Heywood

The community is far older than the national figure, with the typical resident being 48 and seniors making up 26% of the population. First Nations people make up 6.7% of the area, which is well above the state and national rates.

Most residents were born in Australia (80.7%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the state or national average. English, Scottish, and Irish ancestries are the most common alongside Australian heritage.

English is the primary language for 87.1% of residents. Only 1.8% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

A high proportion of residents report having no religion (45.8%), a figure well above the state and national averages. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 39.1%.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 29% of people completing Year 12 and 5.9% holding a bachelor degree or higher, both of which are far below the national figures.

Incomes are well below the national average, with a typical weekly household earning $1,077. Only 8.7% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is far below the state average of 22.7%.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 35.4% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure of 27.7%.

Volunteer rates are a little above the national figure at 16.3%. Additionally, 15.1% of people provide unpaid care, which is well above the national average.

The First Nations community is larger than in most similar areas. While unemployment is lower than the national rate at 7.1%, Year 12 completion is well below the national figure at 29.6%.

A high number of people live alone (35.3%), which is well above the state average. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most areas, at 18.7%.

Detached houses are the norm for 95.5% of homes, far above the state average. Housing is relatively affordable, with typical weekly rents of $180 and monthly mortgage payments of $1,025 being far below the national figures.

The area is car-dependent, as 68.2% of people drive to work and no one commutes by public transport. Only 13% of people work from home, which is far below the state average.

The community is relatively stable, with 30.6% of people moving in the last five years—far below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent arrivals from overseas are also far below the state average.

Only 49.6% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure of 61.1%. Many of the local workforce are employed in agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

Walkability is low, with a score of 3.8 indicating the area is mostly car-dependent. Many homes are far from public transport, with only 53% within a 10-minute walk.