Whitfield

The community is far older than the national figure, with the typical age at 53 and a much lower proportion of children under 15 (11.4%) than the state average. De facto relationships are also much more common here than in most similar areas.

While 82.3% of people were born in Australia, the area has a higher proportion of overseas-born residents than most similar areas. English, Australian, Scottish, and Italian are the most common ancestries.

People using another language at home is much higher than in most similar areas, although it remains far below the Victorian figure at 10.5%. Italian and Greek are the most common non-English languages used.

The community has a higher proportion of people with no religion (45.5%) than most similar areas, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher (16.5%) and those who completed Year 12 (45.6%) are both far below the state and national figures. The area has one primary school, which is much smaller than most.

Incomes are generally lower here than in most areas, with the typical household earning $1,137 a week, well below the national figure of $1,746. Very few households earn $3,000 or more weekly.

Mental health conditions are much more common here than in most similar areas, affecting 10.9% of residents. Arthritis is the most reported long-term health condition at 12.3%.

Volunteering is well above the national figure, with 21.8% of people giving their time. There is also a slightly higher rate of people who have served in the Defence Force compared to the state average.

The First Nations population is very small, with a typical age of 66 that is far older than the national figure of 24.

People living alone are much more common here (35.4%) than in most similar areas. This helps explain why the typical home is smaller, with only 2.1 people per household.

Home ownership is very high, with 57.6% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Almost all residents (97%) live in separate houses, and typical rents are far below the state average at $200 a week.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as every single home has at least one motor vehicle. While there is a bus route, no one uses public transport to commute to work.

Recent arrivals from overseas are much more common here than in most similar areas, making up 13.3% of the population.

Employment is heavily tied to the land, with 30.8% of people working in agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Full-time employment is much lower than the national figure at 47.9%.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services.