Population Growth
In 2001, the total population of the municipality was estimated at 83,599 based on census data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The current population (2006) is estimated at 88,137 people and over the next 15 years, it is forecast that the population will increase by approximately 1,013 people/year, which equates to a nett annual growth rate of +1.12%.
In 2006, it is estimated that there are 34,852 households in the City of Ballarat, with an average household size of 2.44. Household types vary considerably, with the most common family unit being a couple with children (51%), followed by couples without children (20%), single parent families (14%), single person households (11%), and group households (4%).
When considering the age break-up of the population, the data demonstrates that a relatively high proportion of people are aged less than 45 years; with the highest number of people occurring in the 15 – 19 year old age group. The median age of all people living in Ballarat is 34 years.