# Nicholson vs Paynesville — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 11 km apart

Paynesville and Nicholson are nearby towns in East Gippsland with very different profiles. Paynesville is far older, with a typical resident aged 62 and 45.8% of the population aged 65 or over. This high proportion of seniors is consistent with more people living alone (34.0%) and a far higher share of residents with long-term health conditions (46.3%). Paynesville is also more walkable (somewhat walkable), with far more homes within a 15-minute walk of parks, schools and health services. In contrast, Nicholson is car-dependent and has a younger population, with 17.7% children under 15 and a much higher share of couples with children (54.1%).

Everyday life in both places shares many similarities, such as having the same typical weekly rent of around $300 and nearly identical rates of volunteering. Both areas also have similar proportions of people using other languages at home and similar numbers of public transport stops. While they share these basics, they differ in their workforce, with adults working or looking for work far more common in Nicholson (57.8%) than in Paynesville (38.2%).

## Where they differ most

- Population: 2,314 larger in Paynesville
- Median age: 15 yrs older in Paynesville
- Aged 65+: 20.3 pts higher in Paynesville
- Participation: 19.6 pts higher in Nicholson
- PT commute: 0.7 pts higher in Nicholson

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 1,322 | 3,636 | 2,314 larger in Paynesville | gap steady |
| Median age | 47 yrs | 62 yrs | 15 yrs older in Paynesville | gap widening |
| First Nations | 1.2% | 1.3% | 0.1 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 25.5% | 45.8% | 20.3 pts higher in Paynesville | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 17.7% | 10.0% | 7.7 pts higher in Nicholson | gap widening |
| De facto | 13.1% | 12.3% | 0.7 pts higher in Nicholson | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Seniors (65+) | 25.5% | 45.8% | -20.3 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 27.4% | 26.5% | +0.9 |
| Young adults (25–44) | 19.8% | 11.9% | +7.9 |
| Children (0–14) | 17.7% | 10.0% | +7.7 |
| Youth (15–24) | 9.8% | 5.7% | +4.1 |

