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Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven vs Melbourne - Inner South
Region (SA4) comparison ≈ 578 km apart · Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven profile · Melbourne - Inner South profile
Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven Melbourne - Inner South
Melbourne - Inner South and Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven are very different places. Melbourne - Inner South is a denser urban area where 31.0% of people were born overseas and 23.2% use another language at home. It is also more highly qualified, with 42.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, and has a typical weekly household income that is far higher at $2,174. In contrast, Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven is more rural, with a typical household income of $1,357 and a much higher share of separate houses at 88.3% compared to 53.1% in Melbourne - Inner South.
These two areas are remarkably similar in some ways, such as having nearly identical shares of people living alone (27.7%) and providing unpaid care (around 13%). While they share these commonalities, the gap in typical incomes and the number of people working from home has widened since 2011. Melbourne - Inner South remains a walker's paradise, while Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven is described as somewhat walkable.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 137,007
- First area, 2016: 147,363
- First area, 2021: 161,006
- Second area, 2011: 378,215
- Second area, 2016: 403,707
- Second area, 2021: 422,639
- First area, 2011: 46 yrs
- First area, 2016: 48 yrs
- First area, 2021: 48 yrs
- Second area, 2011: 39 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 40 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 41 yrs
Age structure
Marital status
Age & sex structure
Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.
- 85+ in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 1.3% males, 1.9% females; 85+ in Melbourne - Inner South: 1.0% males, 1.9% females
- 80–84 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 1.8% males, 1.9% females; 80–84 in Melbourne - Inner South: 1.0% males, 1.4% females
- 75–79 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.8% males, 2.9% females; 75–79 in Melbourne - Inner South: 1.5% males, 1.8% females
- 70–74 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 3.7% males, 4.0% females; 70–74 in Melbourne - Inner South: 2.1% males, 2.5% females
- 65–69 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 3.7% males, 4.1% females; 65–69 in Melbourne - Inner South: 2.3% males, 2.6% females
- 60–64 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 3.7% males, 4.0% females; 60–64 in Melbourne - Inner South: 2.7% males, 3.0% females
- 55–59 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 3.2% males, 3.5% females; 55–59 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.0% males, 3.3% females
- 50–54 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.9% males, 3.2% females; 50–54 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.5% males, 3.9% females
- 45–49 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.8% males, 2.9% females; 45–49 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.5% males, 3.8% females
- 40–44 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.5% males, 2.6% females; 40–44 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.3% males, 3.6% females
- 35–39 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.5% males, 2.6% females; 35–39 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.3% males, 3.6% females
- 30–34 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.5% males, 2.6% females; 30–34 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.0% males, 3.3% females
- 25–29 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.4% males, 2.3% females; 25–29 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.0% males, 3.0% females
- 20–24 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.2% males, 2.0% females; 20–24 in Melbourne - Inner South: 2.9% males, 2.8% females
- 15–19 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.7% males, 2.5% females; 15–19 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.0% males, 2.9% females
- 10–14 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 3.0% males, 2.9% females; 10–14 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.3% males, 3.1% females
- 5–9 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.8% males, 2.6% females; 5–9 in Melbourne - Inner South: 3.0% males, 2.9% females
- 0–4 in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven: 2.5% males, 2.4% females; 0–4 in Melbourne - Inner South: 2.6% males, 2.5% females
Ancestry & Birthplace
Country of birth
Ancestry
Language
Language used at home
Religion
Religious affiliation
Education & Qualifications
Highest year of school
Highest qualification level
Field of qualification
Income
- First area, 2011: $463
- First area, 2016: $552
- First area, 2021: $683
- Second area, 2011: $691
- Second area, 2016: $802
- Second area, 2021: $1,022
- First area, 2011: $896
- First area, 2016: $1,091
- First area, 2021: $1,357
- Second area, 2011: $1,491
- Second area, 2016: $1,793
- Second area, 2021: $2,174
- First area, 2011: $1,097
- First area, 2016: $1,340
- First area, 2021: $1,722
- Second area, 2011: $1,995
- Second area, 2016: $2,309
- Second area, 2021: $2,868
Household income distribution
Personal income distribution
Health & Disability
Long-term health conditions reported
Number of long-term health conditions
Community Participation
First Nations
Family & Households
- First area, 2011: 2.4
- First area, 2016: 2.4
- First area, 2021: 2.4
- Second area, 2011: 2.5
- Second area, 2016: 2.5
- Second area, 2021: 2.5
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $230
- First area, 2016: $295
- First area, 2021: $360
- Second area, 2011: $330
- Second area, 2016: $386
- Second area, 2021: $438
- First area, 2011: $1,604
- First area, 2016: $1,625
- First area, 2021: $1,820
- Second area, 2011: $2,167
- Second area, 2016: $2,167
- Second area, 2021: $2,400
- First area, 2011: 1.10
- First area, 2016: 0.70
- First area, 2021: 0.70
- Second area, 2011: 1.10
- Second area, 2016: 0.90
- Second area, 2021: 0.90
How homes are owned or rented
Types of homes
Bedrooms per home
Weekly rent distribution
Monthly mortgage distribution
Transport & Vehicles
How people get to work
Motor vehicles per home
Migration & Movement
Jobs & Industry
Industries people work in
Occupations people work in
Economy & Advantage
Environment & Climate
Walkability
Compare Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven with nearby areas
Compare Melbourne - Inner South with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven vs Melbourne - Inner South [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa4/114/southern-highlands-and-shoalhaven/vs/208/melbourne-inner-south