Stawell

The population is notably older than the state and national figures, with 26.9% of residents aged 65 and over. This senior presence is accompanied by a smaller proportion of children under 15, which has fallen to 15.3% since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents (10.8%) than the national average of 27.7%. Australian and English ancestries are the most common, making up over 80% of the population.

While English is the main language for 83.4% of people, 7.6% use another language at home, which is much higher than in similar areas. However, this remains far below the Victorian average of 27.6%.

A large number of residents report having no religion, at 45.8%, which is well above the national figure. This has risen sharply by 19 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is lower than the state and national averages, with only 10.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. More people have completed Year 12 now than in 2011, rising to 38.0%.

Typical weekly household incomes are well below the national figure, sitting at $1,089. Only 8.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is much lower than in most other areas.

Health challenges are more common here, as 37.2% of people have a long-term health condition, well above the national average of 27.7%. Mental health conditions are also much more frequent than in similar areas.

Volunteer rates are a little above the national figure at 16.2%, though this is down from 20.1% in 2011. About 13.6% of the community provide unpaid care, which is around the middle for its level.

Living arrangements are distinctive, with 37.0% of people living alone, far above the national average of 25.6%. This contributes to a lower typical household size of 2.1 people.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (89.8%) and high rates of outright ownership (43.9%). Both typical weekly rents ($214) and monthly mortgage payments ($953) are far below the state and national figures.

Private cars are essential, as 66.1% of workers drive to work and only 0.2% use public transport. Very few people work from home (6.7%) compared to the national figure of 21.0%.

The community has become more stable, with fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the rest of Victoria. However, recent arrivals from overseas have risen significantly since 2011 to reach 26.4%.

About 50.8% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure of 61.1%. The most common industries for employment are health care and social assistance, followed by manufacturing.

Stawell is very walkable, with 82.4% of homes within a 15-minute walk of key amenities. Residents have excellent access to public transport and parks, with almost every home within a short walk of both.