# Nhill vs Rainbow — 2021 Census comparison

Urban Centre comparison · about 57 km apart

Nhill and Rainbow (L) are both small Victorian towns, but they differ significantly in their makeup. Residents are far older in Rainbow (L), where the typical age is 57 compared to 46 in Nhill. Nhill has a more diverse population, with 16.6% of people using another language at home and 18.2% born overseas, compared to 6.0% and 9.7% in Rainbow (L). Housing also differs; homes are far more likely to be owned outright in Rainbow (L) at 58.1%, while renting is far more common in Nhill at 26.3%.

Both areas share a similar level of education, with exactly 12.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This common ground exists alongside differing trends; for example, the gap in typical ages has flipped since 2011, and the share of people born overseas is now well higher in Nhill. While both are far above the national figure for people aged 65 and over, Rainbow (L) is older, with 36.8% of its population in this group compared to 27.8% in Nhill.

## Where they differ most

- Limited English: 6.2 pts higher in Nhill
- Population: 1,462 larger in Nhill
- Median age: 11 yrs older in Rainbow
- PT commute: 0.6 pts higher in Nhill
- Unemployment: 6.6 pts higher in Rainbow

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 1,949 | 487 | 1,462 larger in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| Median age | 46 yrs | 57 yrs | 11 yrs older in Rainbow | gap widening |
| First Nations | 1.0% | 2.1% | 1.0 pts higher in Rainbow | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 27.8% | 36.8% | 9.0 pts higher in Rainbow | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 15.1% | 14.0% | 1.1 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| De facto | 9.4% | 8.7% | 0.7 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |

### Age structure

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Seniors (65+) | 27.8% | 36.8% | -9.0 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 23.4% | 24.6% | -1.2 |
| Young adults (25–44) | 23.2% | 19.1% | +4.1 |
| Children (0–14) | 15.1% | 14.0% | +1.1 |
| Youth (15–24) | 10.3% | 7.0% | +3.3 |

### Marital status

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 48.5% | 49.6% | -1.2 |
| Never married | 33.0% | 24.1% | +8.9 |
| Widowed | 9.1% | 12.8% | -3.6 |
| Divorced | 7.0% | 12.1% | -5.0 |
| Separated | 2.5% | 2.1% | +0.4 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Nhill male | Nhill female | Rainbow male | Rainbow female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.4% | 2.8% | 2.1% | 1.0% |
| 5–9 | 2.8% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 1.8% |
| 10–14 | 2.4% | 2.2% | 3.9% | 1.0% |
| 15–19 | 2.9% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 1.8% |
| 20–24 | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.8% | 0.0% |
| 25–29 | 3.8% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 1.2% |
| 30–34 | 3.1% | 3.7% | 1.8% | 2.9% |
| 35–39 | 2.8% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| 40–44 | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| 45–49 | 2.3% | 2.4% | 3.1% | 1.0% |
| 50–54 | 3.1% | 3.1% | 0.8% | 2.9% |
| 55–59 | 2.7% | 2.8% | 4.1% | 3.1% |
| 60–64 | 3.6% | 3.0% | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| 65–69 | 3.1% | 3.2% | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| 70–74 | 2.1% | 2.1% | 6.6% | 4.9% |
| 75–79 | 2.3% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 3.7% |
| 80–84 | 2.3% | 3.2% | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| 85+ | 2.4% | 4.2% | 2.3% | 4.5% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 18.2% | 9.7% | 8.6 pts higher in Nhill | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 73.5% | 79.3% | -5.7 |
| England | 1.5% | 2.1% | -0.5 |
| Philippines | 1.3% | 1.8% | -0.6 |
| India | 1.7% | 1.0% | +0.7 |
| New Zealand | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |
| South Africa | 0.7% | 0.0% | +0.7 |
| Vietnam | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.2 |
| Nepal | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.4 |
| China | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |
| Italy | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 37.0% | 47.0% | -10.0 |
| Australian | 35.1% | 35.7% | -0.6 |
| German | 12.4% | 16.4% | -4.0 |
| Irish | 6.4% | 9.2% | -2.8 |
| Scottish | 8.8% | 8.8% | 0.0 |
| Filipino | 1.4% | 1.8% | -0.4 |
| Indian | 1.5% | 0.8% | +0.7 |
| Italian | 1.1% | 1.4% | -0.4 |
| Dutch | 0.7% | 0.8% | -0.1 |
| Chinese | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.2 |
| Vietnamese | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |
| Greek | 0.2% | 0.0% | +0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 16.6% | 6.0% | 10.7 pts higher in Nhill | gap widening |
| Limited English | 6.2% | 0.0% | 6.2 pts higher in Nhill | gap widening |

