Regional Australia is where the economic future lying

The City Report’s results are based on a tight set of government-produced statistics which allows for historical tracking, as well as timely updates. The performance of each location is measured against its own historic average. Consequently, the top locations identified in this report are not the ones with the lowest unemployment rates or the largest investment pipeline. Rather, they are the ones whose unemployment rate is furthest below their long-term average and where investment growth sits significantly above their long-term average. This location-based evidence is both timely and useful. Timely, because there has never been a more important time to understand the pre-COVID economic baseline and level of inclusivity. Useful, because policymakers and businesses steering the course to recovery, as well as people re-evaluating where to live, requires authoritative, consistent data from which to make informed decisions.

Lake Wendouree, City of Ballarat, Victoria. Source: Getty Images/Robin Smith

The City Report will be released twice a year, providing the most timely data available. A digital resource is being developed to provide access to all the underlying primary data and analysis.

The City Report. Source: The City Report