Southern Grampians

The community is aging, with the typical resident being 47 and a senior population of 25.8%, which is well above the national figure. About 34.1% of people live alone, a rate much higher than most similar areas.

The area is predominantly Australian-born, with 85.6% born here and only 7.7% born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures. The most common ancestries are Australian, English, Scottish, and Irish.

English is the primary language for 91.1% of the community. Only 3.0% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the national average.

About half of the population identifies as Christian, while 40.1% report no religion. The proportion of people with no religion has risen by 20 points since 2011.

Education levels are mixed, with 42.6% of residents completing Year 12, which is far below the national figure. However, 15.5% hold a bachelor degree or higher, a rate that has risen since 2011.

Typical weekly incomes are well below the national figure, with families earning $1,684 and households earning $1,261. However, the number of households earning over $3,000 a week rose by 7.3 points since 2011.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33.4% of people having a long-term health condition. Arthritis is the most reported condition, affecting 12.5% of the population.

Residents are highly active in their community, with 25.2% volunteering, a rate far above the national figure. Unpaid care is also common, with 14.1% of people providing support to others.

First Nations people make up 2.3% of the population. This group is noticeably younger than the general community, with a typical age of 20, and has an unemployment rate of 7.7%, which is well below the national figure.

Households tend to be small, with only 2.2 people per home. While couples with children make up 51.9% of families, there is a high number of single-person households.

Housing is dominated by detached houses, making up 93.5% of homes. Many residents have high security in their housing, as 46.0% own their home outright, far above the national figure.

Cars are essential here, as only 0.1% of people commute by public transport. While 15.0% of people work from home, the vast majority rely on driving to get to work.

The population is relatively stable, with 32.9% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals have fallen to 11.4% since 2011.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are major employers, making up 21.4% of jobs. The unemployment rate is very low at 2.9%, which is much lower than the national figure.

The area is generally well-off compared to similar regions, with an overall advantage score of 6. It has a strong base of 2,138 businesses but has seen very little population growth since 2021.

The climate is cooler than most of Victoria, with an average maximum temperature of 19.2 degrees. Annual rainfall is 606mm, which is slightly above the state average.

The area is very safe, with a recorded offence rate that is much lower than most areas. Robbery and motor vehicle theft are among the lowest in the country.

Daily needs are harder to reach on foot, as only 44.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries. This is far below the national figure, though 74.8% of homes are near a park.