Towong

The area is far older than the state and national average, with 28.5% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 6.6 points since 2011. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 15.5% of the population, which is much lower than most areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (8.5%) compared to the national figure of 27.7%. Australian and English are the most common ancestries, both at around 41%.

English is the dominant language, with 88.6% of people using only English at home. This is far below the national average for language diversity, and only 0.2% of people speak little or no English.

About 48.6% of people identify as Christian, while 39.1% report no religion. The proportion of people with no religion rose 16 points since 2011, bringing it in line with the national figure.

Educational attainment is lower than the state and national averages, with only 38.5% of residents completing Year 12. However, this has risen 6.7 points since 2011, and 13.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Typical incomes are well below the national figures, with a typical household earning $1,282 a week. While this is lower than most areas, it represents a rise of $432 since 2011.

A higher proportion of the community lives with health challenges, as 34.1% of people have a long-term health condition. Arthritis (13.2%) and mental health (10.1%) are the most common reported conditions.

This is a highly active community where 27.9% of people volunteer, a figure far above the national average. It also has a high rate of unpaid carers (15.3%) and a stronger presence of former Defence Force members than most areas.

First Nations people make up 1.8% of the population. The community is notably older than the state average, with a typical age of 41, and 7.1% speak a First Nations language, which is higher than most Victorian areas.

Homes here are smaller than usual, with 2.2 people per home. This is consistent with the fact that 29.6% of people live alone, a figure well above the national average.

The landscape is dominated by separate houses (97.0%), and 49.9% of homes are owned outright, which is far above the national figure. Renting is uncommon here, with only 14.5% of households renting.

Car travel is essential, as only 0.2% of people commute by public transport. Very few homes lack a vehicle (2.5%), and 39.4% of households own two cars.

The population is relatively stable, with only 29.5% of people moving in the last five years, which is far below the national average of 40.7%.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the primary industries, employing 23.6% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.5%, which is lower than the national figure.

The area is ranked higher than 70% of all areas for overall advantage. However, population growth since 2021 has been very low at -0.5%, well below the state average.

Towong is much wetter and cooler than the rest of the state, with an average annual rainfall of 1,163mm, far exceeding the Victorian average of 510mm.

The area is very safe, with recorded offences and rates of theft and drug offences among the lowest in the country.

The community is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.2. Access to basics is limited, as only 41.5% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.