Merriang

The area is far older than the state and national average, with 23.6% of people aged 65 and over. Children under 15 make up only 12.1% of the population, which is well below the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 8.2% were born overseas, a figure far below the state and national averages. Australian, English, and Italian are the most common ancestries.

While 79.1% of people speak only English, 10.4% use another language at home, which is much higher than in most similar areas. About 4.4% of residents speak little or no English.

Religious affiliation is common here, with 60.4% identifying as Christian. This means the 27.5% of people with no religion is far below the national figure.

Education levels are mixed; while 18% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is higher than most similar areas, 46.4% of residents completed Year 12, far below the national average.

Typical household weekly income is $1,850, which is slightly higher than the state and national figures. However, the 14.1% of households earning over $3,000 a week is well below the national average.

About 24.7% of residents have a long-term health condition, which is well below the national figure. Arthritis is the most reported condition at 11.5%.

This is a highly active community, with 24.7% of people volunteering, a figure far above the state and national averages. Unpaid care is also very common, with 22% of people providing such support.

There are no Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people recorded in this area, which is smaller than about 60% of similar areas.

Families tend to be larger here, with 2.7 people per home. One-parent families are much more common than in most similar areas at 17.8%, while only 20.3% of people live alone.

Every single home in Merriang is a separate detached house, and 42.2% are owned outright, far above the national average. Renting is rare at only 9.4%.

The area is entirely dependent on cars, as there are no public transport stops. Most homes have multiple vehicles, with 82.8% of households owning two or more.

Residents tend to stay put, with only 25% of the population moving in the last five years, a figure far below the national average.

Work is spread across agriculture, manufacturing, and retail. Full-time employment is much lower than in most similar areas, at 47.2%.

The area is heavily car-dependent with a walkability score of 1.4, far below the state average. Most residents cannot walk to groceries, health services, or schools within 15 minutes.