Urban Centre · Area profile
Swan Hill
21 km²
Far more people in Swan Hill identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander than in the rest of Victoria. This regional centre has a shrinking population that has lost about 17% of its residents since 2011. It is a diverse community where a growing number of people speak languages other than English at home, alongside a strong presence of seniors. These factors combine to create a distinct local character that differs significantly from the state average.
Explore Swan Hill by topic
The typical resident is 38, which is much lower than in most similar areas. However, the area has a higher proportion of seniors than the national figure, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has risen to 4.3% since 2011.
While most residents were born in Australia, those born overseas make up 13.5% of the population. This is far below the Victorian and national figures, though the number of overseas-born residents has risen slightly since 2011.
The share of people using another language at home has risen sharply to 12.6% since 2011. This is much higher than in similar areas, although it remains well below the national average.
About 38.9% of the community report no religion, a figure that is about the same as the national average. This represents a 13 point increase since 2011, while 46.5% of residents identify as Christian.
A higher share of adults here have a bachelor degree or higher than in similar areas, though this is far below the state and national figures. Year 12 completion has also risen to 44% since 2011.
Typical weekly household incomes are higher than in similar areas, but they remain well below the Victorian figure of $1,759. Weekly personal income has risen by $229 since 2011 to reach $753.
About 31.1% of residents have a long-term health condition, which is well above the national figure. Arthritis and asthma are the most common reports, and 6.7% of people need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is more common here than in the rest of the state, with 17.6% of people pitching in. However, this is down 6.3 points from 2011.
One-parent families make up 16.8% of the community, which is well above the national figure. Around 30.9% of people live alone, and the usual home contains 2.3 people.
Renting is much more common here than in similar areas, with 32.2% of households renting. Detached houses are very popular, making up 82.6% of homes, and typical weekly rents are well below the national figure at $235.
Most people rely on cars, with 70.5% driving to work and only 0.2% using public transport. Working from home is far less common here than across Australia, at just 6.2%.
The area has seen a huge increase in recent overseas arrivals, which rose 25 points since 2011 to reach 34.8%. This is far above the national figure.
The unemployment rate is much lower than in most similar areas and sits at 3.1%. Full-time employment is a little above the national figure, with many residents working in health care and retail.
The area is very walkable, with 100% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. While most residents can easily reach public transport and groceries, only 49.1% are within a short walk of health services.