Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Deloraine
90 km²
A far older population than the national average marks Deloraine as a distinct community in the Meander Valley. The typical resident is 50, and nearly 31% of people are aged 65 or over. This age profile helps explain why a high proportion of homes are owned outright and why more residents require help with daily activities. Despite these challenges, the town is a hub of activity with high rates of volunteering and a strong presence of First Nations people.
Deloraine is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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Deloraine has a much older feel than most areas, with a typical age of 50 compared to the national figure of 38. About 31% of the population are seniors, and the area has a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at 6.8%.
English and Australian ancestries are the most common, accounting for 47% and 41% of residents respectively. While 13.6% of people were born overseas, this is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the primary language for 91.2% of the community. Only 4.4% of people use another language at home, which is well below the state average of 8.7%.
More than half of the population are Christians, while 40.6% of residents report having no religion. This lack of religious affiliation is a little above the national figure.
The area has lower school completion rates than most, with only 37.6% of people finishing Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%. This is consistent with the fact that only 13.5% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical incomes are much lower than most areas; the typical household earns $990 a week, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 8.6% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Health challenges are more common here, with 38.8% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is far above the national figure of 27.7%, and 9.8% of residents need daily help with activities.
Local residents are very active in their community, with 23% volunteering, a rate well above the national figure of 14.1%. There is also a higher-than-usual proportion of former Defence Force members at 4.3%.
The First Nations community is among the largest for this level, with a typical age of 21, making them noticeably younger than the state average. Unemployment among this group is 6.6%, which is well below the national figure.
People living alone are common, making up 33.7% of households, which is well above the national figure. One-parent families are also more frequent here at 16%.
A high 44.8% of homes are owned outright, far above the national average of 31%. Most people live in separate houses, and typical weekly rents are $243, which is well below the national figure.
Most people rely on cars, and very few use public transport to commute. The drive time to the city is much higher than most areas, and only 8.3% of people work from home.
The area has seen some movement, with 36.8% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 13% of the population, which is a little below the national figure.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work here compared to most areas, at 49.1%. The main industries for employment are health care and social assistance, followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing.
The town is somewhat walkable, with 69.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services, far above the state average. However, only 50.1% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.