Council (LGA) · Area profile
Bass Coast
866 km²
Daily life in Bass Coast is shaped by a maturing population and a strong preference for independent living. The typical resident is 51, making the area far older than the state and national averages. This shift is reflected in the high number of seniors and a growing trend toward people living alone. With a population that has grown 38% since 2011, the community is expanding while remaining predominantly residential and relaxed in pace.
Bass Coast's schools draw a more advantaged community than local incomes would suggest.
A fast-growing area where schools haven't kept pace per child.
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This is a far older community than most, with 29.5% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 5.8 points since 2011. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 15.1%, which is well below the national average.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a strong English and Australian ancestry. While 15.1% of people were born overseas, this is far below the Victorian average of 30%.
English is the dominant language, with 88.2% of people using it only. Only 5.1% of residents use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
The area has seen a significant shift away from religion, with the proportion of people reporting no religion rising 20 points since 2011 to reach 50.1%.
More adults here hold a bachelor degree or higher than in most similar areas, though this is still well below the national average. Year 12 completion rose 9 points since 2011 to 44.5%.
Typical incomes are much lower than the state and national figures, with a typical weekly household income of $1,163. However, the number of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose 7.2 points since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 35.8% of people. Consequently, the rate of people needing help with daily activities is higher than the national average.
Volunteering is more common than the national average at 17.7%, although this fell 4.8 points since 2011. Unpaid care is also a key feature, with 14.6% of people providing such support.
The First Nations community is small, with a typical personal income of $528. Notably, the unemployment rate for this group is among the lowest for similar areas at 3.4%.
Homes tend to be smaller than usual, with 2.2 people per household. This is consistent with the fact that 32.1% of people live alone, which is well above the national average.
The area is dominated by separate houses, with 91.4% of dwellings being detached. Home ownership is very high, as 46.7% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure.
Cars are essential here, as only 0.3% of people commute by public transport and 95.8% of homes own at least one vehicle. Working from home rose 10 points since 2011 to 17%.
The area is experiencing high mobility, with 43.5% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have fallen 4.3 points since 2011 to 5%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 49.5%. Full-time employment is also far below the national average, falling 8.3 points since 2011.
The region is growing quickly, with a population increase of 9.1% since 2021, which is a little above the state average. It generally scores above the middle for overall advantage.
The climate is wet and cool, with average annual rainfall of 1,013mm, which is far above the Victorian average of 510mm.
The overall crime rate is lower than most areas, though burglary rates are higher. Drug and motor vehicle theft rates are much lower than usual.
The area has low walkability, as only 41.3% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of key amenities. Access to health services and schools by walking is far below the state average.