Region (SA4) · Area profile
North West
78,073 km²
Spanning a vast area of 78,073 square kilometres, North West is a sparsely populated region of Victoria known for its older population and rural character. The typical resident is 44, noticeably older than the state and national figures. It is a place where people often own their homes outright and live in detached houses, reflecting a stable, long-term community. The region's identity is shaped by its rural roots, with a significant number of residents working in agriculture and a high rate of local volunteering.
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The area is noticeably older than most, with 22.7% of people aged 65 and over, which is well above the national figure. While the population grew by 5.5% since 2011, the proportion of children under 15 has fallen slightly to 17.4%.
Most residents were born in Australia (80.6%), and the proportion of people born overseas is far below the state and national figures. However, recent arrivals from overseas have increased to 24.5% since 2011.
English is the dominant language, with 83.1% of people using it only at home. This means the proportion of people using another language is far below the national average, though it has risen slightly since 2011.
A large portion of the community identifies as having no religion (41.0%), which is a little above the national figure. This represents a significant increase of 19 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 12.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the state figure at 38.6%, despite an 8-point rise since 2011.
Typical incomes are well below the national average, with the typical household earning $1,274 a week. Only 11.3% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is among the lowest for similar areas.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 32.7% of residents. Consequently, the proportion of people needing help with daily activities is higher than the state average.
Volunteering is very strong here, with 19.4% of people helping out, well above the national figure. This is alongside a high rate of unpaid carers, which is also much higher than in most areas.
There are 5,012 First Nations people in the region. This community is a little younger than the state average and faces higher unemployment, at 14.4%, compared to 9.6% for Victoria.
Homes here tend to be smaller in occupancy, with a typical 2.3 people per home. A high proportion of people live alone (31.2%), which is well above the national figure.
The region is dominated by separate houses (89.6%) and high rates of outright home ownership at 41.3%. This helps explain why typical rents and mortgage payments are far below the state and national figures.
Cars are essential, as 65.1% of people drive to work and only 0.5% use public transport. Only 10.7% of the workforce works from home, far below the state average.
The population is relatively stable, with far fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the rest of the country. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas are far above the national figure.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are key industries, employing 16.6% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 4.0%, which is a little lower than the national figure.
Recent population growth has been very low, falling by 0.9% since 2021, which is well below the state's growth rate.
The region is quite dry, with average annual rainfall of 349mm, well below the Victorian average. It also experiences minimum temperatures that are much lower than most areas.
The region is only somewhat walkable, with far fewer homes within a 15-minute walk of health services or groceries than in the rest of the state.