Benalla

The community is significantly older than the state average, with seniors making up 31.2% of the population. This trend has accelerated since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 14.0%, which is well below the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and English is the most common ancestry at 42.2%. Only 10.0% of the population was born overseas, a figure far below the national average of 27.7%.

English is the primary language for 87.3% of people. However, the number of people using another language at home rose to 4.5% since 2011, though this remains far below the state figure.

A large portion of the community reports no religion at 42.3%, which is well above the national average. This figure has risen by 5.7 percentage points since 2011.

About 12.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, but this is far below the national figure and has fallen since 2011. Most residents hold a Certificate III or IV, the most common qualification at 34.5%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,107, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. While incomes have risen since 2011, only 9.6% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health needs are much higher here than in most areas, with 40.0% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is consistent with the older population, as 9.2% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is more common here than in the rest of the state, with 16.7% of people volunteering. Unpaid care for others is also slightly higher than the national average at 14.3%.

People are more likely to live alone here than in most other areas, with 37.5% of households consisting of one person. One-parent families are also more common, making up 19.0% of households.

Detached houses are very common at 85.0%, and 41.7% of homes are owned outright. Typical weekly rent is $255, which is well below the national figure of $375.

The town is heavily reliant on cars, with 66.3% of workers driving to work. Very few people use public transport for their commute, at just 0.3%.

The area has seen an increase in movement, with 37.0% of people moving in the last five years. Notably, recent arrivals from overseas rose by 11 percentage points since 2011 to reach 17.8%.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the state average, at 48.5%. The largest employment sectors are health care and social assistance, followed by construction.

While 89.5% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, overall walkability is lower than the state average. Many residents live more than 15 minutes away from health services and groceries.