suburb.guide

VIC · Ballarat Council

Cardigan, 3352

Est. population · Jun 2025

1,315

Growth (1 yr)

+3.7%

Growth (5 yr)

+34.2%

Median age

36

Median income

$2,713/wk

Employment rate

73.9%

Median house price · 4th Quarter 2025

$1,115,000

Languages at home

6.2%non-English

Most common: Sinhalese, Hindi, Italian

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

35.5/100
Below average

888th in VIC

Verified 81% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • National parks
  • Excellent transport
  • High desirability
What Cardigan is known for: Green suburb, National parks, Excellent transport, High desirability

Suburb profile

In Ballarat Council, Cardigan keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.

Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area. Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers.

Local crime has been trending higher of late. Light infill development is updating a few streets while the wider area stays largely unchanged.

Against similar regional towns, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities lag behind, despite relative strength in community and employment, plus growth momentum. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Cardigan snapshot

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

$1.11M

+17% change

Median rent

$430/wk

Population (ERP)

1,315

+3.7% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

4.7%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#34

among Country & regional · Growth area

Safety

65th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

96th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

9/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
35.5/100 — Below average
National rank
4580th in Australia
State rank
888th in VIC
Peer rank
#34 among Country & regional · Growth area suburbs
Cohort rank
#412 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
81%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

All types (Sep 2025 (council median))
$430
Median house price (4th Quarter 2025)
$1,115,000
Median price change
+17.4%

Median weekly rent from Victorian government rent reports. Council median fallback may apply where suburb rent is unavailable.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)

Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

1,315(June 2025)

+3.7% annual · +34.2% over 5 years · 96th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+3.7%
5-year growth
+34.2%
Change in 1 year
+47
Change in 5 years
+335
Growth rank in VIC
96th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~1,800), extrapolated at +6.6% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,064
Median age
36
Median household income / week
$2,713
Dwelling vacancy
4.7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
15 of 322
Median monthly mortgage
$2,167
Employment rate
73.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
302 / 0 / 0 (+ 4 other)

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Community & culture

No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
99
Against the person
6
Against property
86
Rate per 1,000 residents
75.3
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 177 residents
State safety percentile
65th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+28.6%

Most common offence types

  • B11 Cause Damage By Fire10
  • B21 Criminal Damage6
  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary17
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle11
  • B49 Other Theft30

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Public transport

1 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Chase Bvd/Dyson Dr

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Hollioake ParkPark
  • Mullawallah Wetlands Nature Conservation ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
18
Parks (OSM)
7

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)

Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Nearest hospital
Ballarat Day Procedure Centre (8.2 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
44
Participants per 1,000 residents
33.5

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
26° / 12°
Rainfall
128 mm · ~16 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
21° / 10°
Rainfall
124 mm · ~16 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 6°
Rainfall
149 mm · ~19 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 8°
Rainfall
182 mm · ~23 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).

21 planning-related records

2021· 8 proposals

  • July 2021

  • Staged multi-lot subdivision
    2 GLENO COURT CARDIGAN 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Seven lot subdivision, creation of access to a Road Zone Category 1 and variation to easement E-1 on LP142508
    16 REMEMBRANCE DRIVE CARDIGAN 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2021

  • Four lot subdivision and native vegetation removal
    5 GLENO COURT CARDIGAN 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Four lot subdivision
    217 BLIND CREEK ROAD CARDIGAN 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Subdivide land into three lots
    21 KURUC ROAD CARDIGAN 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • Two (2) lot subdivision and variation to building envelope for Lot 21 on PS547132G and removal of registered restrictive covenant in Instrument AH927033J
    197 BLIND CREEK ROAD CARDIGAN 3352Withdrawn

  • January 2021

  • Vary a restrictive covenant
    310 BLIND CREEK ROAD CARDIGAN 3352Refusal issued by a delegate
  • Development of a shed
    62 Kuruc RoadWithdrawn
2020· 13 proposals

  • December 2020

  • Construction of a dwelling
    34 Monument BoulevardPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • November 2020

  • Staged multi lot subdivision
    CA 2039 Blind Creek RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • October 2020

  • Construction of an outbuilding (shed)
    32 Monument BoulevardPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Four lot subdivision
    13 KURUC ROAD CARDIGAN 3352Permit issued by a delegate

  • July 2020

  • Staged multi lot subdivision
    3 McGrath CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2020

  • Development of promotional signs
    CA S1 Blind Creek RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of outbuilding
    13 Sierra DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • Staged subdivision of the land into 130 lots
    Lot S4 Remembrance DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2020

  • Earthworks associated with a dam
    Lot 2 Madden RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • Staged multi-lot subdivision
    2 Gleno CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Alterations and additions to a dwelling
    378 Blind Creek RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of an outbuilidng
    609 Cuthberts RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • Development of promotional signs
    CA S1 Blind Creek RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Bushfire hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Ballarat
Member of Parliament
Catherine KING (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
116,238
Turnout (2025)
93.3%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-2.3 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 39.3%Labor 60.7%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 8.0 km away).

Coalition 41.0%Labor 59.0%

1.6 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -3.6 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • LucasLabor 62.3% · Coalition 37.7% TPP (2025)3.4 km away
  • Cardigan VillageLabor 50.0% · Coalition 50.0% TPP (2025)4.0 km away
  • Alfredton WestLabor 62.4% · Coalition 37.6% TPP (2025)5.3 km away
  • HaddonLabor 53.1% · Coalition 46.9% TPP (2025)6.2 km away
  • AlfredtonLabor 58.9% · Coalition 41.1% TPP (2025)6.5 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
9/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Ballarat Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.