Colac West

The area is far younger than the state and national average, with children under 15 representing 31.5% of residents. This youthfulness is reflected in the high number of people in de facto relationships, while those aged 65 and over are much lower than most areas at 11.2%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a far lower percentage of overseas-born people (6.7%) compared to Victoria. The most common ancestries are Australian and English.

English is the only language used at home, which is far below the national and state figures for language diversity. No one in the community speaks little or no English.

A majority of residents (55.1%) report having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average of 38.9%.

Educational qualifications are much lower than most areas, with only 8.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 41.1% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the Victorian figure of 61.8%.

Typical household and family incomes are a little below the state and national figures. However, personal income is slightly higher than the national figure, and 9.4% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Residents are in good health, with only 16.9% reporting a long-term health condition, which is far below the national average. Very few people need help with daily activities or report a mental health condition.

Unpaid care for children is very common here, with 40.7% of people providing this support, far above the national average. In contrast, volunteering is much lower than most areas at 6.8%.

There are no Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people living in this area.

Homes are larger than usual, with 2.7 people per household. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 75.4% of families.

Renting is very common, with 43.8% of households renting, far above the state average. While detached houses are the most common type, typical weekly rents ($230) and home loan payments ($1,300) are well below the national figures.

Every home has at least one motor vehicle, and most people drive to work. While there are more public transport stops per 1,000 people than in most areas, only 7.7% of the workforce works from home.

The community is seeing significant movement, with 51.3% of residents having moved into the area within the last five years, far above the national average.

The local workforce is active, with 66.1% of adults working or looking for work. Employment is concentrated in construction, agriculture, and health care, and the unemployment rate is 0.0%.

The area is highly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.5. Almost no one can walk to groceries or health services within 15 minutes, though some residents are within walking distance of a park.