Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Upper Esk
198 km²
A sparse rural landscape defines Upper Esk, which is a small and aging community in the Break O'Day region. The area is very old, with a typical resident aged 63 and 68% of the population being seniors. It is a sparsely populated place where people generally live in small households and face significant health challenges. The community is distinctive for its high proportion of overseas-born residents, though it remains entirely English-speaking.
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The population is far older than the national figure, with no children under 15 living here. Seniors make up 68% of the community, and the typical resident is 63, which is far older than the Australian average of 38.
Nearly half of the population (48%) was born overseas, a figure far above the national average of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are English and Australian.
English is the only language used at home in this area. The proportion of people using another language is 0%, which is well below the national figure of 22.3%.
A large majority of residents (68%) report having no religion, which is far above the national figure of 38.9%.
Education levels are much lower than in most similar areas, with no residents holding a bachelor degree or higher and only 33.3% having completed Year 12.
Incomes are among the lowest at this level; the typical weekly household income is $850, which is far below the national figure of $1,746.
Health needs are high, with 60% of people living with a long-term condition and 24% reporting a mental health condition. Both figures are far above the national averages.
Unpaid work is common, as 56% of people do 15 or more hours of housework weekly. This is far above the national figure of 20.7%.
There are no Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people living in this area.
Homes here are smaller than most, with typically 1.9 people per household, which is well below the national figure of 2.5.
The typical monthly home-loan payment is $1,083, which is far below the national figure of $1,863.
The area has no public transport stops or routes, making residents entirely dependent on other means of travel.
The community is very stable, with only 20% of people having moved in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%.
Very few adults are working or looking for work, at just 28%, which is far below the national figure of 61.1%.
The area is completely car-dependent with a walkability score of 0.0, as there are no groceries, schools, or health services within a 15-minute walk.
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