Cobram

Cobram is much older than most areas, with a typical age of 48 and a high proportion of seniors at 29.7%. The population grew slightly to 6,465 people since 2011, while the number of children under 15 fell to 16.1%.

The community is predominantly Australian born (76.3%), with a smaller proportion of overseas-born residents at 16.5%, which is far below the national figure. English, Australian, and Italian are the most common ancestries reported.

English is the main language for 80.4% of residents, and the 12.7% who use another language at home is well below the national average. However, the proportion of people who speak little or no English rose to 3.3% since 2016.

Religious affiliation is higher here than in most areas, with 52.8% identifying as Christian. Those reporting no religion make up 32.5% of the population, which is well below the national figure but has risen 17 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is among the lowest for its level, with only 8.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the state average at 33.9%, though this has risen since 2011.

Typical incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the typical household earning $1,057 a week. Only 8.8% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the state average.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, as 36.2% of people have a long-term health condition. This is consistent with the older population, and 9.1% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is slightly above the national average at 15.4%. While 12.8% of people provide unpaid care, the number of people caring for children unpaid is well below the national figure at 19.9%.

There are 139 First Nations people in the area. This group is noticeably older than the state average with a typical age of 28, and 8.6% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the Victorian figure.

Homes tend to be smaller, with only 2.2 people per home, which is much lower than most areas. A high number of people live alone (34.3%), and one-parent families are slightly more common than the national average at 15.9%.

Most people live in separate houses (91.2%), and a high 42.8% of homes are owned outright. Both the typical weekly rent of $250 and monthly mortgage payments are well below the national figures.

Car use is dominant, with 68.1% of people driving to work and only 0.2% using public transport. Public transport access is very low, with only 15 stops and a 45-minute walk to the nearest one.

About 37.8% of residents moved in the last five years, which is around the middle for similar areas. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 18.3% of the population, which is well above the national average.

The workforce is smaller than in most areas, with only 49.3% of adults working or looking for work. Common industries include agriculture, forestry, and fishing (14.7%) and manufacturing (14.0%).

The area is ranked among the most disadvantaged for its level, scoring 1 for both education and job skills. Overall advantage is also very low compared to most similar areas.

The climate is slightly warmer and drier than the state average, with an average maximum temperature of 23.3 degrees and annual rainfall of 551mm.

Walkability is well below the state average, as only 51.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries. This is consistent with the high number of separate houses and low public transport use.