3890, VIC

The population is far older than the national figure, and the proportion of people aged 65 and over is well above the state average. There is a significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence at 6.3%, which is well above the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people than most other areas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with only 3% of people using another language at home, which is far below the state and national figures. No one in the area speaks little or no English.

A majority of residents (51%) report having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average and has risen since 2011.

Educational qualifications are among the lowest at this level, with only 7.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national figure at 27.8%.

Typical personal, family, and household incomes are all among the lowest in the country. For example, the typical weekly family income of $1,071 is far below the national figure of $2,120.

Health challenges are common here, with a very high proportion of people reporting long-term health conditions (41.5%) or mental health conditions (15.5%), both of which are far above the national average.

Volunteer rates are much higher than most areas at 26%, and a high proportion of people provide unpaid care. This is consistent with a higher-than-average number of people who have served in the Defence Force.

Many people live alone here, with 40.7% of households being single-person, which is far above the national figure. This helps explain why the typical home has only 1.9 people.

Home ownership is high, with 51% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. However, typical weekly rents are among the lowest in the country at just $122.

The area is heavily car-dependent, as no one commutes by public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and 14.3% of people work from home.

While about a third of the population moved here in the last five years, there were no recent arrivals from overseas.

Working or looking for work is much less common here than in the rest of the state, and the unemployment rate of 13.1% is well above the national figure.

The area is ranked as one of the most disadvantaged at this level, scoring very low for overall advantage, access to resources, and job skills.

The area is mostly car-dependent and has a walkability score far below the state average. This is linked to the hilly terrain and the fact that most homes are far from groceries, health services, and parks.