Question 1

Is Ballan a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Ballan is a historic country town on the Werribee River, framed by farmland and rolling hills. Its compact main street of Victorian-era bluestone buildings, independent shops, cafés and a long-standing pub gives the town a clear village heart. Housing ranges from period cottages and weatherboard homes to larger rural residential blocks, and the community of 3,392 people has a median age of 43 and a typical household income of $1,560 a week. Households are dominated by couple families, and most homes are owner-occupied.

Local life revolves around sporting clubs, community facilities and outdoor recreation along the river and nearby bush reserves, and a regional rail service connects Ballan with Ballarat and the city. Recent public investment has delivered a new library and community hub, upgrades to the recreation and town-centre reserves, and station improvements, while council planning and a cycling hub study point to further local planning. That mix tends to suit people wanting an established country town with village amenities and rail links; whether it fits you depends on what you value in a place to live.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Ballan?

Accepted Answer

On these figures, renting a house in Ballan would take a sizeable share of local incomes at the last Census. The average house rent of $490 a week is about 31.4% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, roughly a third. Buying is much more stretched: the median house price of $690,000 is about 8.5 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, which sits well above local incomes, so purchasing looks considerably more stretched against those earnings than renting does.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Question 3

Is Ballan a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

Unit values in Ballan rose 24.1% over the past 12 months, a strong increase in what a unit is worth. House values also climbed, up 9.3% over the year, a solid gain, while house rents increased 8.9%, another solid rise. In short, unit capital growth outpaced house capital growth this year, and if rental income is your priority the 8.9% rise in house rents is the figure that speaks to income; whether that mix suits your plans is for you to weigh up.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	$690K	N/A
Change in value Past 12 months	9.3%	24.1%
Sold Past 3 months	17	4
Median days on market Past 12 months	53	N/A
Average rent Past 12 months	$490	N/A
Change in rent Past 12 months	8.9%	N/A

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