MYRTLEFORD'S population has grown 2.3 per cent over the past five years, according to the 2021 Census figures released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The area's population is now at 4745 compared to 4634 in 2016, with families rising by eight per cent to 1342, compared to 1237 in 2016.

Myrtleford's Generation X – those aged 43 to 57 – make up 17.5 per cent of the population while Generation Z – aged 10 to 27 years – make up 18.47 per cent.

The Census also found that rental prices in Myrtleford are $80 cheaper than the state's average, even though renters are paying $55 more than five years ago.

In contrast, the average mortgage repayments for people in the area are up $100 from five years ago to $459, but this is still well below the average of other people across the country are paying.

The Census also found that 10.7 per cent (233) of local dwellings are unoccupied, and the remaining 89.2 per cent (1938) are privately occupied.

Of these privately occupied homes, under 20 per cent (383) are rented, while 107 of these dwellings are classified as either not stated or other tenure types, with the remaining 1447 homes owned either owned outright or with a mortgage.

One of the significant changes from the 2021 Census is religion, with a significant rise in the number of people with no affiliation rising to 1165 (36.2 per cent), while Catholic (1112 people) remains the most populous.

The 2021 Census also included for the first time long–term health conditions, with 55.2 per cent of Myrtleford's population stating they did not have a long–term condition.

Of those that did list a health condition, the most common were arthritis (12.1 per cent), mental health (10.2 per cent), heart disease (5.6 per cent) and diabetes (5.5 per cent).

Some 8.8 per cent of the state and the nation have reported having a mental health condition, a decrease from the 2017–18 National Health Survey, which stated one in 10 Australians had depression or feelings of depression.

Myrtleford's community has recognised the prevalence of mental health, with the Myrtleford Football Netball Club working with local schools and the wider community to run a number of wellbeing events in coming days.

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