Urban Centre · Area profile
Rainbow
2 km²
A very walkable small town in regional Victoria, Rainbow is a quiet community where the typical resident is now 57. This is a significantly older area than most in Australia, with over a third of the population aged 65 or over. It is defined by a high rate of home ownership and a steady population of around 487 people. The town's character is marked by a strong presence of retirees and a very high level of local volunteering.
Explore Rainbow by topic
Rainbow has an aging population, with the typical age rising 13 years since 2011 to 57. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 36.8% of the community, which is far above the national figure of 17.2%. Meanwhile, children under 15 have fallen to 14.0%.
Most residents were born in Australia (79.3%), though those born overseas make up 9.7% of the population. The most common ancestries are English, Australian, and German.
English is the primary language for 83.6% of the community. About 6.0% of people use another language at home, which is higher than in most similar areas, though still far below the state average.
Over half of the population identify as Christian (51.7%). Those with no religion make up 34.1%, a figure that is well below the national average but has risen 7.6 points since 2011.
The community has seen a rise in qualifications, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher climbing to 12.3% since 2011. Many residents hold a Certificate III or IV.
Typical incomes are much lower than the national average, with the typical household earning $887 a week. Only 3.2% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the Victorian average.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in other areas, affecting 40.9% of residents. This is consistent with the older population, with 10.5% of people needing help with daily activities.
Volunteering is very high, with 31.0% of people helping out—far above the national figure of 14.1%. More people also provide unpaid care compared to most areas.
Living alone is common, with 41.4% of people in single-person households, which is far above the state average. Because of this and the aging population, homes are smaller, typically holding 2.0 people.
Home ownership is very strong, with 58.1% of houses owned outright. This helps keep costs low; the typical weekly rent is just $100, and typical monthly mortgage payments are among the lowest in the region.
The town is heavily reliant on cars, as 0.0% of people commute by public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and 34.7% have two.
The community is relatively stable, as only 25.4% of people moved in the last five years, which is far below the national average. Recent overseas arrivals make up 14.9% of the population.
About 42.8% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the state average. While many work in agriculture or health, the unemployment rate is 9.4%, which is well above the national figure.
Rainbow is very walkable, with nearly every home within a 15-minute walk of health services, groceries, and schools. It has a high number of amenities per resident compared to the rest of the state.