Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Benalla
315 km²
Typical household incomes in Benalla are much lower than the national figure, reflecting a community with a high proportion of retirees. It is a notably older area, where the typical resident is 51 and nearly 31% are seniors. This aging population is reflected in a higher need for health support and a significant number of people living alone. While the town has a strong base of detached housing, it feels more like a quiet regional centre than a bustling hub.
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Benalla is far older than most areas, with a typical age of 51 and 30.8% of people aged 65 and over, which is far above the national figure of 17.2%. Conversely, children under 15 make up only 14.0% of the population, well below the Australian average.
The area is predominantly Australian-born, with 81.4% born here and only 9.8% born overseas, a figure far below the national level of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 87.6% of the community. Only 4.2% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
About 42.3% of residents report having no religion, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the most common affiliation at 45.4%.
Educational attainment is lower than the national average, with only 13.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Just 39.3% of residents completed Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,142, which is much lower than the national figure of $1,746. Only 10.4% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, far below the Australian average.
Health needs are much higher than in most areas, with 39.5% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is far above the national figure of 27.7%, and 8.8% of residents need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is common here, with 17.1% of people volunteering, which is well above the national figure of 14.1%. There is also a higher than average rate of people providing unpaid care at 14.5%.
The First Nations community is among the largest at this level with 218 people. Personal income for this group is a little below the national figure, and the unemployment rate is higher at 14.1%.
Living alone is very common, with 36.0% of people in single-person homes, far above the national figure of 25.6%. This contributes to a small typical household size of 2.1 people.
Detached houses dominate the landscape at 86.3%, far above the national figure of 72.3%. Home ownership is strong, with 42.4% of homes owned outright, and typical weekly rents of $250 are well below the national average.
The town is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.3% of people commute by public transport. Working from home is also far less common than the national figure, at just 10.5%.
The area has seen a recent influx of people, with 16.6% of residents arriving from overseas, which is a little above the national figure of 14.5%.
The number of adults working or looking for work is much lower than most areas at 49.6%. Health care and construction are the most common industries for those employed.
The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.7, well below the Victorian average. Access to health services within a 15-minute walk is particularly low at 35.0%.