Buxton

The community is far older than the national figure, with 31.3% of people aged 65 and over. This trend is stark, as the typical age rose by 20 years since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 fell by 14 points.

Most residents were born in Australia, though the proportion born overseas rose to 13.2% since 2011. English and Australian ancestries are the most common, making up 47.7% and 44.4% of the population respectively.

English is the dominant language, with only 1.6% of people using another language at home, which is far below the national figure. No one in the area reported speaking little or no English.

Over half of residents (50.2%) report having no religion, a figure that is far above the state and national averages. This reflects a significant shift, with no-religion responses rising by 25 points since 2011.

Qualifications are lower than the state average, with only 35.2% of residents completing Year 12. However, those with a bachelor degree or higher make up 14.2% of the population, which is higher than in most similar areas.

Typical weekly household incomes are $1,240, well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 2.9% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is among the lowest for similar areas.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 37.4% of residents. Arthritis is the most reported condition at 15.2%, and those needing help with daily activities rose to 6.2% since 2011.

Volunteering is more common than average at 20.9%, and 15.1% of people provide unpaid care, which is well above the national figure. A higher-than-usual 4.9% of the population served in the Defence Force.

Homes are smaller and less crowded than usual, with only 2.0 people per home. This is consistent with the fact that 35.0% of people live alone, a figure that rose 26 points since 2011.

The area consists entirely of separate houses, with 50.5% owned outright, which is far above the national average. While 81.6% of homes have three or more bedrooms, the typical weekly rent of $350 is about the same as the state figure.

Residents are heavily reliant on cars, with 59.8% of workers driving to work and no one using public transport for their commute. About 11.8% of the workforce works from home.

The population is relatively stable, with 32.4% of people moving in the last five years, which is lower than most areas. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the state average, at 46.2%. The unemployment rate is 7.7%, which is a little above the national figure and has risen since 2011.

Buxton is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.0. While nearly 89% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, no one lives within a 15-minute walk of groceries or health services.