Beaufort

The community is far older than most areas, with 25.4% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 5.9 points since 2011. Children under 15 make up only 14.5% of the population, which is well below the national average.

The area is very homogenous, with 81% of people born in Australia and only 9.7% born overseas, far lower than the national figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for the vast majority, and only 2.1% of people use another language at home, which is far below the Victorian average of 27.6%. Very few people speak little or no English.

A growing number of residents identify with no religion, which rose 18 points since 2011 to reach 42.9%. This is well above the national figure of 38.9%.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 35% of residents completing Year 12 and 12.1% holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, there are more schools per 1,000 children than in most areas.

Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical weekly household earning $1,193. Only 10% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, though this is 7.4 points higher than in 2011.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 34.1% of people living with a long-term health condition. This includes high rates of arthritis and mental health conditions, and 7% of people need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is much higher than the national average at 18.3%, though this has fallen since 2011. There is also a higher rate of former Defence Force members compared to most areas.

First Nations people make up 2.2% of the population. While typical personal incomes are lower than the national figure, the unemployment rate for this group is 0.0%.

The area has a high proportion of people living alone (31.3%) and smaller households overall, with a typical size of 2.2 people. This is consistent with the high number of seniors in the community.

Homes are overwhelmingly separate houses (95%), and nearly half (48.7%) are owned outright. Renting is far less common than in the rest of the state, with only 12% of households renting.

The community is highly car-dependent, with only 0.2% of people commuting by public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and 38.7% have two.

Beaufort is a very stable community; only 27% of people moved in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent overseas arrivals are also very rare at 3.3%.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are major industries, employing 17.4% of the workforce. Fewer adults are working or looking for work (49.1%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%.

The area has an overall advantage score of 939, which is lower than about 75% of similar areas. Its advantage in terms of job skills is particularly low, ranking below 60% of other areas.

The area is cooler than most, with an average minimum temperature of 8.1 degrees. Annual rainfall is well above the Victorian average at 688mm.

Walkability is very low, with only 25.4% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a city-style 'walkshed'. Most residents are car-dependent, as few homes are within walking distance of schools, health services, or groceries.