Benandarah

The community is far older than most, with a typical resident aged 57 and 37% of people aged 65 or over. It also has a strong First Nations identity, with 11.5% of residents identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, well above the state and national figures.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with overseas roots most commonly cite English, Scottish or Irish ancestry. Only 10.3% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national average.

English is the dominant language, spoken by 90.3% of the community. Very few people use another language at home, and there are no residents who speak little or no English.

The community is split between those with a religious affiliation and those without. Christianity is the most common religion at 56.4%, while 40% of people report having no religion, which is a little above the national figure.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 32.7% of residents completing Year 12 and 2.7% holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below both state and national levels.

Household incomes are much lower than the national average, with only 6.8% of homes earning $3,000 or more a week. The typical personal weekly income is $585, which is well below the national figure of $805.

Long-term health issues are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 38.2% of residents. Arthritis is the most reported condition, and 10.9% of people live with a mental health condition.

The area has a higher rate of former Defence Force members than most other areas. However, volunteer rates are well below the national figure, with only 8.8% of people volunteering.

There are 19 First Nations people in the area, who are noticeably younger than the state and national average with a typical age of 17. Their typical personal income is $449, which is a little below the national figure.

People are more likely to live alone here than in most areas, with 39.7% of households consisting of one person. This contributes to a small average household size of 2.1 people.

Home ownership is very high, with 53.4% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Rent is also much lower than usual, with the typical weekly rent at $230.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 63.6% of workers drive to get to their jobs. While there are more public transport stops per person than in many areas, the walk to the nearest stop is very long.

The population is very stable, with only 17.2% of people moving house in the last five years. This is far below the national rate of 40.7%.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 47.6%. The unemployment rate is 5.7%, and many residents work in construction, retail, or agriculture.

Benandarah is almost entirely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 0.4. Almost no homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school, health service or grocery store.