Victoria Plains

The population is far older than the national figure, with the typical resident aged 48 and 20.7% of people aged 65 or over. While 3.9% of residents identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, the number of children under 15 has fallen by 5.7 points since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, though 15.6% were born overseas, a figure that has risen slightly since 2011. English, Australian, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries reported.

English is the primary language for 84.7% of the community. Only 3.2% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure.

A large number of residents report no religion, accounting for 43.9% of the population. This figure has risen by 22 points since 2011, while Christianity remains common at 42.8%.

Qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 10.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. About 40.2% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure.

Typical weekly family incomes are $2,200, which is much higher than in most similar areas. This prosperity is reflected in the 13.7% of people who earn $2,000 or more a week, a significant increase since 2011.

Mental health conditions are much less common here than in other areas, at 6.2%. However, 28.7% of people live with a long-term health condition, with arthritis being the most reported.

Volunteering is far more common here than across Australia, with 27.3% of people participating. Conversely, far fewer people provide unpaid childcare or housework compared to most areas.

First Nations residents in the area have personal incomes that are among the highest for similar areas, with a typical weekly amount of $949. No one in the community reported speaking a First Nations language.

The area has very few one-parent families, at just 3.7%, which is far below the national average. About 28.5% of people live alone, and the typical home has 2.3 people.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 95.8% of dwellings. A high 44.4% of homes are owned outright, and typical weekly rents are much lower than the national figure at $150.

The community is heavily reliant on cars, with only 1.5% of people using public transport to get to work. This is consistent with a very low 1.7% of homes having no motor vehicle.

Residents tend to stay put, as only 25.2% have moved in the last five years, which is far below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals fell by 11 points since 2011.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the dominant industry, employing 49.3% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.1%, which is much lower than in most other areas.

The area ranks highly for overall advantage and access to resources, scoring a 9 out of 10 for money and resources. However, the population has seen a slight decline of 0.8% since 2021.

The area receives an average annual rainfall of 379mm, which is far above the state average. Average maximum temperatures are 26.5 degrees, slightly lower than the state figure.

The area is almost entirely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.1. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries or health services.