Section of State Range · Area profile
500 or more
162 km²
Spanning over 160 square kilometres of varied terrain, 500 or more is a sprawling area where detached houses dominate the landscape. It is an older community, with a typical resident aged 48 and a very high proportion of seniors. The area feels settled and traditional, with low levels of overseas birth and a strong preference for home ownership. This stability is reflected in the low number of people moving in or out compared to the national average.
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The population is far older than the national figure, with the typical resident aged 48 and seniors making up 26.5% of the community. This aging trend has grown since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 16.3%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (10.8%) than the national average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 88.6% of people, and only 4.5% use another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Nearly half of residents (48.5%) report having no religion, a figure that is well above the national average and has risen 20 points since 2011.
Education levels are lower than in most similar areas, with only 12.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, more people completed Year 12 by 2021 compared to 2011.
Incomes are generally lower than the national figure, with a typical weekly household earning $1,217. Those earning $3,000 or more per week make up only 10.7% of households, which is far below the national average.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 34.1% of people. Around 7.0% of residents need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national average.
This is a highly active community where 26.5% of people volunteer, far exceeding the national figure. Unpaid care is also common, with 13.3% of people providing unpaid care and 25.3% doing significant housework.
Living arrangements are often small or solo, with 31.2% of people living alone. This helps explain why the typical number of people per home (2.3) is lower than the national average.
The area is dominated by detached houses (94.1%), and many are owned outright (41.5%). Rent is much lower than the national average, with a typical weekly rent of $200.
Cars are essential here, as 65.8% of people drive to work and only 1.2% use public transport. Working from home is also far less common than across Australia.
The community is very stable, with 30.8% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.
About 54% of adults are working or looking for work, which is lower than the national average. The most common industries are health care, agriculture, and construction.
The area is considered somewhat walkable, with 81.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park and 65% near groceries.