Merrijig

The area is much younger than most, with children under 15 making up 25.8% of the population. This helps explain why de facto relationships are well above the state and national figures at 17.6%.

English and Australian ancestries are most common, though 14.1% of people were born overseas. This is higher than most similar areas, but still far below the Victorian and national figures.

English is the main language for 82.5% of residents. While 6.5% of people use another language at home—higher than in similar areas—this is still far below the state and national averages.

A large majority of the community identifies as having no religion at 55.6%, which is far above the figures for Victoria and Australia.

Education levels are high, with 25.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. About 59.1% of residents completed Year 12, a figure that is much higher than most similar areas.

Typical household income is $1,762 a week, which is about the same as the state and national figures. Higher-income households earning over $3,000 a week are more common here than in most similar areas.

Residents are generally healthier than the national average, with only 20.8% reporting a long-term health condition. Only 1.4% of people need help with daily activities, which is much lower than most areas.

Volunteering is very common here, with 27.2% of people pitching in—far above the national figure of 14.1%. However, rates of unpaid care for children and housework are much lower than in most areas.

First Nations people make up a small part of the population. For these residents, typical personal income is $1,624, which is far above the Victorian and national figures.

Families with children make up 50.5% of households. While people per home is a little below the national figure at 2.3, about 29.3% of residents live alone, which is higher than most areas.

The area is dominated by separate houses, with 96.4% of homes being detached. Home ownership is very high, as 52.7% of homes are owned outright—far above the national figure.

The community is almost entirely reliant on cars, with every single home owning at least one vehicle. Public transport use is very low at 1.1%, and 19.9% of people walk to work.

The population is highly mobile, with 54.4% of people moving in the last five years. This includes a high number of recent overseas arrivals at 27.5%, which is far above the national figure.

The local workforce is small, with 53.5% of adults working or looking for work. Unemployment is very low at 1.0%, and many residents work in education and training or accommodation and food.

Walking is difficult here due to the steep terrain and a lack of nearby services. With no public transport stops and almost no homes within walking distance of health services, the area is heavily car-dependent.