Cardigan is a suburb in Victoria, 132 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 40 minutes by car. Population is 1,064; the median age is 36 and the median household income is $141,076 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 41.1% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $350 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. The area shows high crime risk. Walkability is low.
Is Cardigan a good suburb?
Cardigan scores a C (44/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on transit and safety.
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 132.1 km · 98 min drive to Melbourne
Median available
Median $1.14M
High crime risk
Fire 23/100 · Crime 82/100 · Flood 36/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 9/10 · median age 36 · 1,064 residents
Liveability Rating
44 / 100 · Ranked #516 in VICEach bar is Cardigan's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Cardigan?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
44 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median Land Price
Public listings dataCardigan's land market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $548,000, roughly 14% below where it sat a year earlier.
Land
$547,500
Based on 38 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 76 days — median across 24 sales that recorded a listing period
Houses
$1,142,500
77% above its 6 neighbours (median $644,000)
Based on 32 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 30 days — median across 19 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 4 bed 18 sales $1.08M
- 5 bed 8 sales $1.18M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Cardigan are currently listed at around $1.3 million on average. Based on 24 houses listed in the past six months.
$1.3M
24 houses listed in the last 6 months.
24 of the suburb's 306 dwellings (7.8%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Cardigan rent for around $700 a week on average, based on 3 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$700/wk
3 houses advertised for rent 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 3352.
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$700/week ($36,000 a year) on a $1.3 million median
Based on a small sample (3 listings) — indicative only.
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 Cardigan safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Cardigan sits in the high band, with 98 incidents recorded in 2026 — up about 1% on the prior year.
98 offences
1.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202513 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
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
Walkability
Cardigan is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Cardigan.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 2.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 1.9 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 1.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 36 min
- Span of service
- 14.7 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 Cardigan.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 68%
- Premises covered
- 973
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
Cardigan is home to about 1,100 residents, with a median age of 36, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $141,000 a year, with unemployment at 1.5%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,064
Median Age
36
Median Household Income
$141,076/yr
Census Median Rent
$350/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
3.4
Median Personal Income
$45,916/yr
Unemployment Rate
1.5%
Unoccupied Dwellings
4.9%
Total Dwellings
306
Owner-Occupier Rate
92.6%
Houses
98.7%
Rental Stress
12.9%
Mortgage Stress
18.4%
Work From Home
15.5%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 88.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 92.6%
- Employment Rate
- 73.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 40.5%
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.
10 residents (0.9%) 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.
4.2% of residents (42) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (39).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,006 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
1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (9 of 604).
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
- Rural and farming 67%
- Other and special use 20%
- Residential 9%
- Parks and recreation 2%
- Infrastructure and transport 2%
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.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 24,137 homes
- Lots in approved subdivisions, not yet titled 136 homes
- Land zoned for housing, not yet subdivided 551 homes
- Land set aside, awaiting a precinct structure plan 23,450 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
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, 5.6 kmModerate rainfall — warm summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 418 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.
EV adoption
In postcode 3352, 81 of 19,154 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.5% (287 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3352, 3,568 rooftop-solar systems totalling 25.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 7,023 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 242 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.
12 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3352 in 2025-26, rank 77 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 131, in 2009-10.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
2 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 4 across postcode 3352.
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 $547,500 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 Martha Haylett Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Martha Haylett ALP | 53.0% | 53.0% | 47.0% |
| 2018 | Louise Staley LP | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% |
| 2014 | Louise Staley LP | 50.8% | 49.2% | 50.8% |
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 Cardigan?
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 1,064 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
Nearby suburbs
Alfredton VIC 3350
Wendouree VIC 3355
Lucas VIC 3350
Haddon VIC 3351
Cardigan Village VIC 3352
Mitchell Park VIC 3355
Compare Cardigan 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 Cardigan
Is Cardigan a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Cardigan is high (82/100, 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 Cardigan?
Cardigan has a low recorded bushfire history (23/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (36/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Cardigan a good place to live?
Cardigan has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (44/100), 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 Cardigan?
Cardigan, VIC had a population of 1,064 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Cardigan, VIC?
The postcode for Cardigan, VIC is 3352.
How far is Cardigan from Melbourne?
Cardigan is 132 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 98 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Cardigan?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Cardigan was $141,076 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 Cardigan?
The median advertised rent in Cardigan is $700 a week for houses (3 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Cardigan?
The median age of residents in Cardigan was 36 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Cardigan at risk of bushfire?
Cardigan has a low recorded bushfire history (23/100). 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.
What is the weather like in Cardigan?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Cardigan, Ballarat Aerodrome (5.6 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 Cardigan?
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 Cardigan belong to?
Cardigan sits within the Ballarat local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Cardigan?
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 Cardigan?
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 Cardigan in?
Cardigan sits within the federal Division of Ballarat, currently held by Catherine King (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
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.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.