Murchison

The community is significantly older than the state and national figures, with nearly 30% of people aged 65 or over. About 4.8% of residents are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is well above the Victorian average.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people than the rest of the state. English, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for the vast majority, with only 3.2% of people using another language at home. This is far below the figures for Victoria and Australia.

Nearly 46% of people report having no religion, a figure well above the national average. Christianity is also common, accounting for 44.1% of the population.

The area has much lower levels of formal qualifications than most similar places, with only 10.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 33.9% completing Year 12.

Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual household earning $952 a week. Only 6.1% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far lower than the state average.

Long-term health conditions are among the highest at this level, affecting 40.6% of people. This includes high rates of arthritis and mental health conditions, and 6.8% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is more common here than in the rest of the state, with 18.2% of people pitching in. There is also a much higher proportion of former Defence Force members compared to most areas.

The First Nations community is relatively small, with 42 people. This group is far younger than the general population, with a typical age of 16, and faces lower levels of Year 12 completion.

Living alone is very common, with 35.2% of people in single-person homes. This contributes to the average household size of 2.2 people, which is slightly lower than the state average.

The area is dominated by separate houses, and 48.1% are owned outright, far above the national figure. Because of this, typical rents and mortgage payments are much lower than in most other areas.

The community is highly car-dependent, with 67.4% of workers driving to their jobs. Very few people use public transport to commute, and the drive time to the city is over 100 minutes.

The population is relatively stable, with 31.5% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the Victorian average. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work here compared to most areas, at 49.7%. The most common industries for those employed are health care, retail, and agriculture.

Most residents are car-dependent, as the walkability score is far below the state average. Many homes are a long walk from public transport, parks, or groceries.