### Language used at home

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 76.6% | 83.6% | -7.0 |
| Tagalog | 0.7% | 0.6% | +0.1 |
| Arabic | 0.0% | 0.6% | -0.6 |
| Vietnamese | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.3 |
| Greek | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |
| Mandarin | 0.2% | 0.0% | +0.2 |
| Punjabi | 0.2% | 0.0% | +0.2 |
| Cantonese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Italian | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Hindi | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 31.1% | 34.1% | 2.9 pts higher in Rainbow | gap steady |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 55.6% | 51.7% | +3.9 |
| No religion | 31.1% | 34.1% | -2.9 |
| Not stated | 7.8% | 11.9% | -4.1 |
| Buddhism | 3.3% | 0.8% | +2.5 |
| Hinduism | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |
| Other religions | 0.5% | 0.8% | -0.4 |
| Islam | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.4 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 34.7% | 37.9% | 3.2 pts higher in Rainbow | gap narrowing |
| Bachelor+ | 12.3% | 12.3% |  | gap narrowing |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 34.7% | 37.9% | -3.2 |
| Year 9 or below | 23.5% | 16.6% | +6.9 |
| Year 10 | 17.3% | 17.8% | -0.6 |
| Year 11 | 14.8% | 14.7% | +0.1 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 36.1% | 36.8% | -0.7 |
| Bachelor degree | 17.9% | 17.7% | +0.2 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 12.0% | 11.4% | +0.7 |
| Certificate I / II | 4.2% | 1.8% | +2.4 |
| Postgraduate degree | 3.5% | 3.6% | -0.2 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 3.0% | 2.3% | +0.7 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health | 14.4% | 15.0% | -0.6 |
| Engineering & related | 13.0% | 8.6% | +4.4 |
| Society & culture | 11.9% | 12.7% | -0.8 |
| Education | 7.6% | 11.4% | -3.7 |
| Management & commerce | 10.6% | 6.8% | +3.8 |
| Agriculture & environment | 5.8% | 8.2% | -2.3 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.8% | 7.7% | -1.9 |
| Architecture & building | 4.3% | 3.2% | +1.1 |
| Creative arts | 2.0% | 4.1% | -2.1 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 1.8% | 1.4% | +0.4 |
| Information technology | 1.4% | 0.0% | +1.4 |

## Income

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $673 | $562 | $111 higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| Household income | $1,202 | $887 | $315 higher in Nhill | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,562 | $1,312 | $250 higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| High earners | 4.5% | 3.3% | 1.2 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| High-income homes | 8.6% | 3.2% | 5.5 pts higher in Nhill | gap steady |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 32.1% | 41.4% | -9.3 |
| Under $650 | 23.0% | 31.1% | -8.1 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 28.2% | 19.8% | +8.4 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 4.4% | 0.0% | +4.4 |
| $4,000 or more | 4.2% | 3.2% | +1.0 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 44.2% | 48.5% | -4.2 |
| $650–$1,499 | 36.3% | 30.5% | +5.8 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 9.6% | 5.7% | +3.9 |
| $3,000 or more | 1.3% | 1.4% | -0.1 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 34.7% | 40.9% | 6.2 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Mental health | 8.9% | 12.5% | 3.6 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Needs assistance | 8.9% | 10.5% | 1.6 pts higher in Rainbow | gap narrowing |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 13.5% | 16.6% | -3.1 |
| Mental health | 8.9% | 12.5% | -3.6 |
| Asthma | 8.9% | 11.5% | -2.6 |
| Other condition | 8.5% | 9.2% | -0.8 |
| Diabetes | 7.0% | 8.6% | -1.6 |
| Heart disease | 5.6% | 6.6% | -0.9 |
| Cancer | 4.2% | 3.3% | +0.9 |
| Lung condition | 2.7% | 3.9% | -1.2 |
| Stroke | 1.5% | 1.8% | -0.3 |
| Dementia | 1.8% | 1.2% | +0.6 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 57.4% | 48.0% | +9.3 |
| One condition | 21.4% | 22.0% | -0.5 |
| Two conditions | 7.5% | 10.7% | -3.2 |
| Three or more | 5.3% | 7.8% | -2.5 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 26.1% | 31.0% | 4.8 pts higher in Rainbow | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 13.9% | 15.8% | 1.9 pts higher in Rainbow | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 19.1% | 15.4% | 3.8 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| Defence service | 2.9% | 4.5% | 1.6 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 22.6% | 25.8% | 3.1 pts higher in Rainbow | gap narrowing |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.2 | 2.0 | 0.2 larger in Nhill | gap widening |
| One-parent | 12.4% | 11.5% | 0.9 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| Living alone | 34.3% | 41.4% | 7.2 pts higher in Rainbow | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 51.2% | 43.3% | +7.8 |
| Couples without children | 33.6% | 44.2% | -10.6 |
| One-parent families | 12.4% | 11.5% | +0.9 |
| Other families | 2.2% | 0.9% | +1.3 |

