Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Numurkah
193 km²
A far older population than the state average marks Numurkah, where the typical resident is 49. This rural town is shaped by its high proportion of seniors, with 28% aged 65 and over. While it has a small population of 4,604, it is larger than most similar areas in the region. The community is characterized by a predominantly Australian-born population and a high rate of home ownership, creating a stable but aging residential profile.
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The community is significantly older than the national figure, with seniors making up 28% of the population. This trend is reflected in the typical age of 49, which is far older than the Victorian average of 38.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 7% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 88.1% of the population. Only 2.6% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the state average of 27.6%.
About half of the population identifies as Christian, while 38% of residents report no religion, which is about the same as the national figure.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 10.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 34.2% of residents completed Year 12, far below the 58.8% national average.
Incomes are well below the state and national figures, with a typical household earning $1,117 a week. Only 8.6% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is much lower than most areas.
Health challenges are common here, as 39.4% of people have a long-term health condition—far above the national figure of 27.7%. This is reflected in the 8.9% of residents who need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is strong, with 17.2% of people volunteering, which is well above the national average of 14.1%. A higher number of residents have also served in the Defence Force compared to most areas.
There are 101 First Nations people in the area. This community is noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 18.
The town has a high number of people living alone (33.6%) and a higher rate of one-parent families (18.4%) compared to most areas. Households are generally smaller than the national average.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, with 88.5% of homes being detached. Many residents own their homes outright (44%), and the typical weekly rent of $210 is far below the national figure.
Most people rely on cars, with 69% driving to work and only 0.3% using public transport. Working from home is also much less common here than in the rest of the state.
About 32.6% of residents moved in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent overseas arrivals make up 11.8% of the population.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (48.3%) compared to most areas. The most common industries for those employed are health care and social assistance, followed by agriculture and forestry.
The area is considered somewhat walkable, though it has far fewer walkable amenities per 1,000 residents than the state average. Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school or groceries.