Council (LGA) · Area profile
Victor Harbor
385 km²
A far older population than the rest of the country defines Victor Harbor, where the typical resident is 60. This coastal community has seen its population grow by 17% since 2011, yet it remains a place where seniors are the most prominent age group. With a high proportion of residents owning their homes outright and a low number of children, the area has a distinct character as a retirement and leisure destination in South Australia.
Victor Harbor's schools draw a more advantaged community than local incomes would suggest.
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The area is far older than the national average, with 42.2% of people aged 65 and over—a figure far above the 17.2% seen across Australia. Conversely, children under 15 make up only 12.3% of the population, which is well below the national figure.
While 19.3% of residents were born overseas, this is well below the national average of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are English at 52.5% and Australian at 37.6%.
English is the primary language for 92.7% of the community. Only 3.4% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
About 48.4% of residents report having no religion, a figure that is well above the national average and has risen 22 points since 2011.
The number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is 15.3%, which is far below the national average of 26.3%. However, this has risen 5.3 points since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $980, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 6.8% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, among the lowest for its level.
Consistent with its older population, 43.3% of people have a long-term health condition, which is far above the national figure of 27.7%. People needing help with daily activities are also well above the national average at 9.8%.
Volunteering is common here, with 22.4% of people volunteering, well above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care is also frequent, with 15.9% of people providing such support.
First Nations people make up 1.7% of the population, which is a little below the national average. The First Nations community here is noticeably younger, with a typical age of 20.
Homes are typically small, with 2.1 people per dwelling, and 32.9% of people live alone—well above the national figure of 25.6%.
Home ownership is very high, with 50.2% of homes owned outright, far above the national average of 31.0%. Most residents live in separate houses, which make up 88.3% of all dwellings.
Public transport use is very low, with only 0.2% of people using it to commute. Most people drive, and 45% of homes have only one motor vehicle.
The area has seen significant movement, with 40.6% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are much lower than most areas at 3.6%.
Working or looking for work is less common here, with only 40.2% of adults in the workforce, far below the national figure of 61.1%. Health care and social assistance is the most common industry at 19%.
The area's overall advantage score is 927, which is smaller than about 69% of similar areas. Population growth since 2021 has been 6.3%, which is higher than most areas.
The area receives 721mm of annual rainfall, far above the South Australian average of 143mm. The average maximum temperature of 19.9 degrees is well below the state average.
The area is considered somewhat walkable with a score of 4.0. While 88.5% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, far fewer have easy access to groceries or health services.