Smythesdale

The area is younger than most, with 20.4% of the population being children under 15. A high 16.0% of residents are in de facto relationships, which is well above the national figure of 11.5%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 6.8% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with 91.6% of people using it only. Only 1.7% of residents use another language at home, far below the Victorian average of 27.6%.

A majority of the community has no religion (53.9%), a figure far above the national average of 38.9%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 37.4%.

Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 11.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national figure of 26.3%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,656, which is about the same as the national figure. However, those earning $3,000 or more per week are well below the state average.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33.3% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are also much higher than the national average at 12.6%.

Unpaid work is common, with 15.4% of people providing care, which is well above the national figure. Additionally, 4.0% of residents have served in the Defence Force, a rate higher than most areas.

First Nations people make up 2.6% of the population. This community is noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of just 17 years.

Homes tend to be larger, with 2.7 people per house, which is higher than most areas. Only 19.3% of people live alone, well below the national figure of 25.6%.

Smythesdale is dominated by separate houses (98.3%) and large homes, with 85.8% having three or more bedrooms. Renting is very rare here at just 4.4%, far below the state average.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 67.9% of workers driving to their jobs. Very few people use public transport to commute, at just 0.5%.

The population is relatively stable, with 31.8% moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.

Job security is high, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, which is well below the national average. Full-time employment is also slightly higher than the state average.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.6. Most homes are far from basic needs, with only 49.8% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.