Planning, CC BY 4.0). Exhibited amendments are proposals and can change or lapse.
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: Greater Bendigo
In the year to August 2026, 885 new dwellings were approved across Greater Bendigo. That mix is 797 houses and 88 units. Approvals are up 28.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2008).
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 Castlemaine Prison, 36.2 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 224 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Annual rainfall
- 598 mm
- 83 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 27.9°C
- 11 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 3.7°C
- 19 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
9 facilities within 5 km- 0.8 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 1.2 kmRail Passenger TransportTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene) · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 1.3 kmTextile Floor Covering ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 2.0 kmMilk and Cream ProcessingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 2.3 kmOther Polymer Product ManufacturingTop reported: Zinc and compounds · Antimony & compounds
EV adoption
In postcode 3550, 256 of 35,281 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.9% (1,011 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.6%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3550, 6,359 rooftop-solar systems totalling 41.4 MW have been installed since 2001, against 18,930 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 369 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.
2 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3550 in 2025-26, rank 176 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 440, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
21 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 23 across postcode 3550.
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 $650,000 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 Lisa Chesters Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lisa Chesters | 51.4% | 48.6% | +51.4 |
| 2022 | Lisa Chesters | 62.1% | 37.9% | -3.3 |
| 2019 | Lisa Chesters | 59.0% | 41.0% | -5.2 |
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 Maree Edwards Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Maree Edwards ALP | 50.7% | 64.3% | 35.6% |
| 2018 | Maree Edwards ALP | 53.5% | 68.5% | 31.4% |
| 2014 | Maree Edwards ALP | 50.4% | 62.2% | 37.8% |
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 Bendigo?
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 5,652 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
- #1 in Best Bendigo suburbs to rent in
- #1 in Best Bendigo suburbs for good private primary schools
- #1 in Best Bendigo suburbs for good private high schools
- #1 in Best Bendigo suburbs for good public high schools
- #1 in Most walkable suburbs in Bendigo
- #1 in Bendigo suburbs that suit young professionals
- #2 in Bendigo suburbs with the most apartments
- #2 in Highest-yielding Bendigo suburbs (units)
- #2 in Bendigo's most educated suburbs
- #2 in Bendigo suburbs with the best public transport
- #3 in Best Bendigo suburbs for first-home buyers (units)
- #3 in Bendigo suburbs with the deepest rental markets
- #3 in Bendigo suburbs where the most residents moved from a capital city
- #3 in Sportiest Bendigo suburbs
- #6 in Bendigo suburbs with the largest Sikh community
- #7 in Bendigo suburbs with the largest non-religious population
- #9 in The most liveable suburbs in Bendigo
- #10 in Bendigo suburbs with the most parkland nearby
- #10 in Bendigo's highest-income suburbs
- #10 in Bendigo suburbs where seniors live
- #13 in Bendigo suburbs where the most homes are owned outright
- #14 in Bendigo suburbs that added the most residents, 2016-2021
- #14 in Best Bendigo suburbs for first-home buyers (houses)
- #15 in Highest-yielding Bendigo suburbs (houses)
Nearby suburbs
Golden Square VIC 3555
Kennington VIC 3550
North Bendigo VIC 3550
Flora Hill VIC 3550
White Hills VIC 3550
Long Gully VIC 3550
Compare Bendigo to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Bendigo
Is Bendigo a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Bendigo is high (98/100, 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 Bendigo?
Bendigo has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a high share of it (70/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Bendigo a good place to live?
Bendigo has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (41/100), 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 Bendigo?
Bendigo, VIC had a population of 5,652 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Bendigo, VIC?
The postcode for Bendigo, VIC is 3550.
How far is Bendigo from Melbourne?
Bendigo is 152 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 113 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Bendigo?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Bendigo was $74,308 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 Bendigo?
The median advertised rent in Bendigo is $560 a week for houses (59 listings) and $450 a week for units (11 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Bendigo?
The median age of residents in Bendigo was 43 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Bendigo?
There are 9 schools inside the Bendigo boundary: 1 above and 4 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Bendigo walkable?
Bendigo scores 95/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it exceptionally 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 Bendigo?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Bendigo, Castlemaine Prison (36.2 km away), summer days average 27.9°C, winter nights 3.7°C, 598 mm of rain a year over 83 rainy days, and 11 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Bendigo?
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 Bendigo belong to?
Bendigo sits within the Greater Bendigo local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Bendigo?
The average residential rates bill through Greater Bendigo is $1,949 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Bendigo?
Across Greater Bendigo, 885 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 28.0% 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 Bendigo in?
Bendigo sits within the federal Division of Bendigo, currently held by Lisa Chesters (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.