Girgarre

The typical resident is 42, making the area noticeably older than Victoria and Australia. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 20.6% of the population, which is well above the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer people born overseas than the state or national averages. Australian, English, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for 87.9% of the community. Only 2.8% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the national average.

A large portion of the community—46.2%—reports having no religion, which is well above the figures for Victoria and Australia.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 6.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and only 30% completing Year 12.

Incomes are much lower than the national average, with the typical household earning $1,093 a week. Only 6.9% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the state figure.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 31.1% of residents. This includes higher-than-average rates of arthritis and mental health conditions.

Community spirit is high, with 21.5% of people volunteering, which is well above the national average. There is also a slightly higher rate of people who have served in the Defence Force.

There are 11 First Nations people in the area. This group is far younger than the state average, with a typical age of just 9 years, and household incomes are among the lowest for this level.

About 31.3% of people live alone, a figure well above the national average. Family homes are typically small, with 2.4 people per household.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, with 98.6% of dwellings being detached. Many residents have high security, as 44.7% own their homes outright, far above the state average.

The area is highly reliant on cars, as it is a long 135-minute drive to the city. While most homes have at least one vehicle, public transport use is very low.

While most residents are stable, there is a very high rate of recent arrivals from overseas—28.3%—which is far above the national and state figures.

About half of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure. The local workforce is heavily concentrated in agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

The area is entirely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 0.8. Residents cannot walk to groceries, health services, or parks within 15 minutes.