Moving to Ararat VIC 3377
What the official numbers say about living in Ararat — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $380,000 for a median house or $302,500 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 90% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $250 a week, against a median household income of $1,216 a week.
About 71% of homes are owner-occupied and 27% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Ararat grew 5% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (8,076 → 8,500 people).
Around 63% of households are families, averaging 2.2 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, India; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Punjabi, Urdu.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Ararat scores below the national average (decile 2 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (85% of workers), while 7% work from home.
Nearest airport: Ararat Airport, 6.1 km south-east.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 189 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 7 schools · 9 cafes & restaurants · 3 supermarkets · 5 parks — see them all on the Ararat profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Marian College 650 m · Ararat Primary School 700 m · Ararat College 850 m · St Mary's Parish Primary School 850 m · Ararat West Primary School 1.1 km · Ararat North Primary School 1.3 km · Ararat Secondary College School Farm Campus 1.6 km
Groceries: Aldi 250 m · Ritchies IGA 250 m · Woolworths 300 m
Parks and reserves: Edith Cavell Reserve 400 m · Grump's Park 700 m · Emu Park 750 m · Gordon Street Oval 1.5 km · Smith Street Reserve 1.6 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Ararat, most often seen first: Australian Magpie · Eurasian Coot · Pacific Black Duck · Silver Gull · Red Wattlebird · Welcome Swallow.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Ararat, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ararat here | 8,500 | $380,000 | 2/10 | 21% |
| Stawell | 6,220 | $315,000 | 2/10 | 16% |
| Halls Gap | 495 | $620,500 | 6/10 | 61% |
| Beaufort | 1,712 | $380,000 | 2/10 | 34% |
| Avoca | 1,356 | $390,000 | 2/10 | 22% |
| Dunkeld | 688 | — | 6/10 | 7% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Ararat — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Wannon — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3377 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Ararat profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Ararat has a median sale price of $380,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $302,500. Renters pay a median $250 a week, and about 27% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 5% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 8,076 people to 8,500. It sits about 189 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line. Local government is Ararat council, and the federal seat is Wannon.
Weighing up alternatives?
Nearby guides: Stawell · Halls Gap · Beaufort · Avoca · Dunkeld.
Keep an eye on Ararat
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