Urban Area · Area profile
Bairnsdale
155 km²
A typical resident of Bairnsdale is 45, making this community noticeably older than both the state and national average. This East Gippsland hub is an aging area where over a quarter of the population are seniors, and the number of people aged 65 and over has risen 6 percentage points since 2011. It is a place of modest means and stable home ownership, where people generally live in detached houses and maintain a slower pace of life. The population grew by 18% over the last decade to reach 15,684 people.
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Bairnsdale is much older than most areas, with a typical age of 45 and 26.6% of people aged 65 and over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 4.8% of the community, which is well above the Victorian figure of 1.0%.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born (81.2%), and those born overseas make up 11.3%, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the only language used at home for 87.5% of residents. Only 5.3% of people use another language at home, which is far below the state and national averages.
A high number of people report no religion at 47.0%, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. This trend has seen a sharp rise of 20 percentage points since 2011.
Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 13.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, more people have completed Year 12 compared to 2011, rising to 40.8%.
Typical incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the usual family earning $1,516 a week. Only 9.7% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the Victorian average.
Health challenges are more common here, as 34.8% of people have a long-term health condition, well above the national figure of 27.7%. This is consistent with the older population, as 8.2% of people need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is more common here than in most areas, with 17.2% of people pitching in. Unpaid care is also high, as 14.6% of residents provide unpaid care, a figure slightly above the national average.
Many people live alone in Bairnsdale (32.3%), which is well above the national average of 25.6%. One-parent families also make up 17.8% of households, which is higher than most areas.
The area is dominated by separate houses (86.8%), and a very high 40.1% of homes are owned outright. Both typical rents ($280) and home-loan payments ($1,300) are well below state and national figures.
Cars are essential here, as 67.4% of people drive to work and only 0.3% use public transport. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle (6.4%), and working from home is far less common than in the rest of Victoria.
About 39.3% of people have moved in the last five years, which is about the same as the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 12.4% of the population.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (52.2%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. The most common industries for local workers are health care, retail, and construction.
Bairnsdale is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.3. Many residents live far from basic services, as only 48.2% can walk to groceries and 41.5% to health services within 15 minutes.