Bairnsdale

The community has aged significantly, with the typical resident now 7.0 years older than the national figure. This shift is highlighted by the 27.5% of residents aged 65 and over, a figure far above the Australian average. Additionally, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has risen to 5.2%, which is well above the Victorian average.

Most residents were born in Australia (80.6%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the national average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, making up 42.3% and 39.6% respectively.

English is the primary language for 86.8% of the community. While the proportion of people using another language at home has risen slightly to 5.6%, this remains far below the national figure.

A large portion of the community identifies as having no religion, at 46.7%. This is well above the national average and represents a significant increase of 19 percentage points since 2011.

Educational qualifications are lower than the state and national figures, with only 12.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. About 40.2% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national average of 58.8%.

Typical weekly household incomes are well below the national figure, sitting at $1,139. Only 8.7% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is far below the national average.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 35.7% of people living with a long-term health condition. A higher number of residents need help with daily activities (8.8%) and a higher proportion report mental health conditions (11.8%) compared to the rest of the state.

Volunteering is relatively common, with 17.0% of people helping out, which is well above the Victorian average. Unpaid care is also more frequent here, as 14.5% of people provide unpaid care to others.

Living arrangements are varied, with 34.1% of people living alone—a figure well above the national average. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most similar areas, making up 19.7% of households.

Detached houses are very common, making up 85.3% of homes. While 39.0% of homes are owned outright, rental rates have risen to 29.1% since 2011, and typical weekly rents are well below the national figure at $280.

Most people rely on cars, with 67.5% of workers driving to work and only 0.3% using public transport. Working from home is far less common here than across Australia, at just 8.8%.

The area has seen a fair amount of movement, with 39.4% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals have also increased to 13.2% since 2011.

The workforce is smaller than the state average, with 50.6% of adults working or looking for work. Health care and social assistance is the most common industry, employing 17.8% of the workforce.

Bairnsdale is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 5.0, which is well below the Victorian average. Many homes lack easy access to essentials, as only 56.2% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.