Region (SA4) · Area profile
Shepparton
10,934 km²
A noticeably older population defines Shepparton, where the typical resident is 43 and seniors make up nearly a quarter of the community. The area has grown by 10% since 2011, reaching 137,618 people. It is a place of modest incomes and a strong preference for detached housing, with a population that is generally older than both the state and national figures. This creates a community where many residents own their homes outright and a significant number of people require help with daily activities.
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The typical resident is 43, which is noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 22.6% of the population, a figure well above the national average that has risen since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (13.0%) compared to Victoria (30.0%). English and Australian are the most common ancestries, each at 38.1%.
English is the main language for 81.6% of residents, meaning the share of people using another language at home (11.0%) is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
About 47.4% of residents identify as Christian, while 37.4% have no religion. The number of people reporting no religion has risen by 17 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 12.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national figure, though it has risen by 8.1 points since 2011.
Typical weekly family income is $1,663, which is well below the national figure of $2,120. Only 12.3% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, although this has risen since 2011.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33.3% of people living with a long-term health condition. Around 7.4% of residents need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national figure.
Volunteering is more common here than in most areas at 15.8%, and 13.8% of residents provide unpaid care. This is higher than the national figure, though the number of volunteers has fallen since 2011.
There are 4,501 First Nations people in the area. Typical personal income for this group is $521, which is about the same as the national figure, while Year 12 completion is well below the national average.
One-parent families (15.4%) and people living alone (28.9%) are both more common here than in most other areas. Typical households contain 2.4 people.
Separate houses are very common at 89.4%, far above the national figure of 72.3%. Rent is much lower here than elsewhere, with a typical weekly rent of $250.
The area relies heavily on cars, as only 0.2% of people commute by public transport. This dependence is reflected in the fact that 95.1% of homes own at least one motor vehicle.
The population is relatively stable, as the share of people who moved in the last five years (35.1%) is well below the national figure. However, recent overseas arrivals are well above the national average at 18.9%.
The unemployment rate is 4.0%, which is a little below the national figure. Many residents work in health care, agriculture, or manufacturing.
Population growth since 2021 has been 0.9%, which is well below the Victorian state average of 8.0%.
The area is drier than most, with an average annual rainfall of 493mm, which is slightly lower than the state average.
The area has a low walkability score of 4.2, well below the state average of 6.4. Only 48.7% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of key amenities, far below the Victorian figure of 74.3%.