3646, VIC

The area is much older than most, with 22.3% of people aged 65 and over, which is well above the national figure. While the typical age has risen to 49, children under 15 still make up 18.3% of the population.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 6.3% were born overseas, a figure far below the national average. Ancestry is predominantly Australian, English, Irish and Scottish.

English is the primary language here, with only 1.5% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national and state figures, and the proportion has fallen since 2011.

About 42.9% of residents report having no religion, a figure that has risen by 21 points since 2011. This is well above the national average of 38.9%.

While 18.4% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, this is well below the national average. The area has very few students, with the average school size being just 14.

Typical weekly household income is $1,385, which is well below the national figure. However, incomes have risen since 2011, and the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week has grown to 10.4%.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 35.6% of people. Arthritis is the most reported condition, and 6.7% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is very high at 27.5%, far above the national average. Unpaid care is also common, with 18.0% of people providing care, which is well above the state figure.

One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 17.8% of households. This has risen by 9 points since 2011.

Every home in the area is a separate house, and 87.4% have three or more bedrooms. Home ownership is strong, with 46.1% of dwellings owned outright, far above the national figure.

The area is entirely car-dependent, with no one using public transport to commute and every home owning at least one vehicle. One in four people works from home.

The population is very stable, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years is far below the national average. There were no recent arrivals from overseas in 2021.

Full-time employment is slightly higher than the national average at 61.1%, and the unemployment rate is very low at 2.4%. Many residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

The area sits around the middle for overall advantage compared to other similar areas. It scores slightly higher than average for education and job skills.

Walkability is very low, with a score of 1.5, meaning residents are heavily reliant on cars. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services.