Central Highlands - West

The typical resident is 40, a little older than the national figure. While the number of seniors has risen since 2011, children under 15 make up 20.5% of the population, which is much higher than most similar areas.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian born, with 77.3% born here and only 8.5% born overseas, a figure far below the national average.

English is the dominant language, and only 3.2% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Over half the population identifies as Christian, while 30.3% report no religion. This figure has risen 11 points since 2011, though it remains well below the national average.

The area has among the lowest rates of higher education, with only 9.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree. Year 12 completion is also far below the national figure at 39.0%.

Personal incomes are strong, with 14.5% of people earning $2,000 or more a week, which is well above the state average. Typical family income is $2,205 weekly, slightly above the national figure.

Residents report fewer long-term health conditions than most areas. Only 6.1% of people have a mental health condition, which is well below the national average of 8.8%.

Volunteering is very common here, with 22.0% of people helping out, well above the national figure of 14.1%.

First Nations residents have a typical personal income of $788, which is much higher than the national figure. However, Year 12 completion is well below the national average at 31.8%.

Families with children are common, making up 58.5% of households. At the same time, 29.2% of people live alone, which is well above the national figure.

Separate houses are the norm for 91.1% of homes, far above the national average. Rent is very low, with a typical weekly rent of $120, and 38.2% of homes are owned outright.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as there are no public transport stops or routes. This is reflected in the fact that 50.7% of people drive to work.

The community is relatively stable, with 33.5% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Interestingly, recent overseas arrivals rose to 19.7% since 2011.

Full-time employment is very high at 68.6%, well above the national average. Work is concentrated in agriculture, forestry and fishing (29.4%) and mining (19.8%).

The area has a high number of businesses (1,571) compared to similar areas, though overall advantage is slightly below the national average.

The region is hot, with an average maximum temperature of 30.2 degrees. Rainfall is much lower than most areas, averaging 587mm annually.

The area is very car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.6. Only 22.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities.