# Meredith

Suburb / Locality · Area profile

Located in: Victoria › Rest of Vic. › Golden Plains › 3333, VIC

Area: 211 km²

Larger than 72% of similar areas, Meredith is a rural community with a population of 821 people. The area is notably older than the national average, with a typical resident aged 45. It is a predominantly home-owning community where nearly every household lives in a separate house. This residential character is combined with a high rate of non-religious residents and a workforce heavily involved in agriculture and management.

## Demographics & Identity

The typical resident is 45, making the community noticeably older than the state and national average of 38. Around 18.4% of people are seniors aged 65 and over, while those in de facto relationships are a little more common here than elsewhere in Australia.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 821 | +11.2% since 2011 |
| Median age | 45 yrs | +9.8% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 1.9% | — |
| People aged 65 and over | 18.4% | +46.0% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 18.0% | -22.7% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 13.6% | +30.5% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Older adults (45–64) 31.2%, Young adults (25–44) 21.9%, Seniors (65+) 18.4%, Children (0–14) 18.0%, Youth (15–24) 9.6%

**Marital status** — Married 47.4%, Never married 34.0%, Divorced 9.1%, Widowed 4.9%, Separated 4.4%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up only 11%, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 11.0% | +5.1% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 80.5%, England 3.7%, New Zealand 1.0%

**Ancestry** — English 41.7%, Australian 41.4%, Irish 15.7%, Scottish 13.9%, Dutch 4.4%, German 3.4%, Italian 1.7%, Greek 1.1%

## Language

English is the primary language for 91.1% of the community. Only 1.8% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the national average of 22.3%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 1.8% | -53.5% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.0% | — |

**Language used at home** — English only 91.1%, Italian 0.6%

## Religion

Nearly half the population (48.4%) report having no religion, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 41.4%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 48.4% | +43.9% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — No religion 48.4%, Christianity 41.4%, Not stated 9.1%, Other religions 0.9%, Islam 0.5%, Buddhism 0.4%

## Education & Qualifications

About 45.3% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national average of 58.8%. Those with a bachelor degree or higher make up 14.6% of the population, also far below the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 45.3% | +30.7% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 14.6% | +36.0% since 2011 |
| Schools per 1,000 children | 6.76 | — |
| Schools within 3 km | 1 | — |
| Average school size | 71 | — |
| Average school ICSEA | 987 | — |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 45.3%, Year 10 21.6%, Year 11 13.2%, Year 9 or below 12.4%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 33.3%, Advanced diploma / diploma 17.8%, Bachelor degree 15.3%, Postgraduate degree 5.6%, Certificate I / II 3.9%, Graduate diploma / certificate 2.1%

**Field of qualification** — Engineering & related 14.6%, Health 11.6%, Management & commerce 11.3%, Society & culture 11.3%, Agriculture & environment 7.9%, Education 6.7%, Architecture & building 6.3%, Food, hospitality & personal services 4.6%, Natural & physical sciences 2.8%, Creative arts 2.1%, Information technology 1.4%

## Income

Typical weekly household income is $1,638, which is about the same as the national figure. However, those earning $3,000 or more a week are well below the national average of 22.6% at just 15.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $728 | +34.1% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,638 | +53.7% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,922 | +55.6% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 7.4% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 15.7% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $1,500–$2,999 32.4%, $650–$1,499 25.8%, Under $650 13.7%, $3,000–$3,999 9.0%, $4,000 or more 6.7%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 42.9%, $650–$1,499 31.2%, $1,500–$2,999 14.7%, $3,000 or more 1.8%

## Health & Disability

Residents experience health issues at a much higher rate than most similar areas. Long-term health conditions affect 35% of people, and 11.1% have a mental health condition, both well above national figures.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 35.0% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 11.1% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 7.2% | +83.1% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Mental health 11.1%, Asthma 10.4%, Arthritis 9.9%, Other condition 8.5%, Heart disease 5.8%, Diabetes 4.8%, Cancer 4.0%, Lung condition 1.6%, Stroke 1.3%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 55.5%, One condition 23.4%, Two conditions 8.3%, Three or more 3.3%

## Community Participation

Community spirit is high, with 18.8% of people volunteering, well above the national figure. There is also a higher rate of people providing unpaid care and those who served in the Defence Force compared to most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 18.8% | -20.8% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 15.4% | +7.0% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 26.0% | -24.4% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 4.1% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 27.6% | -3.9% since 2011 |

