Stawell

Stawell has a far older population than the state and national average, with the typical resident being 48. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 25.6% of the community, a figure that has risen by 6.2 points since 2011.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian or British in heritage, with 79.6% of people born in Australia. Those born overseas make up only 10.4% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the primary language for 84.1% of residents. Only 6.7% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national average, though this has risen by 4.2 points since 2011.

A large number of residents report no religion, at 46.5%, which is well above the national figure. This is a significant shift for the community, as the number of non-religious people rose by 18 points since 2011.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 12.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the proportion of people completing Year 12 rose by 8.6 points since 2011 to reach 40.6%.

Incomes are much lower than the national average, with a typical weekly household income of $1,184. Only 10.3% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, though this is 7.1 points higher than in 2011.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 35.2% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are also more frequent, affecting 10.7% of the population.

Stawell has a high rate of volunteering at 17.9%, well above the national figure. There is also a stronger presence of former Defence Force members here, at 3.5%, compared to 2.0% across Victoria.

First Nations people in Stawell are noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 20. A high proportion of this group, 9.8%, speak a First Nations language, which is well above the Victorian average.

The community is marked by many people living alone, accounting for 34% of households. This is well above the national figure and helps explain why there are only 2.2 people per home on average.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 92% of all homes. A huge 45.8% of these are owned outright, and both weekly rents and mortgage payments are far below state and national averages.

Car travel is the primary way to get around, with 62.6% of workers driving. Very few people use public transport for commuting (0.4%), despite the town having a high number of bus stops per person.

The population is relatively stable, with only 30.9% of people moving in the last five years. However, there has been a rise in recent arrivals from overseas, who now make up 23.6% of the community.

Working or looking for work is less common here than in most areas, at 53.4%. The local workforce is concentrated in health care and social assistance, as well as manufacturing.

Stawell faces significant economic challenges, ranking low for overall advantage and access to resources. Its population growth has stalled, falling 0.3% since 2021, which is well below the state average.

The local climate is relatively dry, with an average annual rainfall of 480mm, which is among the lowest for similar areas. Minimum temperatures are also much lower than in most other regions.

The town is somewhat walkable, but many residents live more than 15 minutes from basic services. This is especially true for health services, which are within walking distance for only 43.7% of homes.