Loddon

The typical resident is 52, which is far older than the national figure of 38. Seniors make up 29.3% of the population, a figure far above the state and national averages, while children under 15 have fallen to 14.9%.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with only 8.5% of people born overseas, which is far below the national average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for about 81% of residents.

English is the dominant language, with 85.9% of people using it exclusively at home. Only 3.2% of residents use another language, far below the 22.3% seen across Australia.

About 40.3% of the community report no religion, which is slightly above the national figure. This is a significant increase from 2011, when only 22.1% identified this way.

Qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 32.7% of residents completing Year 12, far below the national average of 58.8%. Similarly, only 10.5% hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are among the lowest for similar areas, with a typical weekly household income of $1,027, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 7.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 36% of people living with a long-term health condition. About 7.5% of residents need help with daily activities, which is higher than the national average.

Volunteering is very common, with 25.5% of people helping out, far above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care for others is also more frequent than in most areas.

There are 162 First Nations people in the area, who are noticeably older than those in the rest of the state. This group faces significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 14.8% and a typical personal income well below the national average.

Many people live alone, representing 33.9% of households, which is well above the national figure. This helps explain why the average home contains only 2.2 people.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 95.1% of all homes. A huge 55.8% of residents own their home outright, far above the national figure of 31%.

Cars are essential, as 0.2% of people use public transport for commuting. While there are 45 public transport stops, the number of weekly departures is far below the state average.

The community is very stable, with only 25.5% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national average of 40.7%.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the primary industries, employing 34.2% of the workforce. However, only 48.8% of adults are working or looking for work, which is much lower than the national figure.

The area faces significant disadvantage, with an overall advantage score of 925, which is lower than about 80% of similar areas. Growth has been flat since 2021.

The climate is relatively dry, with an average annual rainfall of 460mm, which is lower than the state average. Summer maximums typically reach 23.0 degrees.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Many residents live more than 15 minutes' walk from health services, groceries, and schools.