West Wimmera

The area is far older than the national figure, with a typical age of 51 and a senior population that rose to 27% since 2011. The total population has shrunk by 5.8% over the last decade, losing about 245 people.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (6.7%) compared to the rest of the state. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, both at around 43%.

English is the dominant language, with 89.7% of people using it only. This means the area has a much lower rate of people using another language at home (2.4%) than most other parts of Australia.

About half of the community identifies as Christian, while 37.7% report no religion. The number of people with no religion has risen significantly by 16 points since 2011.

The area has a lower rate of Year 12 completion (36.7%) than the state and national figures. However, this has risen by 8.1 points since 2011, and those with bachelor degrees have also increased slightly.

Typical weekly household income is $1,207, which is well below the national figure. While incomes have risen since 2011, the area still has a lower proportion of high earners than most other regions.

More people here have long-term health conditions (32.8%) compared to the national average. Arthritis is the most common issue, and 6.7% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is very common here, with 33.6% of people helping out—a figure far above the national average. A high number of residents also provide unpaid care or do significant housework.

The First Nations community is small, with 46 people, but it is relatively older than the state average with a typical age of 37. About 8.7% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the state figure.

Homes here are smaller than usual, with only 2.2 people per household. Many people live alone (35.1%), and one-parent families are less common than in most other areas.

Most people live in separate houses, and 56.5% own their home outright, which is far above the national figure. Rent is much lower than the state average, typically costing just $140 a week.

The community is almost entirely dependent on cars, with 0% of people commuting by public transport. Most homes have at least two vehicles, and 21% of people work from home.

The population is very stable, as only 25.5% of people have moved in the last five years, which is far below the national figure. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas have risen to 16%.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the main industry, employing 45.1% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.2%, which is much lower than most other areas.

The area is generally viewed as having a high level of overall advantage, scoring 7 out of 10. This is supported by a workforce with strong job skills relative to other similar areas.

The climate is relatively mild, with an average maximum temperature of 21.0 degrees and annual rainfall around 531mm, which is about the same as the state average.

Crime is much lower here than in most other areas, particularly regarding drug offences and sexual offences. Theft is the most common reported offence type.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.2. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of shops, schools, or health services compared to the state average.