### Household size

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 person | 34.3% | 41.4% | -7.2 |
| 2 people | 37.1% | 38.7% | -1.7 |
| 3 people | 11.9% | 10.8% | +1.1 |
| 4 people | 10.4% | 4.5% | +5.9 |
| 5 people | 4.4% | 4.5% | -0.1 |
| 6 or more | 2.8% | 0.0% | +2.8 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $200 | $100 | $100 higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $766 | $510 | $256 higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.70 | 0.10 higher in Nhill | gap widening |
| Renting | 26.3% | 13.5% | 12.8 pts higher in Nhill | gap widening |
| Owned outright | 43.3% | 58.1% | 14.8 pts higher in Rainbow | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 91.6% | 94.1% | 2.5 pts higher in Rainbow | gap steady |
| 3+ bedrooms | 75.5% | 75.2% | 0.3 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 43.3% | 58.1% | -14.8 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 27.5% | 25.2% | +2.3 |
| Rented | 26.3% | 13.5% | +12.8 |
| Other tenure | 1.5% | 4.5% | -3.0 |
| Not stated | 2.0% | 0.0% | +2.0 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 91.6% | 94.1% | -2.5 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 7.4% | 4.1% | +3.3 |
| Other dwelling | 0.0% | 2.7% | -2.7 |
| Flat or apartment | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 56.9% | 54.1% | +2.8 |
| 2 bedrooms | 18.1% | 20.3% | -2.1 |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.9% | 19.8% | -4.0 |
| 1 bedroom | 4.2% | 4.5% | -0.3 |
| 5 or more | 2.8% | 1.4% | +1.4 |
| Studio / none | 0.4% | 0.0% | +0.4 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $200 | 46.9% | 53.3% | -6.5 |
| $200–$349 | 46.9% | 10.0% | +36.9 |
| $750 or more | 2.9% | 0.0% | +2.9 |
| $350–$549 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| $550–$749 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $1,000 | 60.8% | 67.9% | -7.0 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 25.8% | 16.1% | +9.7 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 4.6% | 0.0% | +4.6 |
| $3,000 or more | 1.8% | 0.0% | +1.8 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 7.2% | 4.5% | 2.7 pts higher in Nhill | gap steady |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 4.9% | 0.2 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |
| PT commute | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.6 pts higher in Nhill | gap steady |

### How people get to work

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 66.0% | 57.3% | +8.6 |
| Walked | 10.2% | 18.3% | -8.1 |
| Car (passenger) | 5.4% | 3.0% | +2.4 |
| Worked at home | 5.0% | 4.9% | +0.2 |
| Bicycle | 1.3% | 0.0% | +1.3 |
| Bus | 0.6% | 0.0% | +0.6 |
| Train | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 37.7% | 33.8% | +3.9 |
| 2 vehicles | 36.5% | 34.7% | +1.8 |
| 3 vehicles | 13.0% | 19.4% | -6.3 |
| 4 or more | 6.6% | 9.5% | -2.9 |
| No vehicle | 7.2% | 4.5% | +2.7 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 36.6% | 25.4% | 11.2 pts higher in Nhill | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 15.5% | 14.9% | 0.6 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 9.4% | 6.6 pts higher in Rainbow | gap narrowing |
| Participation | 53.3% | 42.8% | 10.5 pts higher in Nhill | gap steady |
| Full-time | 61.2% | 57.3% | 3.8 pts higher in Nhill | gap narrowing |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 23.2% | 15.2% | +8.0 |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 15.3% | 17.1% | -1.8 |
| Retail trade | 6.9% | 10.4% | -3.4 |
| Education & training | 9.4% | 10.4% | -1.0 |
| Manufacturing | 8.9% | 3.0% | +5.9 |
| Transport & warehousing | 6.1% | 7.9% | -1.8 |
| Public administration & safety | 5.3% | 6.7% | -1.4 |
| Construction | 6.0% | 4.3% | +1.7 |
| Administrative & support | 3.2% | 5.5% | -2.3 |
| Electricity, gas & water | 0.5% | 4.3% | -3.8 |
| Other services | 4.1% | 1.8% | +2.3 |
| Accommodation & food | 3.3% | 3.0% | +0.2 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Nhill % | Rainbow % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Labourers | 22.9% | 11.6% | +11.3 |
| Professionals | 15.3% | 19.5% | -4.3 |
| Managers | 13.7% | 18.9% | -5.2 |
| Community & personal service | 11.4% | 13.4% | -2.0 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 9.0% | 12.2% | -3.2 |
| Technicians & trades | 11.0% | 4.3% | +6.8 |
| Clerical & administrative | 8.3% | 9.8% | -1.4 |
| Sales workers | 6.2% | 4.3% | +2.0 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Nhill | Rainbow | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.6 | 7.7 | 1.1 higher in Rainbow |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 7.4 | 7.9 | 0.6 more in Rainbow |  |
| 15-min city | 93.2% | 99.3% | 6.1 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Walk to shops | 96.1% | 99.3% | 3.3 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Walk to transit | 59.3% | 95.5% | 36.2 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Walk to school | 96.8% | 97.8% | 1.0 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Walk to a park | 98.3% | 100.0% | 1.7 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Walk to health | 93.7% | 99.6% | 5.9 pts higher in Rainbow |  |
| Amenities/1k | 25.7 | 65.7 | 40.1 more in Rainbow |  |
| Intersections/km² | 76 | 70 | 6 higher in Nhill |  |
| Mean slope | 3.2% | 3.8% | 0.5 pts higher in Rainbow |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ucl/UCL215064/nhill/vs/UCL222077/rainbow