Merbein West

The area has a notable split in age, with 22% of the population being children under 15 and 24.7% being seniors, both figures well above the national average. De facto relationships are much more common here than in most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, with only 6.7% born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures. English, Australian, and Scottish are the most common ancestries reported.

English is the primary language for the vast majority, and only 2.2% of people use another language at home. This is far below the Victoria and Australia averages.

A large portion of the community reports having no religion, at 45.7%, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%.

Educational attainment is lower than the state average, with only 36% of residents completing Year 12. Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 14% of the population.

Typical household incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual weekly amount being $1,312. High earners are rare, as only 4.3% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 31.4% of residents. Arthritis is the most frequent condition reported.

About 14.6% of residents are volunteers, which is a little above the state average. Unpaid care for children is performed by 23.6% of the population.

The First Nations population is very small, with those present being far older than the national average with a typical age of 59.

Families with children make up over half of all households. Homes are slightly larger than usual, with an average of 2.6 people per dwelling.

Home ownership is very high, as 52.9% of houses are owned outright and no one is renting. The typical monthly mortgage payment is $1,083, which is far below the state and national figures.

The community is entirely car-dependent, with every single home owning at least one vehicle. There are no public transport stops or routes serving the area.

The population is very stable, as only 21% of residents have moved in the last five years, far below the national rate of 40.7%.

Full-time employment is much lower than the national average at 50.5%, and the unemployment rate of 5.7% is slightly higher than the state figure. Common jobs include machinery operators, drivers, and health care workers.

The area is highly car-dependent with a very low walkability score. While most homes are near a park, there are no schools, shops, or health services within a 15-minute walk.