### Marital status

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 52.5% | 51.9% | +0.6 |
| Never married | 27.5% | 19.9% | +7.7 |
| Divorced | 10.8% | 14.3% | -3.4 |
| Widowed | 5.9% | 10.5% | -4.6 |
| Separated | 3.1% | 3.5% | -0.3 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Nicholson male | Nicholson female | Paynesville male | Paynesville female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1.2% | 1.6% |
| 5–9 | 3.5% | 2.8% | 1.6% | 2.1% |
| 10–14 | 2.9% | 3.1% | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| 15–19 | 3.2% | 2.5% | 1.4% | 1.6% |
| 20–24 | 1.6% | 2.8% | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| 25–29 | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| 30–34 | 2.6% | 3.1% | 1.3% | 1.7% |
| 35–39 | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| 40–44 | 2.5% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 1.8% |
| 45–49 | 3.4% | 2.6% | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| 50–54 | 2.7% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| 55–59 | 3.1% | 3.7% | 3.2% | 4.4% |
| 60–64 | 4.8% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 5.0% |
| 65–69 | 4.0% | 3.4% | 5.4% | 5.9% |
| 70–74 | 4.1% | 4.2% | 6.8% | 6.5% |
| 75–79 | 2.2% | 2.6% | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| 80–84 | 1.3% | 1.6% | 3.3% | 3.0% |
| 85+ | 1.6% | 0.7% | 2.3% | 3.1% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 10.8% | 16.5% | 5.7 pts higher in Paynesville | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 84.0% | 78.6% | +5.4 |
| England | 4.0% | 7.0% | -3.0 |
| New Zealand | 0.9% | 1.6% | -0.7 |
| Philippines | 0.5% | 0.5% | +0.0 |
| India | 0.2% | 0.5% | -0.3 |
| Italy | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |
| South Africa | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.0 |
| China | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |
| Nepal | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |
| Vietnam | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 46.7% | 50.5% | -3.7 |
| Australian | 44.1% | 37.0% | +7.1 |
| Scottish | 11.8% | 14.7% | -2.9 |
| Irish | 10.3% | 12.5% | -2.2 |
| German | 4.2% | 4.9% | -0.7 |
| Dutch | 3.2% | 2.4% | +0.8 |
| Italian | 2.0% | 1.6% | +0.4 |
| Filipino | 1.0% | 0.8% | +0.2 |
| Chinese | 0.3% | 0.7% | -0.4 |
| Indian | 0.2% | 0.6% | -0.3 |
| Greek | 0.2% | 0.5% | -0.3 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 3.2% | 3.0% | 0.2 pts higher in Nicholson | gap steady |
| Limited English | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.1 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 92.8% | 93.7% | -0.9 |
| Punjabi | 0.5% | 0.1% | +0.3 |
| Italian | 0.4% | 0.1% | +0.3 |
| Mandarin | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0 |
| Tagalog | 0.2% | 0.1% | +0.1 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |
| Arabic | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |
| Cantonese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Greek | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Hindi | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 57.6% | 47.1% | 10.5 pts higher in Nicholson | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 57.6% | 47.1% | +10.5 |
| Christianity | 36.3% | 46.2% | -9.9 |
| Not stated | 5.3% | 5.6% | -0.3 |
| Other religions | 0.8% | 0.3% | +0.6 |
| Buddhism | 0.0% | 0.4% | -0.4 |
| Hinduism | 0.0% | 0.4% | -0.4 |
| Islam | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 41.8% | 40.1% | 1.7 pts higher in Nicholson | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 12.9% | 14.7% | 1.8 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |
| Schools/1k kids | 4.27 | 2.75 | 1.52 more in Nicholson |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 1 | 2 | 1 more in Paynesville |  |
| Avg size | 70 | 130 | 60 larger in Paynesville |  |
| ICSEA | 948 | 979 | 31 higher in Paynesville |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 41.8% | 40.1% | +1.7 |
| Year 10 | 23.9% | 25.2% | -1.3 |
| Year 11 | 15.9% | 16.7% | -0.8 |
| Year 9 or below | 13.6% | 12.4% | +1.3 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 45.1% | 35.8% | +9.4 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 17.5% | 19.6% | -2.1 |
| Bachelor degree | 16.1% | 16.3% | -0.3 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 3.2% | 4.4% | -1.2 |
| Postgraduate degree | 3.0% | 4.3% | -1.3 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.7% | 2.0% | -0.2 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Engineering & related | 18.1% | 17.3% | +0.9 |
| Management & commerce | 11.5% | 14.4% | -2.9 |
| Health | 9.0% | 13.3% | -4.3 |
| Society & culture | 11.5% | 9.2% | +2.3 |
| Education | 10.9% | 11.0% | -0.1 |
| Architecture & building | 8.7% | 7.5% | +1.2 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 6.2% | 5.6% | +0.6 |
| Agriculture & environment | 3.3% | 2.8% | +0.5 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 3.0% | 1.4% | +1.6 |
| Creative arts | 2.2% | 2.7% | -0.5 |
| Information technology | 2.2% | 1.0% | +1.2 |

