Urban Area · Area profile
Swan Hill
127 km²
Swan Hill is a regional community with a smaller population than most similar areas. It is a family-oriented place where children under 15 make up 19.2% of the residents, a figure higher than the state average. The area has a strong volunteer spirit and a growing number of seniors, who now make up 21.1% of the population. While typical incomes are slightly below the national figure, the community is marked by high rates of home ownership and a very walkable layout.
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The area has a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (4.2%) than the state and national averages. Seniors are well represented at 21.1%, a figure that has risen by 6 points since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia (80.2%), and the percentage of people born overseas is far below both Victoria and the national figure.
English is the main language for 81% of residents. While 12.4% of people use another language at home, this is far below the state average.
Nearly 40% of the community reports no religion, which is about the same as the national figure. This reflects a significant shift, as the number of people with no religion rose 19 points since 2011.
Academic qualifications are lower than in most similar areas, with only 13.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the number of people completing Year 12 rose 9 points since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $1,390, which is well below the state and national figures. High-income earners are also rare, with only 6.3% of people earning $2,000 or more per week.
A long-term health condition affects 31.1% of residents, which is well above the national average. Mental health conditions are reported at 8.6%, about the same as the rest of the country.
Volunteering is very common here, with 17.9% of people helping out, a rate well above the national figure. Unpaid care is also more frequent than in most similar areas.
About 30.6% of people live alone, which is well above the national figure. Households are generally smaller than average, with 2.3 people per home.
Separate houses make up 83% of homes, far above the national average. Rent is much lower here than across the country, with a typical weekly rent of $235.
Cars are the primary way to get around, with 70.2% of people driving to work. Very few people use public transport for commuting, at just 0.2%.
The area has seen a significant increase in recent overseas arrivals, who now make up 34.2% of the population. This is far above the state and national figures.
The local job market is strong, with an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is among the lowest for similar areas. Many residents work in health care and social assistance.
The town is very walkable, with 98.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, access to health services is a challenge, as fewer than half of homes are within a 15-minute walk of these services.