Ararat

The area is far older than the state and national averages, with 24.7% of people aged 65 and over. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 15.2% of the population, a figure that has fallen since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with overseas roots predominantly list English, Scottish, or Irish ancestry. Only 11.3% of people were born overseas, which is far below the Victorian average of 30%.

English is the dominant language here, with only 5% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%, although the use of other languages has risen slightly since 2011.

A large portion of the community reports no religion at 44.6%, which is well above the national average. This figure has risen sharply by 19 percentage points since 2011.

Schooling levels are lower than most areas, with only 37.5% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the Victorian average of 61.8%, though the number of people with a bachelor degree has risen since 2011.

Incomes are generally lower than the national average, with a typical family earning $1,651 a week. Only 10.4% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the state figure.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33.9% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national average, and 7.8% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is more common here than in the rest of the state, with 19% of people pitching in. However, the proportion of people caring for children unpaid is well below the national average.

The First Nations community is smaller than in most similar areas, and the typical age is 30, which is noticeably older than the national figure of 24. Notably, the unemployment rate for this group is 0.0%.

Homes tend to be smaller in occupancy, with only 2.2 people per home, which is lower than most areas. A high number of people live alone, accounting for 32.4% of households.

Detached houses are the norm for 92% of residents, and 44.2% of homes are owned outright. This is far above the national figure, while typical weekly rents are well below the state average at $245.

Driving is the primary way to get around, as only 0.5% of people use public transport for commuting. While there are many bus stops relative to the population, the walk to the nearest one is longer than in most areas.

The community is relatively stable, with 31.8% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national average. However, recent arrivals from overseas are well above the state average.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work here compared to most areas, at 51.1%. The local economy relies heavily on health care, social assistance, and agriculture.

Overall advantage is lower than in about 60% of similar areas. Population growth since 2021 has been slightly negative, falling by 0.8% while the rest of Victoria grew by 8%.

The area is slightly wetter than the Victorian average with 565mm of annual rainfall. However, both the average maximum and minimum temperatures are much lower than in most other areas.

Theft and burglary rates are much higher than in most areas. Conversely, motor vehicle theft is much lower than the national average.

The area is considered somewhat walkable, but many homes are far from basic needs; for example, only 52.1% of residents can walk to groceries within 15 minutes.