Urban Centre · Area profile
Hopetoun
3 km²
Far older than the state or national average, Hopetoun (L) is a retirement-heavy community where the typical resident is 58. This small town has a population of 509 people and is becoming increasingly aged, with 37.5% of residents now aged 65 or over. This shift is reflected in the housing and health profiles, with a high number of people living alone and more residents requiring help with daily activities. It is a stable, walkable area with a very strong tradition of local volunteering.
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The community is far older than the rest of Victoria, with the typical resident being 58 and a high 37.5% of people aged 65 and over. Children under 15 are rare here, making up just 10.4% of the population, which is well below the national figure.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the state average. Ancestry is predominantly Australian (50.1%) and English (40.9%).
English is the main language for 88.4% of the population. While the proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national figure, the rate of people speaking little or no English is much higher than in most similar areas.
Religious affiliation is higher here than in most areas, with 55.6% of people identifying as Christian. Those with no religion make up 34.4%, which is well below the state and national figures.
Educational attainment is far below the state average, with only 31.1% of residents completing Year 12 and 8.7% holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, both figures have risen slightly since 2011.
Typical incomes are far below the national average, with a typical weekly household earning $1,030. Very few households earn $3,000 or more per week, though typical personal and family incomes have all risen since 2011.
Health challenges are common, with 44.8% of people living with a long-term condition—a figure far above the national average. This is consistent with the older population, as 12.6% of residents need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is very high here, with 28.6% of people helping out, which is far above the national figure. Conversely, far fewer people are caring for children unpaid compared to the rest of the state.
The area has a high number of people living alone (42.2%) and a low typical household size of 1.9 people. This is much lower than the national figure of 2.5, reflecting the town's older demographic.
Housing is dominated by separate houses (95.9%) and a high rate of outright ownership at 58.2%. Rents are much lower than the national figure, with a typical weekly rent of $158.
Cars are essential, as no one in the area commutes by public transport. About 8.1% of the workforce works from home, which is far below the state average.
The population is very stable, with far fewer people moving in the last five years than the national average. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas since the last census.
Working or looking for work is less common here than in the state, and the unemployment rate is very low at 1.9%. Employment is spread across agriculture, health, and education.
The town is very walkable, with almost all homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, and schools. It offers a high number of walkable amenities per resident compared to the state average.