3419, VIC

The population is far older than the national figure, with 29.2% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 7.5 points since 2011. Children under 15 make up 15.5% of the community, which is a little below the state average and has fallen since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia (88.6%), and only 6.2% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 47.0% and 45.6% respectively.

English is the dominant language, spoken by 93.0% of people at home. Very few people use another language (2.0%), and no one reported speaking little or no English, both of which are far below the state and national averages.

About 40.3% of people report having no religion, a figure that rose 19 points since 2011 and is slightly above the national average. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 51.7%.

Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 35.8% of people completing Year 12, which is far below the national figure. However, this has risen 8.7 points since 2011, and 12.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Typical weekly household income is $1,121, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 8.1% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, although this is 4.8 points higher than in 2011.

Health challenges are common here, with 38.7% of people having a long-term health condition, far above the national figure. This is reflected in the fact that 9.1% of people need help with daily activities, among the highest for its level.

The area has a very high rate of volunteering at 39.9%, far above the national average. Unpaid care is also common, with 15.9% of people providing such support, which is well above the national figure.

People living alone make up 35.4% of the community, well above the national average of 25.6%. This contributes to a typical household size of 2.1 people, which is lower than most areas.

Home ownership is very high, with 60.3% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Most homes are separate houses (94.4%), and typical weekly rent is very low at $125.

Cars are essential, as 0.0% of people commute by public transport and the walk to the nearest stop is among the highest at 81 minutes. Most homes have two or more vehicles.

The community is very stable, with only 24.8% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national average. No one has recently arrived from overseas.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the main industries, employing 31.0% of the workforce. While 61.5% are employed full-time, only 57.0% of adults are working or looking for work, which is well below the national figure.

The area sits around the middle for overall advantage compared to similar places, with an overall advantage score of 961, slightly below the national average of 1,000.

The area is somewhat walkable with a score of 4.7, and nearly 80% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries. However, access to public transport is poor, with 60.8% of homes within a 10-minute walk, far below the state average.