Urban Centre · Area profile
Orbost
4 km²
A far older population than most similar areas defines Orbost, where the typical resident is 53. This community has seen its population shrink by 21% since 2011, losing about 539 people. It is a place where many residents are now seniors, and a high proportion of people live alone in their own homes. This shift toward an older age structure is reflected in the town's higher need for health services and a more modest typical income compared to national figures.
Explore Orbost by topic
Orbost is far older than the national average, with 32.7% of people aged 65 and over. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is 7.1%, which is well above the 1.0% seen in Victoria.
Most residents were born in Australia (78.3%), and the community has far fewer overseas-born residents (9.0%) than the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian ancestries are the most common.
English is the primary language, with only 2.9% of people using another language at home. This is far below the 22.3% national average, and the figure has fallen since 2011.
About half the community (49.8%) reports having no religion, a figure far above the national average of 38.9%. This has risen by 19 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 29.0% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Typical weekly household income is $770, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 3.2% of households earn $3,000 or more a week.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 38.2% of people. This is consistent with the older population, as 10.2% of residents need help with daily activities.
More people do unpaid housework (26.5%) and provide unpaid care (14.1%) compared to most areas. However, fewer people care for children unpaid, at 18.2%.
Living alone is very common, with 43.0% of people in their own home, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%. Consequently, there are only 2.0 people per home on average.
Home ownership is high, with 52.3% of homes owned outright. Rents are much lower than the national average, with a typical weekly rent of $190.
Cars are the primary way to get to work, as 0.0% of people use public transport to commute. Working from home is less common here than nationally, at 8.3%.
The community is relatively stable, with 31.0% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (38.2%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. The unemployment rate is 6.7%, which is a little above the national average.
The town is very walkable, with 100% of homes within 15 minutes of a park. Most residents can also easily walk to health services (84.8%) and groceries (85.9%).