3621, VIC

The population has grown by 11% since 2011 to 2,437 people. It is notably older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 41 and 21.4% of people aged 65 or over, which is well above the Australian average.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 7.6% were born overseas, a figure far below the Victorian average. English, Scottish, and Irish ancestries are the most common alongside Australian.

English is the primary language for 91.8% of the community. Only 3.4% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure.

A large number of residents report no religion, at 47.0%. This is well above the national figure and has risen by 24 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 34.0% of residents completing Year 12. Only 9.1% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the state average.

Typical weekly household income is $1,262, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 9.7% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, though this has risen since 2011.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33.6% of people living with a long-term condition. Those needing help with daily activities (7.8%) are also a little above the national figure.

Caring for children is a common activity, with 29.2% of people providing unpaid childcare. This is a little above the Australian average, while volunteer rates are also well above the national figure.

Households are slightly larger than average, with 2.5 people per home. There is a high proportion of people living alone (29.5%) and one-parent families (13.5%) compared to most areas.

The area is dominated by detached houses, which make up 90.5% of homes. Rent is much lower than elsewhere, with a typical weekly rent of $200, and 80.9% of homes have three or more bedrooms.

Reliance on cars is very high, as 64.4% of people drive to work and no one uses public transport to commute. Public transport access is very limited, with only two stops in the area.

While fewer people have moved recently compared to the state average, there is a surprisingly high number of recent overseas arrivals, at 22.0%.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are major employers for 19.1% of the workforce. Labourers and managers are the most common occupations, and the unemployment rate is 3.8%.

The area faces significant challenges, with an overall advantage score that is smaller than about 80% of similar areas. This is linked to lower levels of job skills and limited access to resources.

Walking is difficult for many, as 39.8% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, far below the Victorian average. The walkability score is 4.2, which is considered only somewhat walkable.