## Income

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $667 | $561 | $106 higher in Nicholson | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,390 | $987 | $403 higher in Nicholson | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,657 | $1,284 | $373 higher in Nicholson | gap widening |
| High earners | 5.5% | 5.9% | 0.4 pts higher in Paynesville | gap narrowing |
| High-income homes | 13.2% | 8.2% | 4.9 pts higher in Nicholson | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 29.4% | 39.1% | -9.7 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 27.9% | 20.6% | +7.4 |
| Under $650 | 18.0% | 24.8% | -6.8 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 6.9% | 4.0% | +2.9 |
| $4,000 or more | 6.3% | 4.2% | +2.1 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 44.9% | 51.9% | -7.0 |
| $650–$1,499 | 33.1% | 28.3% | +4.9 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 12.9% | 9.1% | +3.9 |
| $3,000 or more | 1.3% | 2.2% | -0.9 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 33.7% | 46.3% | 12.7 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Mental health | 8.9% | 12.4% | 3.5 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Needs assistance | 6.0% | 10.3% | 4.3 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 12.6% | 18.2% | -5.6 |
| Mental health | 8.9% | 12.4% | -3.5 |
| Other condition | 7.6% | 11.7% | -4.1 |
| Asthma | 9.3% | 9.8% | -0.5 |
| Heart disease | 6.2% | 9.4% | -3.2 |
| Diabetes | 4.5% | 6.9% | -2.5 |
| Cancer | 4.5% | 6.5% | -2.0 |
| Lung condition | 2.8% | 4.5% | -1.7 |
| Stroke | 0.8% | 2.3% | -1.5 |
| Dementia | 0.5% | 1.5% | -1.1 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 59.6% | 47.8% | +11.8 |
| One condition | 21.2% | 28.5% | -7.3 |
| Two conditions | 8.9% | 11.4% | -2.6 |
| Three or more | 3.7% | 6.4% | -2.6 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 17.4% | 18.3% | 1.0 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 14.6% | 15.6% | 1.0 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 29.4% | 15.5% | 13.9 pts higher in Nicholson | gap widening |
| Defence service | 4.1% | 6.0% | 1.9 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 28.1% | 27.5% | 0.6 pts higher in Nicholson | gap narrowing |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 16 | 48 | 32 larger in Paynesville |  |
| Median age | 16 yrs | 23 yrs | 7 yrs older in Paynesville |  |
| Year 12 | — | 33.3% |  |  |
| Unemployment | — | 0.0% |  |  |
| Median income | $483 | $725 | $242 higher in Paynesville |  |
| Household income | $2,250 | $1,625 | $625 higher in Nicholson |  |
| Indigenous language | — | 0.0% |  |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 larger in Nicholson | gap widening |
| One-parent | 10.0% | 12.7% | 2.7 pts higher in Paynesville | gap widening |
| Living alone | 23.1% | 34.0% | 10.9 pts higher in Paynesville | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples without children | 35.3% | 55.3% | -20.0 |
| Couples with children | 54.1% | 31.6% | +22.5 |
| One-parent families | 10.0% | 12.7% | -2.7 |
| Other families | 0.7% | 0.7% | +0.0 |

