3533, VIC

The community is far older than most of Australia, with 27.2% of people aged 65 and over. This senior population has grown by 3.2 percentage points since 2011, while the number of children under 15 has fallen.

The area is very homogeneous, with 85.3% of people born in Australia. Only 6.7% were born overseas, a figure far below the national average of 27.7%.

English is the primary language for 91.0% of residents. Only 1.6% use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

About 42.1% of residents report having no religion, a figure that has risen by 23 percentage points since 2011.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 33.9% of residents completing Year 12. Just 9.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, far below the national average of 26.3%.

Incomes are among the lowest in the country, with a typical weekly household income of $941. Only 8.4% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the national figure of 22.6%.

Health challenges are common here; 38.8% of people have a long-term health condition, and 9.7% need help with daily activities, both of which are among the highest rates for similar areas.

Volunteering is very common, with 29.2% of people helping out, far above the national average of 14.1%. This high level of community effort is seen alongside a high rate of unpaid care for others.

Many people live alone, accounting for 34.8% of households. This contributes to a lower-than-usual number of people per home, averaging 2.1.

Home ownership is very high, with 54.3% of homes owned outright. The area is dominated by separate houses (95.7%), and typical weekly rents are among the lowest in the nation at $140.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 0.0% of people commute using public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and working from home is far less common than in the rest of the state.

The community is relatively stable, with only 27.8% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas have increased to 16.0% since 2011.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the main industry for 32.8% of workers. Fewer adults are working or looking for work (50.2%) compared to the national average of 61.1%.

The area ranks low for overall advantage, scoring 2 out of 10. This is linked to low levels of educational attainment and low access to money and resources.

The area is somewhat walkable, with nearly 80% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services and groceries. Despite this, it is far below the state average for proximity to public transport.