# Kerang

Urban Centre · Area profile

Located in: Victoria › Rest of Vic. › Gannawarra › 3579, VIC

Area: 9 km²

The population of Kerang has grown by 193% since 2011, bringing the total to 3,696 people. It is a markedly older community where the typical resident is 51, far above the national figure of 38. This shift toward an older demographic is reflected in the high number of seniors and a strong local culture of volunteering. While the town has expanded rapidly, it remains a predominantly Australian-born community with a quiet, residential feel.

## Demographics & Identity

Kerang is far older than most areas, with a typical age of 51 and 30.8% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 17 points since 2011. The population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is 3.9%, which is a little above the Victorian average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 3,696 | +192.9% since 2011 |
| Median age | 51 yrs | +24.4% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 3.9% | +450.6% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 30.8% | +125.7% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 16.4% | -20.1% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 10.7% | -5.2% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Seniors (65+) 30.8%, Older adults (45–64) 25.4%, Young adults (25–44) 18.5%, Children (0–14) 16.4%, Youth (15–24) 9.0%

**Marital status** — Married 42.6%, Never married 30.9%, Widowed 11.1%, Divorced 10.7%, Separated 4.3%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 86.4% born here. Only 5.8% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7% and has fallen since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 5.8% | -36.4% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 86.4%, England 1.5%, Philippines 0.6%, South Africa 0.6%, India 0.4%, New Zealand 0.4%, Nepal 0.1%, Italy 0.1%, China 0.1%, Vietnam 0.1%

**Ancestry** — English 45.7%, Australian 43.3%, Scottish 11.7%, Irish 10.7%, German 4.1%, Italian 2.1%, Dutch 1.0%, Filipino 0.8%, Greek 0.6%, Indian 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%

## Language

English is the primary language for 90.5% of the population. Only 2.5% of people use another language at home, which is far below the state and national averages.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 2.5% | -16.4% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.2% | -74.8% since 2016 |

**Language used at home** — English only 90.5%, Greek 0.2%, Punjabi 0.2%, Tagalog 0.2%, Italian 0.1%, Mandarin 0.1%, Cantonese 0.1%

## Religion

About 39.2% of people report having no religion, which is about the same as the national figure. This represents a significant increase of 17 points since 2011, while 50.4% of residents identify as Christians.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 39.2% | +73.7% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — Christianity 50.4%, No religion 39.2%, Not stated 9.1%, Buddhism 0.4%, Hinduism 0.3%, Other religions 0.2%, Judaism 0.1%, Islam 0.1%

## Education & Qualifications

Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 9.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 31.3% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the Victorian average of 61.8%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 31.3% | -15.9% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 9.5% | +0.6% since 2011 |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 31.3%, Year 10 21.0%, Year 9 or below 20.1%, Year 11 18.2%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 39.5%, Advanced diploma / diploma 14.8%, Bachelor degree 13.7%, Graduate diploma / certificate 2.7%, Postgraduate degree 2.6%, Certificate I / II 2.5%

**Field of qualification** — Engineering & related 14.6%, Management & commerce 11.9%, Society & culture 11.3%, Health 10.3%, Education 9.9%, Food, hospitality & personal services 6.4%, Architecture & building 5.0%, Agriculture & environment 3.7%, Creative arts 2.0%, Natural & physical sciences 1.2%, Information technology 0.8%

## Income

Typical incomes are well below the national figures, with typical weekly household income at $1,004. Only 6.9% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, though this has risen by 5.7 points since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $571 | +11.3% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,004 | -5.1% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,406 | +14.6% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 3.9% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 6.9% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 35.7%, Under $650 26.3%, $1,500–$2,999 21.5%, $3,000–$3,999 4.3%, $4,000 or more 2.6%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 50.6%, $650–$1,499 30.1%, $1,500–$2,999 8.3%, $3,000 or more 1.1%

## Health & Disability

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 39.2% of people living with a long-term health condition. Those needing help with daily activities make up 9.6% of the population, which is well above the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 39.2% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 10.8% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 9.6% | +99.6% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Arthritis 15.8%, Asthma 12.1%, Mental health 10.8%, Other condition 7.9%, Diabetes 7.2%, Heart disease 6.7%, Cancer 4.5%, Lung condition 3.0%, Stroke 1.9%, Dementia 1.7%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 50.8%, One condition 23.2%, Two conditions 9.6%, Three or more 6.4%

