Merino

The area is far older than the national average, with a typical resident aged 58 and nearly 30% of the population aged 65 or over. Children make up only 7.2% of the community, which is far below the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with ancestral roots mainly identify as English, Australian, or Irish. Only 11.6% were born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures.

English is the dominant language, with 92.8% of people using it at home. Very few residents use another language, and there are no records of people who speak little or no English.

Over half of the community identifies as Christian, while 35.3% report no religion, a figure that is well below the national average.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 29.4% of residents completing Year 12. Just 10% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the state average.

Incomes are very low compared to the rest of Australia, with typical personal weekly earnings at $473. Only 9.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, far below the state figure.

Long-term health issues are common here, with 46.2% of people reporting a condition, which is far above the national average. About 8.8% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is very common, with 27% of people volunteering, far above the national figure. Many residents also provide unpaid care or do significant amounts of housework.

There is a very small First Nations population, with no recorded residents in this census. The typical age and income for this group are far above or below the state norms.

Living alone is common, with 44.5% of people in single-person households. This is far above the national average and contributes to the low average of 1.9 people per home.

Housing is very stable, with 68.9% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Almost every home is a separate house, and typical weekly rents are very low at $100.

The community is entirely car-dependent, as no one uses public transport to commute and every home has at least one motor vehicle. Most people drive themselves to work.

The population is relatively stable, with 30.9% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national average. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the main industries, employing 30.1% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 10.2%, which is well above the state and national figures.

The area is highly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Most residents cannot walk to groceries, health services, or public transport.