Hamilton

The community is noticeably older than the national figure, and the number of seniors has risen by 5.2 percentage points since 2011. While the population grew by 2.5% over the decade, the proportion of children under 15 fell slightly to 16.5%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 8.0% were born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures. This stability is reflected in the ancestry data, with Australian and English roots being the most common.

English is the main language for the vast majority of the town, with only 3.8% of people using another language at home. This is far below the Victorian average, though the figure has risen slightly since 2011.

A large number of residents report having no religion, a figure that rose by 19 percentage points since 2011 to reach 41.9%. This is well above the national figure.

Around 15.0% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is higher than most similar areas but far below the state average. More people have completed Year 12 than in 2011, rising to 41.1%.

Typical weekly household incomes are $1,213, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. While incomes have risen since 2011, only 9.0% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 35.9% of people. This is well above the national average, and 7.9% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is high at 20.7%, which is well above the national figure, although this is a drop from 2011. There is also a higher rate of people providing unpaid care compared to most areas.

Living alone is very common, with 37.2% of people in single-person homes, far above the state average. Because of this, the typical home holds only 2.2 people.

The town is dominated by separate houses, making up 90.8% of dwellings. Rent is well below the national figure at $235 a week, and 41.2% of homes are owned outright.

Cars are the primary way to get to work, with 68.3% of people driving. Very few people use public transport for commuting, at just 0.1%.

The area has seen significant movement, with 37.0% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 14.6% of the population, which is much higher than in most similar areas.

About 55.0% of adults are working or looking for work, with a low unemployment rate of 3.2%. Health care and social assistance is the biggest employer, accounting for 20.0% of jobs.

Most homes are within a short walk of a school, park, or public transport, though far fewer have easy access to groceries or health services. The town is considered somewhat walkable with a score of 5.9.