3612, VIC

The area is far older than most, with a typical resident aged 55 and 31.0% of the population aged 65 and over. Children under 15 make up only 12.2%, which is well below the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and English and Australian ancestries are the most common. Only 11.9% were born overseas, which is far below the Victorian average of 30.0%.

English is the primary language for 85.3% of the community. Only 5.4% use another language at home, far below the state and national figures, although this has risen slightly since 2011.

About 40.3% of residents report having no religion, which is about the same as the Victorian average. This figure has risen by 17 points since 2011.

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 30.0% of residents completing Year 12 and 8.3% holding a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with the typical weekly family income at $1,236, which is far below the national figure of $2,120.

Health challenges are common here, as 40.4% of people have a long-term health condition. This is far above the national average, and 10.3% of residents need help with daily activities.

While 17.2% of people volunteer, there are far fewer people caring for children unpaid (16.6%) compared to the rest of the state. There is a notably high proportion of former Defence Force members at 4.9%.

Homes are smaller than usual, with only 2.1 people per home. A high proportion of the community lives alone (37.5%), which is far above the national figure.

A huge 51.2% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure. The area is almost entirely separate houses (94.0%), and typical weekly rents are very low at $195.

Residents rely heavily on cars, as 0.0% of people commute by public transport. It is a long trip to the city, with a typical drive time of 117 minutes.

The population is relatively stable, with 28.7% of people moving in the last five years, which is far below the national average of 40.7%.

Only 41.7% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the state average. Health care, agriculture, and manufacturing are the main industries for those employed.

This area ranks among the most disadvantaged in the country, scoring a 1 for overall advantage compared to all other areas.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.8. Only about half of the homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries or health services.