State Electorate · Area profile
Ripon (Western Victoria)
16,773 km²
Life in Ripon revolves around a spacious, car-dependent landscape where the population is far older than the national figure. This community of nearly 68,000 people is defined by a high proportion of retirees, with one in four residents aged 65 or over. It is a largely traditional area where most people were born in Australia and homes are typically detached houses. The community has seen steady growth since 2016, though it remains a place where many residents live alone and work in health or agriculture.
Plenty of schools here relative to how few children live in the area.
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Ripon is an older community, with a typical resident aged 47 and a senior population that is well above the Victorian average. While children under 15 make up 16.3% of the people, the number of people aged 65 and over has risen to 25.5% since 2016.
The area is much less diverse than the state average, with only 10.0% of people born overseas. English and Australian ancestries are the most common, accounting for 41.7% and 40.8% respectively.
English is the dominant language, with 86.8% of residents using it at home. The proportion of people using another language is far below the national figure, and very few people speak little or no English.
A large number of residents report no religion, a figure that rose by 12 points since 2016 to reach 44.9%. This is well above the national and state averages.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most similar areas, with only 39.0% of people completing Year 12. The proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is also far below the state average at 13.0%.
Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual household earning $1,166 a week. While the number of households earning $3,000 or more rose to 10.1% since 2016, this remains among the lowest for its level.
Residents face more health challenges than most, with a long-term health condition rate that is well above the national figure. Around 11.6% of people live with a mental health condition, and 7.8% need help with daily activities.
Volunteerism is much higher here than in most areas, though the rate fell from 26.0% in 2016 to 18.4% in 2021. Many residents provide unpaid care, and there is a higher than average number of former Defence Force members.
The area has a high number of people living alone—32.3%, which is well above the national figure. This is consistent with the older population, as the typical home contains only 2.3 people.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 93.2% of all dwellings. Home ownership is strong, with 45.3% of homes owned outright, and typical weekly rents of $240 are well below the state average.
Most people rely on cars, with 63.4% driving to work and very few using public transport. Despite having more public transport stops than most similar areas, only 0.4% of residents use these services to commute.
The community is relatively stable, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years is well below the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 12.8% of the population.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas. The unemployment rate is 4.1%, and the most common industries are health care and social assistance, followed by agriculture and manufacturing.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Many homes are far from basic services, with only 33.5% located within a 15-minute walk of health services.