Urban Centre · Area profile
Beechworth
8 km²
A massive population surge has transformed Beechworth, which grew by 166% since 2011 to reach 3,291 people. This is now a notably older community, where the typical resident is 50 and nearly 30% of people are seniors. It is a highly educated and qualified area that has seen a significant increase in university degrees and home ownership over the last decade. Many residents are now retired or working from home, contributing to a relaxed, residential character.
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The population has aged significantly, with the typical resident now 12 years older than the national figure. Seniors make up 29.7% of the community, a figure that rose 21 points since 2011, while the proportion of children has fallen.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those with overseas roots most commonly cite English, Australian, or Irish ancestry. Only 12.2% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the primary language for 91.0% of the community. While the number of people using another language at home rose slightly to 5.0% since 2011, this remains far below the state and national figures.
A majority of residents now report having no religion, at 54.8%. This figure is far above the national average and has risen by 18 points since 2011.
Beechworth is very well qualified, with 29.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Both university qualifications and Year 12 completions have risen sharply since 2011.
Typical family incomes are higher than in most similar areas, though they remain a little below the national figure at $1,827 a week. High-earners are more common here, with 9.5% of people earning $2,000 or more weekly.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 35.4% of residents. This is well above the national figure, and the number of people needing help with daily activities has risen since 2011.
Volunteering is very common, with 24.9% of people helping out, a figure far above the national average. The area also has a higher proportion of former Defence Force members than most other communities.
Homes are smaller than usual, with 2.2 people per household. There is a high number of people living alone, which rose 21 points since 2011 to reach 33.9%.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, and 44.0% of homes are owned outright, which is far above the state average. While rent has risen to $300 a week, the proportion of renters is well below the national figure.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with no one commuting by public transport. However, 18.0% of people work from home, which is a big increase from 2011.
The community is quite mobile, with 41.2% of people moving house in the last five years. This is higher than most areas and represents a 13 point increase since 2011.
The unemployment rate is very low at 2.5%, which is much lower than the national figure. Many of the remaining workforce are employed in health care, education, or the hospitality sector.
Beechworth is somewhat walkable, with every single home within a 15-minute walk of a park. Residents also have very good access to health services and schools compared to the state average.