### Household size

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 39.3% | 47.5% | -8.2 |
| 1 person | 23.1% | 34.0% | -10.9 |
| 3 people | 13.8% | 9.2% | +4.5 |
| 4 people | 13.8% | 5.9% | +7.9 |
| 5 people | 7.1% | 2.4% | +4.7 |
| 6 or more | 3.0% | 1.0% | +2.0 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $300 | $310 | $10 higher in Paynesville | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $1,733 | $1,225 | $508 higher in Nicholson | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.70 | 0.70 |  | gap narrowing |
| Renting | 7.5% | 21.2% | 13.7 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |
| Owned outright | 50.2% | 56.9% | 6.7 pts higher in Paynesville | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 93.1% | 85.9% | 7.2 pts higher in Nicholson | gap narrowing |
| 3+ bedrooms | 81.2% | 75.0% | 6.2 pts higher in Nicholson | gap narrowing |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 50.2% | 56.9% | -6.7 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 39.3% | 19.4% | +19.9 |
| Rented | 7.5% | 21.2% | -13.7 |
| Not stated | 2.6% | 2.0% | +0.6 |
| Other tenure | 0.8% | 0.6% | +0.2 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 93.1% | 85.9% | +7.2 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 0.0% | 11.3% | -11.3 |
| Other dwelling | 6.3% | 1.9% | +4.4 |
| Flat or apartment | 0.0% | 1.2% | -1.2 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 38.1% | 53.1% | -15.1 |
| 4 bedrooms | 36.8% | 19.7% | +17.1 |
| 2 bedrooms | 10.7% | 20.8% | -10.1 |
| 5 or more | 6.3% | 2.2% | +4.1 |
| 1 bedroom | 4.9% | 2.6% | +2.3 |
| Studio / none | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $200–$349 | 54.1% | 50.7% | +3.3 |
| $350–$549 | 29.7% | 31.2% | -1.4 |
| Under $200 | 18.9% | 9.9% | +9.0 |
| $550–$749 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| $750 or more | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 40.7% | 41.0% | -0.3 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 34.5% | 13.9% | +20.6 |
| Under $1,000 | 17.5% | 33.6% | -16.1 |
| $3,000 or more | 6.2% | 3.7% | +2.5 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 1.8% | 3.4% | 1.6 pts higher in Paynesville | gap narrowing |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 13.7% | 2.0 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |
| PT commute | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.7 pts higher in Nicholson | gap steady |
| PT stops | 3 | 3 |  |  |
| Stops/1k | 2.27 | 0.83 | 1.44 more in Nicholson |  |
| Departures/1k | 62.0 | 31.4 | 30.7 more in Nicholson |  |
| PT routes | 3 | 2 | 1 more in Nicholson |  |
| Stop walk | 30 | 7 | 23 longer in Nicholson |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 70.6% | 65.5% | +5.1 |
| Worked at home | 11.7% | 13.7% | -2.0 |
| Car (passenger) | 4.1% | 3.2% | +0.9 |
| Walked | 1.8% | 2.0% | -0.2 |
| Bus | 0.7% | 0.0% | +0.7 |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.3% | -0.3 |
| Train | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 43.2% | 40.1% | +3.2 |
| 1 vehicle | 19.3% | 40.4% | -21.1 |
| 3 vehicles | 18.4% | 11.5% | +6.9 |
| 4 or more | 16.4% | 4.8% | +11.5 |
| No vehicle | 1.8% | 3.4% | -1.6 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 39.7% | 42.4% | 2.7 pts higher in Paynesville | gap narrowing |
| Recent arrivals | 8.4% | 3.2% | 5.2 pts higher in Nicholson | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 5.0% | 0.9 pts higher in Paynesville | gap steady |
| Participation | 57.8% | 38.2% | 19.6 pts higher in Nicholson | gap widening |
| Full-time | 56.4% | 48.5% | 7.9 pts higher in Nicholson | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 14.5% | 21.3% | -6.8 |
| Construction | 13.2% | 8.4% | +4.8 |
| Retail trade | 8.3% | 13.1% | -4.8 |
| Education & training | 8.8% | 9.3% | -0.5 |
| Manufacturing | 7.1% | 7.7% | -0.6 |
| Accommodation & food | 6.4% | 7.7% | -1.3 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.8% | 5.2% | +1.6 |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 6.0% | 1.1% | +4.9 |
| Professional & technical | 2.8% | 4.6% | -1.8 |
| Transport & warehousing | 4.5% | 3.4% | +1.1 |
| Administrative & support | 3.8% | 2.8% | +1.0 |
| Other services | 3.8% | 3.1% | +0.7 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Nicholson % | Paynesville % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 14.0% | 17.6% | -3.5 |
| Community & personal service | 13.2% | 15.2% | -2.0 |
| Technicians & trades | 15.0% | 14.2% | +0.8 |
| Labourers | 13.4% | 10.4% | +3.0 |
| Managers | 12.2% | 12.5% | -0.3 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.4% | 11.7% | +0.7 |
| Sales workers | 8.9% | 10.9% | -2.0 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 6.6% | 5.2% | +1.5 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Nicholson | Paynesville | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 1.3 | 4.0 | 2.8 higher in Paynesville |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 1.2 | 4.4 | 3.1 more in Paynesville |  |
| 15-min city | 19.8% | 42.5% | 22.7 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Walk to shops | 23.2% | 42.2% | 19.0 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Walk to transit | 15.1% | 41.3% | 26.2 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Walk to school | 12.7% | 69.3% | 56.6 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Walk to a park | 19.8% | 87.6% | 67.8 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Walk to health | 0.0% | 32.1% | 32.1 pts higher in Paynesville |  |
| Amenities/1k | 9.1 | 9.6 | 0.5 more in Paynesville |  |
| Intersections/km² | 1 | 50 | 49 higher in Paynesville |  |
| Mean slope | 6.9% | 3.6% | 3.3 pts higher in Nicholson |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL21941/nicholson/vs/SAL22049/paynesville