Council (LGA) · Area profile
Hepburn
1,473 km²
Far from the city bustle, Hepburn is a sprawling rural district in Victoria known for its older population and high rainfall. The typical resident is 52, making it far older than most Australian areas, with nearly 30% of people aged 65 or over. This is a high-advantage community where many residents own their homes outright and have strong university qualifications. It is a quiet, car-dependent region where a large proportion of the workforce now works from home.
Modest local incomes, but the area's schools serve a more advantaged intake.
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The area is significantly older than the state and national average, with a typical age of 52 and a growing senior population. Children under 15 make up only 14.2%, which is well below the national figure of 18.2%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 14.0%, which is far below the Victorian average of 30.0%. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 87.4% of the community. Only 4.8% of people use another language at home, which is far below the state and national figures.
A majority of residents, 52.5%, report having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average and has risen 20 points since 2011.
This is a well-qualified community where 24.8% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. Over half of residents have completed Year 12, which is higher than in most similar areas.
Typical weekly household incomes are $1,281, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. However, the proportion of households earning over $3,000 a week has risen nearly 10 points since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 35.4% of people. Mental health conditions are also more frequent, at 11.2%.
Volunteering is more common here than in most areas, though the rate fell 6.6 points since 2011. Unpaid care for others is also relatively high at 14.9%.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is small, making up 1.1% of the community. First Nations residents have a high Year 12 completion rate of 45.2%, which is well above the national average.
Homes are smaller than average with 2.2 people per dwelling, consistent with the high number of people living alone (32.6%).
The area is dominated by separate houses, and 47.9% of homes are owned outright, which is far above the national figure. Renting is very uncommon, at just 14.7%.
Car use is essential here, as only 0.3% of people commute by public transport. Conversely, 24.9% of the workforce now works from home.
Migration is steady, with 33.0% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are much lower than in most other areas.
The workforce is smaller than in most similar areas, with 52.3% of adults working or looking for work. Health care and construction are the main industries.
The region is considered highly advantaged, scoring 8 out of 10 for overall advantage. It is particularly strong in education and job skills, ranking higher than 90% of similar areas.
The area is cooler and wetter than the state average, with annual rainfall of 741mm and a typical maximum temperature of 17.8°C.
Crime rates are very low across the board, with recorded offences per 100,000 people being much lower than in most areas.
The region is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.3. Many homes are far from basic amenities, with only 35.8% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.