3494, VIC

The population is a little older than the state average, with a typical age of 40. It has a low proportion of seniors at 11.7%, but a high number of people in de facto relationships, which rose to 15.2% since 2011.

Overseas born residents make up 21.7% of the community, a figure that has risen sharply since 2011. While most people have Australian or English ancestry, there is a growing mix of birthplaces, including New Zealand and India.

Language diversity is increasing, with 15.1% of people now using a language other than English at home. Punjabi is the most common non-English language spoken here.

A large portion of the community reports no religion, at 43.7%, which is well above the national figure. This represents a significant increase of 18 percentage points since 2011.

Educational qualifications are among the lowest in the region, with only 5.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the share of people completing Year 12 rose to 41.4% over the last decade.

Incomes are much lower than most areas, with a typical family earning $1,512 a week. Only 9.9% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the Victoria average.

Residents generally report better health than the national average, with only 3.0% needing help with daily activities and a low mental health condition rate of 6.7%.

Volunteer rates have fallen to 14.7% since 2011. This area also has much lower rates of unpaid care and housework compared to other similar areas.

Living arrangements are varied, as 31.0% of people live alone and 58.9% live in couples with children. One-parent families are very rare here at only 6.6%.

Housing is very affordable, with typical weekly rents at just $150 and monthly mortgage payments far below the state average. Most people live in separate houses, though 34.5% of households rent.

The area is highly car-dependent, with 60.5% of people driving to work. Public transport is almost non-existent, with no stops or routes serving the area.

Migration is a key feature of the area, as 36.3% of residents moved here in the last five years. This is driven by a huge influx of recent overseas arrivals, who make up 56.1% of new movers.

The workforce is dominated by agriculture, and full-time employment is very high at 69.7%. Labourers and managers are the most common occupations.

The area ranks low for overall advantage and access to resources, scoring a 3 out of 10. This is consistent with the low typical incomes and lower levels of higher education seen across the community.

The area is almost entirely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 0.4. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, or public transport.