Bendigo

Residents are noticeably older than the national figure, with 21.3% aged 65 and over. This senior presence is much higher than in most other areas and has risen by 6.6 percentage points since 2011.

The area is far less diverse than the state average, with only 10.3% of people born overseas. This is a sharp drop from 2011, when the proportion of overseas-born residents was 33.8%.

English is the dominant language, with only 6.0% of people using another language at home. This is far below the Victorian average and represents a 33 percentage point fall since 2011.

Nearly half of the population (48.9%) reports having no religion, which is far above the national figure. This has become much more common since 2011, rising by 23 percentage points.

The area has fewer people with a bachelor degree or higher (21.5%) and fewer Year 12 graduates (49.2%) compared to the state. However, it has a much higher number of schools per 1,000 children than most similar areas.

Typical weekly household income is $1,433, which is a little below the national figure. While incomes have risen since 2011, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week remains much lower than in most areas.

Health challenges are more common here, with 34.4% of people having a long-term condition. Mental health conditions are particularly prevalent, affecting 12.3% of the population, which is well above the state average.

Bendigo has a strong spirit of service, with 16.8% of people volunteering. This is well above the state figure, and the area also has a higher rate of people providing unpaid care.

Living arrangements are diverse, with a high number of people living alone (29.2%) and a higher than usual rate of one-parent families (15.7%).

The housing landscape is dominated by separate houses (92.1%), and 37.1% of homes are owned outright. Renting is less common here than in the rest of the state, and typical weekly rents are much lower at $300.

Cars are essential for most, as only 0.8% of people commute by public transport. While there are many public transport stops, the drive time to the city is much higher than in most areas.

About 38.3% of residents moved into the area in the last five years. The proportion of recent arrivals from overseas has fallen since 2011, from 22.5% down to 13.0%.

The unemployment rate is 4.0%, which is a little below the national figure. However, the percentage of adults working or looking for work is lower than in most other areas.

While the area is considered somewhat walkable, many homes are far from essential services. For example, fewer than half of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, which is far below the state average.