Urban Area · Area profile
Castlemaine
84 km²
A significant shift in age and education has transformed Castlemaine since 2011. The typical resident is now 50, making the community far older than the national figure, while a surge in university degrees has created a highly qualified population. It is a place where many people now live alone or without religion, and where a strong culture of volunteering and working from home is common. This blend of older residents and high education levels defines its current character.
Explore Castlemaine by topic
Castlemaine is far older than most of Australia, with the typical resident now 50 and 29.2% of the population aged 65 and over. Children under 15 make up only 14.2%, a figure that has fallen since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, though the proportion of overseas-born people rose to 13.3% since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Irish and Scottish.
English is the main language used at home for 84.4% of residents. Very few people speak little or no English, and the use of another language at home is far below the national figure.
A huge majority of 59.5% of people have no religion, which is far above the national figure. This figure has risen sharply by 36 points since 2011.
The area is highly qualified, with 30.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Both university degrees and Year 12 completions have risen by 23 points since 2011.
Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with households usually earning $1,200 a week. However, the number of households earning over $3,000 a week rose from 2.8% to 11.6% since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, particularly arthritis and mental health issues. Despite this, the number of people needing help with daily activities has fallen since 2011.
Volunteering is very common, with 23.1% of residents helping out, which is well above the national figure. More people provide unpaid care here than in most other similar areas.
Living alone is common, with 35.9% of people in one-person homes. This helps explain why the typical home contains only 2.1 people, which is among the lowest for this level.
Most residents live in separate houses, and 46.9% own their home outright, far above the national figure. Renting is much less common here than in the rest of the state.
Working from home has surged to 25.8% since 2011, putting Castlemaine among the highest for this trend. Most people still rely on cars, though public transport use for commuting has risen slightly.
The community is relatively stable, as fewer people moved here in the last five years compared to most areas. Recent arrivals from overseas have also fallen significantly since 2011.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the national figure, and full-time employment has fallen since 2011. Health and education are the biggest industries for those employed.
The area is somewhat walkable, though many homes are far from health services and groceries. Most residents live within a 15-minute walk of a park.