3965, VIC

The typical resident is 62, which is far older than the national figure of 38. This trend is reflected in the age structure, as children under 15 make up only 6.4% of the population, far below the state and national averages.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the most common ancestries are English, Australian, Irish and Scottish. About 12.7% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the dominant language, with only 3.6% of people using another language at home—far below the national average. No one in the area speaks little or no English.

Christianity is the most common religion at 46.8%. Those reporting no religion make up 36.8% of the population, a figure that has risen by 9.1 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment has risen since 2011, with 16.2% of adults now holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, only 29.3% have completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes are among the lowest for similar areas, with a typical household earning $909 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 2.8% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health needs are high here, with 37.3% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national average, and 8.6% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is common, with 14.7% of people providing unpaid care and 30.4% doing over 15 hours of housework weekly. There is also a strong military connection, as 6.8% of people served in the Defence Force.

The area is dominated by small households, with 37.7% of people living alone and a typical home containing only 1.8 people. Most are couples without children.

Housing is very stable and detached, with 94.3% of homes being separate houses and 63.2% owned outright—far above the national average. Rent is also much lower than usual, typically $220 per week.

The community is entirely car-dependent, as every single home has at least one motor vehicle. There are no public transport stops or routes in the area, and the drive time to the city is very high at 133 minutes.

About 35.6% of people have moved in the last five years, though there have been no recent arrivals from overseas.

Working life is lower than average, with only 39.7% of adults working or looking for work. Those employed are often in agriculture, transport, or professional roles.

The area ranks low for overall advantage and job skills compared to similar regions, with an overall advantage score of 922, which is below the national average.

The area is highly car-dependent with a walkability score of 2.0. While 84.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, there are no schools, health services or public transport stops within a similar distance.