Bemm River

Seniors make up 62.5% of the population, which is far above the national figure. This age gap is stark, as there are no children under 15 and the typical resident is 29 years older than those in the rest of Victoria.

About 16.7% of residents were born overseas, though this is far below the state and national averages. The most common ancestries are English and Australian, followed by Irish and Scottish.

English is the only language spoken at home by 90.3% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home is 0.0%, which is far below the national figure.

A large majority of the community—62.5%—report having no religion. This is far above the figures for both Victoria and Australia.

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with no adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 19.4% of residents finished Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with a typical household earning $710 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. No households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 33.3% of people. This is consistent with the older population, and 6.9% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is very high, with 34.7% of people giving their time, far above the state average. Many residents also spend significant time on unpaid housework, while very few care for children.

First Nations people make up 5.6% of the community, which is well above the state average. This group is much older than the national average, with a typical age of 63.

Homes are typically small, with only 1.8 people per dwelling, well below the national figure. Most households are couples without children, and there are no one-parent families.

Home ownership is very high, with 51.4% of homes owned outright, far above the national average. There are no renters in the area, and typical mortgage payments are well below the state figure.

Working from home is very common at 35.0%, far above the national figure. The area is entirely dependent on cars, as there are no public transport stops or routes.

The community is very stable, with only 20.8% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%.

Only 33.3% of adults are working or looking for work, which is among the lowest for similar areas. Half of those employed work in accommodation and food services.

While most homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, the area is mostly car-dependent. There are no schools or health services within walking distance.