West Bendigo

The community is older than average, with a typical resident aged 43. About 5% of the population is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is well above the 1% figure for Victoria.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the state or national figures. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for nearly 90% of the community. This is far above the national figure, and only 4% of residents use another language at home.

Over half of the residents (51.3%) report having no religion, which is far above the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 38.9%.

Education levels are far below the state and national averages, with only 11.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 37.9% completing Year 12.

Typical weekly household income is $1,343, which is well below the state figure. Very few households earn $3,000 or more per week, at just 5.1%.

Health challenges are much more common here than in similar areas, with 36.8% of people living with a long-term health condition and 13.8% reporting a mental health condition.

A higher-than-average proportion of residents (14.8%) provide unpaid care. However, the number of volunteers is much lower than in most other areas.

The First Nations community here is notably young, with a typical age of 14. Personal incomes for First Nations residents are also far above the state and national figures.

Living arrangements are varied, with 33.8% of people living alone and 18.8% in one-parent families, both of which are well above the state average.

Detached houses are very common, making up 93.6% of homes. While many are owned outright, typical weekly rents are well below the state and national figures at $235.

Cars are essential for most, as 69.7% of people drive to work and 0% use public transport for their commute. Only 8.1% of people work from home.

The population is relatively stable, with far fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the state and national figures. There were no recent arrivals from overseas.

Full-time employment is well below the state average at 49.7%. The most common industries for local workers are health care and social assistance.

The area is somewhat walkable, with 83% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries. However, access to health services on foot is far below the state average.