## First Nations

There are 16 First Nations people in the area, who are noticeably younger than the state average with a typical age of 20. Their typical personal income of $850 is well above the national figure of $540.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 16 | — |
| First Nations median age | 20 yrs | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $850 | — |
| First Nations household income | $2,250 | — |

## Family & Households

Families with children are common, with 56.7% of households being couples with children. Homes here are slightly larger than the national average, with 2.6 people per home.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.6 | +4.0% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 12.3% | +23.4% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 22.7% | -11.6% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 56.7%, Couples without children 29.4%, One-parent families 12.3%, Other families 0.9%

**Household size** — 2 people 36.5%, 1 person 22.7%, 4 people 15.1%, 3 people 14.4%, 5 people 7.0%, 6 or more 3.7%

## Housing & Dwellings

Every single home in Meredith is a separate house. This is far above the national average, and it explains why 80.9% of homes have three or more bedrooms.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $300 | +100.0% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,517 | +7.7% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.80 | -27.3% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 13.7% | -10.5% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 37.1% | -4.9% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 100.0% | +6.6% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 80.9% | -0.3% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned with a mortgage 45.8%, Owned outright 37.1%, Rented 13.7%, Other tenure 1.3%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 100.3%, Other dwelling 1.7%, Townhouse / semi-detached 1.0%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 50.2%, 4 bedrooms 24.1%, 2 bedrooms 14.0%, 5 or more 6.7%, 1 bedroom 1.7%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $200–$349 46.3%, $350–$549 29.3%, Under $200 14.6%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,000–$1,799 39.4%, Under $1,000 25.5%, $1,800–$2,999 25.5%, $3,000 or more 9.5%

## Transport & Vehicles

The area is entirely car-dependent, as 0% of people commute by public transport and no home is without a motor vehicle. The walk to the nearest stop takes a typical 66 minutes.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 0.0% | -100.0% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 18.6% | +40.0% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 0.0% | -100.0% since 2011 |
| Public transport stops | 2 | — |
| PT stops per 1,000 people | 2.44 | — |
| Weekly PT departures per 1,000 people | 51.2 | — |
| Public transport routes | 2 | — |
| Walk to nearest stop (min) | 66 | — |
| Drive time to the city (min) | 84 | — |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 58.1%, Worked at home 18.6%, Walked 4.9%, Car (passenger) 2.1%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 2 vehicles 37.5%, 1 vehicle 20.4%, 3 vehicles 20.4%, 4 or more 20.4%

## Migration & Movement

About 34.6% of residents moved in the last five years. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas, which is far below the national trend.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 34.6% | +5.0% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 0.0% | -100.0% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Full-time employment is well above the national average at 62.8%. Much of the workforce is employed in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, or as managers.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | +19.0% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 59.7% | -0.2% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 62.8% | +6.5% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Agriculture, forestry & fishing 17.3%, Health care & social assistance 11.1%, Construction 10.9%, Education & training 8.8%, Retail trade 7.5%, Public administration & safety 7.5%, Manufacturing 7.2%, Professional & technical 5.7%, Transport & warehousing 4.9%, Wholesale trade 3.6%, Accommodation & food 3.1%, Other services 2.8%, Administrative & support 1.6%, Arts & recreation 1.3%, Finance & insurance 1.0%, Mining 0.8%, Electricity, gas & water 0.8%, Media & telecommunications 0.8%, Rental & real estate 0.8%

**Occupations people work in** — Managers 23.3%, Technicians & trades 16.3%, Professionals 13.7%, Labourers 12.7%, Clerical & administrative 10.3%, Machinery operators & drivers 9.6%, Community & personal service 9.3%, Sales workers 4.9%

## Walkability

The area is considered car-dependent with a low walkability score of 2.0. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries or health services.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 2.0 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 2.3 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 25.0% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 0.0% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 37.8% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 51.6% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 47.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 0.0% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 23.1 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 1 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 5.1% | — |

## Schools serving Meredith

1 school, 71 students, average ICSEA 987.

By sector: Government 1

By type: Primary 1

| School | Sector | Type | Distance | Students |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Meredith Primary School | Government | Primary | 4.4 km | 71 |

## Nearby areas

[Bamganie](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL20128/bamganie) · [Lethbridge](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL21496/lethbridge) · [Elaine](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL20851/elaine) · [She Oaks](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22268/she-oaks) · [Cargerie](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL20489/cargerie) · [Morrisons](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL21765/morrisons) · [Shelford](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22272/shelford) · [Steiglitz](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22356/steiglitz)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL21656/meredith