3556, VIC

The area has a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than most, at 3.7%. While the typical resident is 39, the community is seeing an increase in seniors, with those aged 65 and over rising to 19.6%.

Most residents were born in Australia (85.1%), and those born overseas make up 8.7%, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the main language for 87.5% of people, though those using another language at home rose to 6.6% since 2011. About 1.8% of residents speak little or no English, which is much higher than in most similar areas.

A striking 49.6% of people report no religion, a figure that rose 22 points since 2011 and is far above the Victorian average. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 39.8%.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 12% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 39.1%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,229, which is well below the national figure. Only 8.7% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, a figure that is much lower than in most areas.

Health challenges are common here, with 37.9% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health issues are particularly prevalent at 14.7%, which is well above the national average.

Unpaid care is more common than usual, with 15% of people providing support to others. However, volunteering has fallen to 12.7% since 2011, which is much lower than in most similar areas.

Single-parent families are very common at 22.3%, well above the national average. There are also more people living alone here than in most other areas, at 31.3%.

The area is almost entirely made up of separate houses (94.7%). While typical weekly rents are well below the national figure at $280, the proportion of renters has risen to 28.3%.

Cars are essential for most, as only 0.6% of people commute by public transport. The drive time to the city is very long, averaging 108 minutes.

The community is relatively mobile, with 37.5% of residents moving house in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals have also increased to 14.3% since 2011.

Fewer people are working or looking for work (56.3%) compared to the national average. The most common industries for local workers are health care, manufacturing, and construction.

This area ever-so-slightly ranks among the most disadvantaged in the country, scoring just 1 out of 10 for overall advantage compared to all other areas.

The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 5.0. While 90.8% of homes are near a park, only 29.5% are within a 15-minute walk of health services, far below the state average.