## Community Participation

Volunteering is very strong in Kerang, with 24.5% of people volunteering, far above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care is also more common here than in most areas, with 14.8% of people providing such support.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 24.5% | +2.4% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 14.8% | +25.0% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 21.8% | -29.2% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 3.1% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 23.5% | -16.9% since 2011 |

## Family & Households

Many residents live alone, accounting for 39.3% of households, which is far above the national average. This is consistent with the older population, and the typical home is smaller, with 2.1 people per dwelling.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.1 | -12.5% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 17.5% | +0.5% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 39.3% | +39.5% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 46.7%, Couples without children 34.1%, One-parent families 17.5%, Other families 2.1%

**Household size** — 1 person 39.3%, 2 people 34.7%, 3 people 10.8%, 4 people 8.5%, 5 people 4.6%, 6 or more 2.6%

## Housing & Dwellings

Housing is dominated by separate houses (89.5%) and a high rate of outright ownership at 46.1%. Both weekly rents ($200) and typical home-loan payments ($1,000) are far below the state and national figures.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $200 | — |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,000 | -32.8% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.70 | -36.4% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 23.4% | +41.4% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 46.1% | +31.1% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 89.5% | -3.9% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 77.8% | -2.5% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned outright 46.1%, Owned with a mortgage 25.3%, Rented 23.4%, Not stated 3.6%, Other tenure 1.5%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 89.5%, Townhouse / semi-detached 8.5%, Other dwelling 1.5%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 51.0%, 4 bedrooms 21.8%, 2 bedrooms 16.9%, 5 or more 5.0%, 1 bedroom 2.1%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $200–$349 51.9%, Under $200 38.7%, $350–$549 1.9%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — Under $1,000 47.5%, $1,000–$1,799 37.6%, $1,800–$2,999 6.6%, $3,000 or more 1.0%

## Transport & Vehicles

Car use is essential as public transport use is very low at 0.2%. While most homes have vehicles, 7.8% of households have no motor vehicle, which is a rise of 5.2 points since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 7.8% | +202.8% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 6.7% | +190.0% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 0.2% | -86.2% since 2011 |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 68.2%, Worked at home 6.7%, Walked 6.5%, Car (passenger) 4.6%, Bicycle 0.7%, Bus 0.2%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 1 vehicle 40.1%, 2 vehicles 33.1%, 3 vehicles 12.3%, No vehicle 7.8%, 4 or more 6.6%

## Migration & Movement

The area is relatively stable, with 31.6% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. However, recent overseas arrivals have risen by 4.5 points since 2011 to reach 9.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 31.6% | -8.1% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 9.7% | +86.3% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Far fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the state, at 46.6%. The most common industries for those employed are health care and social assistance, and retail trade.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | -25.9% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 46.6% | -22.8% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 58.2% | -4.6% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Health care & social assistance 14.0%, Retail trade 11.4%, Manufacturing 10.3%, Public administration & safety 9.9%, Construction 8.4%, Education & training 7.7%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 6.5%, Accommodation & food 4.8%, Professional & technical 4.0%, Other services 3.4%, Transport & warehousing 3.1%, Wholesale trade 2.4%, Administrative & support 2.2%, Electricity, gas & water 2.1%, Finance & insurance 1.1%, Media & telecommunications 0.6%, Arts & recreation 0.6%, Mining 0.5%, Rental & real estate 0.5%

**Occupations people work in** — Professionals 16.5%, Technicians & trades 16.1%, Labourers 13.3%, Community & personal service 12.6%, Managers 12.5%, Sales workers 10.2%, Clerical & administrative 9.9%, Machinery operators & drivers 7.4%

## Walkability

The town is somewhat walkable, with nearly all homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. Residents have excellent access to health services and schools, though access to public transport is far below the state average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 5.7 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 6.3 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 71.6% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 68.5% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 32.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 93.0% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 99.4% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 86.1% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 26.5 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 34 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 2.4% | — |

## Nearby areas

[Barham - Koondrook (Koondrook Part)](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL215009/barham-koondrook) · [Barham - Koondrook (Barham Part)](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL115008/barham-koondrook) · [Cohuna](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL215024/cohuna) · [Pyramid Hill](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL222076/pyramid-hill) · [Lake Boga](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL221039/lake-boga) · [Leitchville](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL222042/leitchville) · [Boort](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL221008/boort) · [Gunbower](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL222031/gunbower)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL215041/kerang