Urban Centre · Area profile
Birchip
4 km²
A very high proportion of residents in Birchip volunteer, with 33.9% giving their time compared to a national figure of 14.1%. This small community has an ageing character, as the typical resident is 48 and over a quarter of the population are seniors. The town is’highly walkable and mostly consists of detached houses. While the population has shrunk slightly since 2011, it remains a place where many people own their homes outright.
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Birchip is far older than the state and national average, with a typical age of 48. Seniors make up 28.9% of the population, a figure that rose 21 points since 2011.
The community is predominantly Australian, English, and Irish by ancestry. Only 7.7% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the main language for 86.2% of the population. While 5.9% use another language at home, this is far below the national average of 22.3%.
Christianity is the most common religion at 55.5%. Those reporting no religion make up 34.0% of the community, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.
The area has a higher share of people with bachelor degrees (16.0%) than most similar areas, though this is far below the state average of 29.2%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,152, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. The number of households earning $3,000 or more a week fell 12 points since 2011.
People needing help with daily activities make up 7.9% of the population, which is a little above the national average. This aligns with the community's older age profile.
Volunteer rates are among the highest for this level at 33.9%, far above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care for others is also a little above the national average.
People living alone make up 37.6% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%. Typical homes are smaller, with 2.2 people per dwelling.
Home ownership is strong, with 48.9% of homes owned outright. This is far above the national figure of 31.0%, and typical weekly rents are much lower than average at $155.
Most people drive to work, but 13.5% walk, which is quite common for the area. No one in the community commutes using public transport.
Recent arrivals from overseas make up 32.7% of the population, a figure that rose 21 points since 2011 and is far above the national average.
The unemployment rate is very low at 1.6%, well below the national figure of 5.1%. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the main industries, employing 25.7% of the workforce.
Birchip is very walkable, with 99.2% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 97.3% near health services, far above the state averages.