Urban Centre · Area profile
Port Fairy
9 km²
Seniors make up a significant part of the population in Port Fairy, where the typical resident is 52. The community has grown by 29% since 2011, adding about 772 people to the area. It is a well-qualified place with a high number of university degrees and a strong culture of volunteering. This mix of older adults and high educational attainment helps explain why many homes are owned outright and typical incomes are higher than in most similar areas.
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The area is far older than the state and national average, with 33.5% of residents aged 65 and over. This senior population has risen by 6.2 percentage points since 2011, while children under 15 make up 16.9% of the community.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer overseas-born people (8.2%) than the national figure. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries reported.
English is the primary language for 91.8% of the community, which is far above the national average. Only 2.0% of people use another language at home, and very few speak little or no English.
About 41.7% of people report having no religion, a figure that has risen 23 points since 2011. This is slightly above the national and state figures.
The community is highly qualified, with 27.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Both university degrees and Year 12 completion rates have risen significantly since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $1,424, which is higher than in most similar areas. While 10.3% of people earn $2,000 or more a week, the typical personal income is a little below the national figure at $737.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in the state and nation, affecting 32.8% of people. Arthritis is the most reported condition, while those needing help with daily activities make up 6.8% of the population.
Volunteering is very common, with 30.7% of people helping out, far above the national figure. There are also higher rates of people providing unpaid care and doing housework compared to most other areas.
About 30.7% of people live alone, which is well above the national average. The typical home has 2.3 people, and one-parent families are much less common here than in most areas.
Home ownership is very high, with 50.3% of homes owned outright. Detached houses make up 89.4% of all dwellings, and typical monthly mortgage payments are $1,733.
Most people drive to work, though 18.4% work from home, a figure that has risen 15 points since 2011. Very few people use public transport to commute.
The area has seen a fair amount of movement, with 37.9% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have fallen to 9.9% since 2011.
Health care and social assistance is the top industry for workers. While the unemployment rate is a low 3.2%, the proportion of full-time employees is far below the national average.
Port Fairy is somewhat walkable, with 74.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services. However, far fewer homes are within a short walk of schools or groceries compared to the state average.