Yarrawonga

The community is far older than the state average, with 33.8% of residents aged 65 and over. This senior population has grown by 5.5 percentage points since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen.

The area is much less diverse than most, with only 8.5% of people born overseas. Most residents claim English (44.1%) or Australian (41.1%) ancestry.

English is the primary language for 90.6% of the population, and the 3.3% who use another language at home is far below the national figure.

Over half the population identifies as Christian, while 36.8% report no religion. The number of people with no religion has risen by 19 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 35.6% having completed Year 12.

Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual family earning $1,445 a week. However, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more weekly rose to 10.9% since 2011.

Health needs are high here; 37.1% of people have a long-term health condition, and 8.9% need help with daily activities, both of which are well above the state average.

The area has a strong history of service, with a much higher share of Defence Force veterans (4.2%) than most areas. Volunteering is also more common here than across the state.

There are 106 First Nations people in the area. This group faces significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 16.7%, which is well above the national figure.

Living alone is common, with 29.6% of people in single-person homes. Typical households are slightly smaller than the national average, containing 2.3 people.

Housing is very stable, with 46.1% of homes owned outright. Most people live in separate houses, and the typical weekly rent of $290 is well below the national figure.

The town is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.1% of people commute by public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and 39.3% have two.

About 40.6% of the population moved house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are few, accounting for only 8.5% of residents.

While the unemployment rate is very low at 2.8%, far fewer adults are working or looking for work (47.8%) compared to the state average, likely due to the high number of retirees.

The area ranks lower than most for overall advantage, with a score of 3 out of 10. This reflects lower typical incomes and job skill levels compared to other regions.

The climate is characterised by lower rainfall than the state average, with 514mm annually, and typical maximum temperatures around 23.1 degrees.

Yarrawonga is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.6. Only 20.8% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, far below the state average.