Morwell

The typical resident is 43, which is noticeably older than the national figure of 38. This is driven by a large senior population, with 22.8% aged 65 and over, a figure that has risen since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (16.0%) compared to the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the main language for 78.3% of the community, and the proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national figure.

A high number of residents report no religion, accounting for 44.8% of the population. This figure has risen sharply by 19 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is among the lowest for similar areas, with only 7.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far below the national figure of 26.3%.

Typical weekly incomes are among the lowest at this level, with the typical household earning $942, which is far below the national figure of $1,746.

Health challenges are common here, as 38.7% of people have a long-term health condition and 11.0% need help with daily activities, both far above national figures.

Volunteer rates are much lower than most areas at 10.6%, though 13.5% of the community provides unpaid care, which is a little above the national figure.

The First Nations community is noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 20, though they face a very high unemployment rate of 28.3%.

Living arrangements are distinctive, with a very high number of people living alone (37.7%) and a high rate of one-parent families (25.1%).

Rental properties are common and very affordable, with a typical weekly rent of $215, far below the national figure of $375. However, 37.1% of homes are owned outright.

Most people rely on cars, but the area has a high number of public transport stops and routes compared to similar places. Working from home is much less common here than across Australia.

The community is relatively stable, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years is well below the national figure.

The local job market is struggling, with an unemployment rate of 10.9% and a much lower proportion of full-time workers than the national average.

The area is ranked among the most disadvantaged in the state, scoring a 1 out of 10 for overall advantage and access to resources.

Morwell receives a fair amount of rain, with an annual average of 803mm, which is well above the state average.

The town is somewhat walkable, and while 90.3% of homes are near public transport, many residents live further than 15 minutes from groceries and health services.