State Electorate · Area profile
Bendigo East (Northern Victoria)
2,658 km²
More than 72,000 people live in Bendigo East, where families with children and a growing number of seniors create a balanced age profile. The typical resident is 39, and there is a notable presence of children under 15 and people aged 65 and over. It is a predominantly Australian community with very few overseas births. Large, detached houses are the norm here, which helps explain why the area feels spacious and family-oriented.
Families are well catered for: 26 schools serve Bendigo East (Northern Victoria).
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The population grew by 12% since 2016, and the community is slightly older than the national figure. About 19.7% of residents are children under 15, while those aged 65 and over make up 18.6%, a figure that has risen since 2016.
This area is far less diverse than the state or nation, with only 9.4% of people born overseas. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 88.5% of residents. Only 6.5% use another language at home, which is far below the Victorian average of 27.6%.
A large number of residents report no religion, at 47.2%. This is well above the national figure and represents an 11 point increase since 2016.
About 50.8% of residents finished Year 12, which is far below the state average. However, the proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher rose to 21.6% since 2016.
Typical weekly household income is $1,557, which is a little below the national figure. While incomes have risen since 2016, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week remains lower than most areas.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33.5% of people having a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are particularly prevalent at 12.3%, which is well above the state and national figures.
Unpaid work is very common, with 29.3% of people caring for children and 23.3% doing significant housework. Local volunteering is also higher than average, though it fell by 8.4 points since 2016.
Most homes are occupied by couples with children (56.1%) or couples without children (27.3%). One-parent families make up 15.6% of the community, which is higher than most areas.
The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 91.8% of dwellings. Homes are generally large, with 83.4% having three or more bedrooms, and rent is lower than the national figure at $300 a week.
Cars are essential here, as 63.6% of people drive to work and only 0.7% use public transport. While there are many bus stops, only 14.3% of the workforce works from home, which is well below the national average.
About 40.5% of residents moved in the last five years, a rate similar to the rest of the country. Recent overseas arrivals make up 15.2% of the population.
The unemployment rate is 4.1%, which is much lower than most similar areas. Many residents work in health care and social assistance, the most common industry at 19.3%.
The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.6. This is well below the state average, and only 38.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.