Bendigo Surrounds - North

The area is significantly older than the state and national average, with the typical resident aged 46. This trend is highlighted by the fact that seniors make up 20.7% of the population, a figure that rose 5.7 points since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 5.9% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. Ancestry is primarily Australian (43.7%) and English (40.2%).

English is the dominant language, with only 2.1% of people using another tongue at home, far below the Victoria average of 27.6%. Very few people, just 0.2%, speak little or no English.

The community is split almost evenly between those with no religion (43.8%) and Christians (43.3%). The share of people reporting no religion has risen by 19 points since 2011.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 12.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 36.6%.

Typical weekly household incomes are a little below the national figure at $1,454. Only 12.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is much lower than in most other areas.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 33.8% of residents. About 6.0% of people need help with daily activities, a figure slightly higher than the state average.

Volunteering is much more common here than in most areas, though the rate fell to 19.1% since 2011. Unpaid care is also a significant feature, with 15.5% of people providing support to others.

First Nations people make up 2.2% of the population, which is a little above the Victorian average. The unemployment rate for this group is 6.7%, which is well below the national figure.

Families with children are common, and the area has fewer people living alone (22.2%) than is typical for the state. Most homes house two people.

Housing is overwhelmingly made up of separate houses (97.9%), and 43.2% are owned outright, far above the national average. Rents are much lower than typical, with a typical weekly rent of $230.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.1% of people commute by public transport. Almost every home has a vehicle, with 1.5% of households lacking one.

The population is very stable, with only 26.8% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent overseas arrivals are also very rare at 3.4%.

The workforce is less active than in most areas, with 57.2% of adults working or looking for work. Major industries include health care, agriculture, and construction.

The area has an overall advantage score of 952, which is lower than the national average. However, it has seen much higher population growth recently, rising 12.2% since 2021.

This is a relatively dry area with an average annual rainfall of 499mm. The average minimum temperature is 9.1 degrees, which is much lower than in most other areas.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.3. Only 27.7% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities like groceries or health services.