Hastings - Somers

The community is noticeably older than the national figure, with the typical resident aged 42 and seniors making up 22.4% of the population. De facto relationships are also much more common here than in most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer people born overseas than the state or national figures. English, Australian, Irish and Scottish are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with only 3.8% of people using another language at home, which is far below the national figure. Very few residents speak little or no English.

A majority of residents (54.0%) report having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average and has risen by 21 points since 2011.

Education levels are lower than in most similar areas, with 49.1% of residents completing Year 12. The number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is also well below the national average.

Typical weekly household income is $1,407, which is well below the state figure. However, the number of households earning over $3,000 a week has risen by 10 points since 2011.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33.8% of people living with a long-term health condition and 11.4% reporting a mental health condition.

The area has a very high proportion of Defence Force veterans (9.5%) compared to the state average. More people provide unpaid care here than in most similar areas.

There are 468 First Nations people in the area. They have a much lower unemployment rate (4.6%) than the national figure and personal incomes that are well above the national average.

One-parent families are more common than in most areas. About 28.4% of people live alone, which is slightly above the national figure.

Detached houses are the norm here, and 37.8% of homes are owned outright, which is well above the national average. Renting is much less common than in most similar areas.

Car travel is essential as only 0.6% of people commute by public transport. The drive time to the city is much longer than in most similar areas, and the walk to the nearest stop is also much longer.

About 40% of people moved here in the last five years, which is about the same as the state average. Recent overseas arrivals are among the lowest for similar areas.

The unemployment rate is 3.5%, which is much lower than in most similar areas. Many residents work in public administration, safety and construction.

The area has a high number of businesses (1,779) and moderate access to money and resources, though its overall advantage score is lower than about 60% of similar areas.

The area receives 775mm of annual rainfall, which is well above the Victorian average. Maximum temperatures are slightly lower than the state figure.

The area is only somewhat walkable, with far fewer homes within a 15-minute walk of health services or schools compared to the state average.