Central Highlands

The area is far older than the national figure, with over a quarter of residents aged 65 or over. While the population grew by 12% since 2011, the proportion of children under 15 has fallen by 3.3 points over the same period.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the community has far fewer overseas-born people than the national average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, making up over 86% of the population.

English is the primary language for the vast majority, with only 3.4% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure, and there are virtually no residents who speak little or no English.

About 40.5% of people report having no religion, a figure that has risen by 21 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 47.1%.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most other areas, with only 10.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 31.4% of residents have completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure.

Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with a typical weekly household earning $1,017. This is far below the national figure of $1,746, and only 7.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 34.6% of people. About 7.2% of residents need help with daily activities, which is slightly above the national average.

The community has a higher proportion of Defence Force veterans than most areas. However, volunteering has fallen by 5.0 points since 2011, now sitting at 15.4%.

First Nations people make up 5.7% of the population, which is much higher than most similar areas. Median personal income for this group is among the lowest at this level at $422 per week.

A high number of people live alone—38.6% of households—which is far above the national figure. This contributes to a lower-than-usual average of 2.1 people per home.

Detached houses are the norm here, making up 94.9% of dwellings. Home ownership is very high, with 48.6% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%.

The region is almost entirely car-dependent, with no public transport stops or routes available. Most homes have multiple vehicles, and only 0.4% of workers commute using public transport.

The community is relatively stable, with a lower proportion of people moving in the last five years compared to most areas. Recent arrivals from overseas are also far below the national figure.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the primary industries, employing 29.5% of the workforce. Only 49.2% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure.

The area ranks very low for overall advantage and job skills. It has only 259 businesses and a population growth rate of 0.3%, which is much lower than the rest of the state.

The climate is drier than the state average, with annual rainfall of 557mm. Both the average minimum and maximum temperatures are among the lowest at this level.

The area is completely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 0.7. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, or schools.