Seymour

The population has aged significantly, with the typical resident now 45 and those aged 65 and over making up 24.1% of the community. In contrast, children under 15 have fallen to 15.2%, which is well below the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 11.3% of the population, which is far below the state and national averages. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.

English is the main language for 84.4% of people. While 6.7% use another language at home—a figure higher than most similar areas—this is still far below the Victorian average.

A large portion of the community has no religion, at 43.8%, which is well above the national figure. This represents a 20 point increase since 2011, though Christianity remains equally common at 43.8%.

Education levels are lower than the state and national averages, with only 10.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 35.7% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure.

Earnings are well below the national average, with a typical weekly household income of $1,120. Only 8.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is lower than most similar areas.

Health challenges are much higher here than in most areas, with 38.5% of people living with a long-term condition. This is reflected in the 9.5% of residents who need help with daily activities, well above the national figure.

Military service is a notable feature, with 7.1% of people having served in the Defence Force, among the highest at this level. Unpaid care for children has fallen sharply since 2011.

The community has a high number of people living alone (35.2%) and one-parent families (26.5%), the latter being far above the national average. This is consistent with the trend of smaller households, now averaging 2.2 people.

Separate houses are very common at 89.5%, and 36.2% of homes are owned outright. However, renting is much more common than in similar areas, with 34.1% of households renting at a typical weekly cost of $250.

Car use is dominant for commuting, while only 0.7% use public transport. This reliance on vehicles is highlighted by the fact that only 9.6% of homes have no motor vehicle.

Recent arrivals from overseas have risen to 24.6%, a figure that is far above the national average. However, the general proportion of people who moved in the last five years has fallen since 2011.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work (49.9%) compared to the rest of the state. The unemployment rate is 6.1%, which is a little above the national figure.

The area is somewhat walkable, and 95.7% of homes are within a 10 minute walk of public transport, far above the state average. However, access to schools and health services within a 15 minute walk is far below the state average.