Porcupine Ridge

The community is notably older than most areas, with 30.9% of people aged 65 and over. De facto relationships are far more common here than in the rest of Victoria, while the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is a little below the state figure.

Around 20.8% of residents were born overseas, which is much higher than similar areas, although this remains well below the Victorian average. Most people have Australian, English, Scottish, or Irish ancestry.

English is the main language for 87.2% of the community. While 10.1% of people use another language at home—a figure much higher than similar areas—it is still far below the state and national averages.

A large majority of the community reports no religion, at 59.7%. This is far above the national figure and among the highest rankings for similar areas.

The area is highly qualified, with 37.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national average. This high level of education is reflected in the 62.8% of residents who completed Year 12.

Typical weekly household and personal incomes are well below the national figures, though 23.3% of people earn $2,000 or more a week, which is far above the state average.

The community is generally healthy, with a long-term health condition rate slightly below the national figure and no residents needing help with daily activities. Mental health conditions are slightly more common than in most areas.

Volunteerism is very high here at 29.5%, far above the national figure. There is also a much higher rate of people doing significant unpaid housework and a notably high number of former Defence Force members.

There are no Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people recorded here, which is a smaller count than about 60% of similar areas.

The area has a high proportion of people living alone (34.8%) and fewer one-parent families than the state average. Households are typically small, with 2.2 people per home.

Every single home in Porcupine Ridge is a separate house. Outright home ownership is very high at 50%, which is far above the national average, while renting is much lower than usual.

The community is entirely dependent on cars, as there are no public transport stops and 100% of homes have at least one vehicle. About 23.4% of the workforce operates from home.

Movement into the area has been high, with 44.3% of people moving in over the last five years, well above the national average. Recent overseas arrivals make up 9.7% of the population.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, but the unemployment rate is 0.0%. Professional and community service roles are the most common occupations.

The area is heavily car-dependent with a very low walkability score. There are no grocery stores, schools, or health services within a 15-minute walk, and the terrain is steeper than the state average.