3638, VIC

The area is far older than the national average, with a typical resident aged 46 and 25.3% of people aged 65 or over. There is a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (3.7%) than in most other areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower percentage of overseas-born people (6.7%) compared to the rest of the state. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for 92.8% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national figure, and very few people speak little or no English.

About 41.7% of people report having no religion, a figure that rose 20 points since 2011. Over half of the population identifies as Christian.

Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 38.5% of residents completing Year 12 and 11.6% holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the area has a much higher number of schools per 1,000 children than typical.

Incomes are well below the national average, with a typical weekly household earning $1,184. Only 11.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, though this has risen since 2011.

Health challenges are common here, as 40.1% of people have a long-term health condition, far above the state average. About 8% of residents need help with daily activities, which is higher than in most areas.

Volunteering is far more common here than across Australia, with 24.3% of people pitching in. Unpaid care for others is also more frequent than usual.

Homes are often smaller in size, with 2.3 people per household, but a high 35.2% of people live alone. One-parent families are also slightly more common than in most areas.

Most people live in separate houses, and 44.8% own their home outright, far above the national figure. This helps keep housing costs low, with typical weekly rents at just $194.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.3% of people commute via public transport. Very few homes have access to frequent transit, and walking to the nearest stop can take over an hour.

While most residents are stable, 13.6% have arrived from overseas recently, a figure that has risen significantly since 2011.

Working or looking for work is less common here than in the rest of the state. Many residents work in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, or health care and social assistance.

The area ranks lower than about 60% of similar areas across measures of overall advantage and job skills.

The area is only somewhat walkable, as it is far below the state average for homes within a 15-minute walk of parks or public transport. However, residents have better-than-average access to health services within a short walk.