Bendigo

The population has aged over the last decade, with the typical resident now 39. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 19.7% of the community, which is a little above the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (10%) than the Victorian average of 30%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries reported.

English is the dominant language, with only 7.2% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

A large number of residents report no religion, accounting for 47.3% of the population. This is well above the national figure of 38.9% and has risen by 21 points since 2011.

About 20.3% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is well below the state average. However, the number of people who completed Year 12 rose 8.2 points since 2011 to reach 48.9%.

Typical weekly household incomes are a little below the national figure at $1,435. Only 14.8% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is lower than most other areas.

Health challenges are more common here, with 34.9% of people having a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are especially prevalent, affecting 13% of the community.

Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, as 14.4% of people provide unpaid care, which is among the highest rates for similar areas.

There are 2,416 First Nations people in the area. The typical age for this group is 22, which is a little younger than the national figure.

Single-person households are more common than usual, making up 29.7% of homes. One-parent families also represent 17.7% of the community, a figure well above the national average.

The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 90.4% of dwellings. Rents are well below the national figure, with the typical weekly rent at $295.

Most people rely on cars, as 63.8% drive to work. While there are plenty of public transport stops, only 0.9% of people use these services to commute.

The community is relatively mobile, with 40.9% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 17% of the population.

Health care and social assistance is the largest employer, accounting for 19.7% of jobs. The unemployment rate is 4.3%, which is lower than most other areas.

The population is estimated at 106,493 people. Recent growth since 2021 has been 3.5%, which is well below the Victorian average of 8.0%.

The area receives an average annual rainfall of 605mm, which is a little above the state average of 510mm.

Almost everyone lives within a 15-minute walk of a park, and nearly 90% are close to public transport. However, far fewer people can walk to groceries or health services compared to the state average.