Urban Centre · Area profile
Tongala
2 km²
A very walkable countryside town in Victoria, Tongala is a place where almost every home is within a short stroll of shops, health services and parks. It is a community with a notable mix of ages, featuring both a high proportion of seniors and a growing number of children. While the population shrank by 43% since 2011, the area remains a distinct hub with a typical resident now aged 42. It is a predominantly English-speaking town where a quarter of residents are aged 65 or over.
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The population is older than the state and national figures, with 25.5% being seniors. This is balanced by a higher-than-usual share of children under 15, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community has grown to 4.2% since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia (85.7%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the national average. Australian, English, Scottish, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 91.7% of the town. Only 2.9% of people use another language at home, which is far below the figures for Victoria and Australia.
A majority of residents (50.2%) now report having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average and has risen sharply by 36 points since 2011.
Educational qualifications are much lower than in most other areas. Only 31% of residents completed Year 12 and 7% hold a bachelor degree or higher, both of which are far below the state average.
Typical weekly incomes are well below the national figure, with the typical household earning $1,122. Only 7.3% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, though this has risen since 2011.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas. About 37.9% of people have a long-term health condition, and 10.7% need help with daily activities, which is well above the state average.
Volunteering is higher than the state average at 16.6%, though it has fallen significantly since 2011. About 27.3% of people provide unpaid care for children, which is slightly higher than the national figure.
Living arrangements are distinctive, with a much higher share of people living alone (36.4%) and one-parent families (21.5%) compared to most areas.
Housing is very affordable, with typical weekly rents at $200 and typical monthly mortgage payments at $997, both of which are far below the national figures. Most homes are separate houses, though this share fell since 2011.
Cars are the primary way to get around, with 72.6% of workers driving to work. Very few people use public transport, and only 5.4% of the workforce works from home.
The town has seen a high number of recent arrivals from overseas (21.2%), which is well above the state average. However, the share of people who moved in the last five years is lower than in most areas.
Employment is centered on health care, manufacturing, and retail. The unemployment rate is 6.0%, which is about the same as the state and national figures.
The town is very walkable, with 98.1% of homes having a '15-minute-city' walkshed. Almost every resident can reach groceries, schools, and health services within a 15-minute walk.