Bendigo

The community is slightly older than the national figure, with 20.4% of people aged 65 and over, a figure well above the national average. Children under 15 make up 15.2% of the population, which is well below the national average and has fallen since 2011.

People born overseas make up 11.9% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%, though this has risen since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the main language for 84.0% of residents. Only 8.5% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Nearly half of the population (48.7%) report having no religion, a figure well above the national average. This has seen a significant increase of 20 percentage points since 2011.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 21.8% of the area, which is well below the national average. Year 12 completion is also far below the national figure at 48.2%, though this has risen since 2011.

Typical family incomes are much lower than the national figure, with a typical weekly income of $1,665. Only 12.0% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is far below the national average.

Health challenges are common here, as 36.2% of people have a long-term health condition and 15.2% have a mental health condition, both well above national figures. About 8.7% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care for others is more common than in most areas, with 14.0% of people providing such support. However, the proportion of people caring for children unpaid is well below the national average.

There are 452 First Nations people in the area. Their typical household income of $1,174 is well below the national figure of $1,507.

Living arrangements are distinctive, with 37.4% of people living alone and 23.6% in one-parent families, both of which are far above national averages. Typical homes are small, with only 2.1 people per home.

Renters make up 43.7% of households, far above the national figure of 30.6%. While 86.3% of homes are separate houses, typical weekly rent at $280 is well below the national average.

The area is very well served by public transport with 147 stops and 46 routes, but only 1.1% of people use it to commute. Most residents drive to work, though 12.8% work from home.

The community is quite mobile, with 41.7% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are also much more common than in most areas at 24.9%.

About 56.0% of adults are working or looking for work, which is well below the national figure. The most common industry for workers is health care and social assistance.

The area ranks very low for overall advantage and access to money and resources compared to other similar areas. Population growth since 2021 has also been far below the Victorian average.

Average annual rainfall is 592mm, which is a little above the Victorian average. Minimum temperatures are much lower than in most areas.

This is a very walkable area, with 94.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a '15-minute-city' walkshed. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park and a school.