Region (SA4) · Area profile
Bendigo
11,842 km²
A noticeably older population defines Bendigo, where the typical resident is 43. This community has grown by 19% since 2011, adding about 27,000 people to its ranks. It is a place where many residents own their homes outright and a high number of people volunteer. The area is largely residential and dominated by detached housing, reflecting a stable and established regional character.
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The community is older than most areas, with 21.6% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 4.7 points since 2011. About 17.9% of residents are children under 15, which is around the middle for its level.
Bendigo has a much lower proportion of overseas-born residents than most areas, at 10.5%, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, making up 42.8% and 39.9% respectively.
Only 5.8% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure far below the Victorian average of 27.6%. However, this has risen 2.6 points since 2011.
A large number of residents report no religion, accounting for 48.8% of the population. This is well above the national figure of 38.9% and has risen 21 points since 2011.
People with a bachelor degree or higher make up 21.6% of adults, which is higher than most similar areas but well below the state average. Year 12 completion has risen 9.1 points since 2011 to reach 49.1%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,432, which is a little below the national figure. While incomes are lower than in most areas, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more per week rose 11 points since 2011 to 15.6%.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 34.3% of people. This includes a high rate of mental health conditions at 12.1%, which is well above the national figure of 8.8%.
Residents are much more likely to volunteer than people in most other areas, with 17.5% participating. Unpaid care is also common, with 14.5% of people providing such support.
There are 3,323 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the area. The unemployment rate for First Nations people is 9.2%, which is well below the national figure of 12.3%.
People living alone make up 29.0% of households, which is well above the national figure of 25.6%. One-parent families are also more common than in most areas at 15.4%.
Detached houses are very common, making up 92.3% of all homes. Ownership is strong, with 38.1% of homes owned outright, and typical weekly rent at $300 is well below the national figure.
Most people rely on cars, and only 0.9% of people commute by public transport. However, 17.0% of the workforce now works from home, an increase of 11 points since 2011.
The area is less mobile than most, with 37.6% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas account for 12.4% of the population, which is a little below the national figure.
The unemployment rate is 4.1%, which is much lower than in most similar areas. Health care and social assistance is the biggest employer, accounting for 17.8% of jobs.
The population grew by 3.9% since 2021, which is well below the state growth rate of 8.0%.
Average annual rainfall is 513mm, which is about the same as the state average. The average minimum temperature of 9.1 degrees is much lower than in most other areas.
The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.6, well below the Victorian average of 6.4. Fewer than half of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.