# Bankstown vs Birrong — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 3.3 km apart

Bankstown and Birrong are neighbouring areas with very different housing and lifestyles. Bankstown is a walker's paradise where 99.4% of homes are within a 15 minute walk of groceries and a typical home is a flat or apartment. In contrast, Birrong is somewhat walkable and dominated by separate houses, with 83.4% of dwellings being detached and 79.2% having three or more bedrooms. Bankstown has a much more mobile population, with 41.3% of people moving in the last five years, while Birrong is more stable and has a far higher share of homes owned outright at 37.5%.

Daily life in both places is similar in many ways, with almost identical typical weekly incomes of around $540 and nearly the same percentage of adults working or looking for work. Both areas are also highly diverse, with a high share of residents born overseas and a large proportion using a language other than English at home. While Bankstown is far more connected by public transport and local services, Birrong has a higher share of households earning $3,000 or more a week.

## Where they differ most

- Separate houses: 53.4 pts higher in Birrong
- 3+ bedrooms: 36.6 pts higher in Birrong
- Population: 31,602 larger in Bankstown
- Renting: 19.5 pts higher in Bankstown
- Owned outright: 16.1 pts higher in Birrong

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 34,933 | 3,331 | 31,602 larger in Bankstown | gap widening |
| Median age | 34 yrs | 36 yrs | 2 yrs older in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.1 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 12.3% | 14.4% | 2.1 pts higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| Under 15 | 20.3% | 19.2% | 1.1 pts higher in Bankstown | gap narrowing |
| De facto | 4.9% | 4.8% | 0.1 pts higher in Bankstown | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 32.5% | 26.2% | +6.3 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 22.0% | 25.8% | -3.8 |
| Children (0–14) | 20.3% | 19.2% | +1.1 |
| Youth (15–24) | 12.9% | 14.5% | -1.6 |
| Seniors (65+) | 12.3% | 14.4% | -2.1 |

### Marital status

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 48.5% | 48.7% | -0.1 |
| Never married | 32.5% | 35.2% | -2.7 |
| Divorced | 10.5% | 8.6% | +2.0 |
| Widowed | 4.3% | 4.1% | +0.1 |
| Separated | 4.2% | 3.5% | +0.6 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Bankstown male | Bankstown female | Birrong male | Birrong female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 4.0% | 3.9% | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| 5–9 | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| 10–14 | 3.0% | 2.7% | 3.5% | 3.3% |
| 15–19 | 2.8% | 2.7% | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| 20–24 | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.3% | 4.0% |
| 25–29 | 4.7% | 4.8% | 3.3% | 3.5% |
| 30–34 | 4.3% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| 35–39 | 4.1% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| 40–44 | 3.1% | 3.0% | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| 45–49 | 2.8% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 2.7% |
| 50–54 | 2.5% | 2.8% | 2.7% | 3.5% |
| 55–59 | 2.8% | 2.7% | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| 60–64 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 3.6% |
| 65–69 | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| 70–74 | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| 75–79 | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| 80–84 | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| 85+ | 0.7% | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.7% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 56.6% | 47.2% | 9.3 pts higher in Bankstown | gap narrowing |

### Country of birth

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 36.1% | 47.5% | -11.5 |
| Vietnam | 15.6% | 15.7% | -0.1 |
| China | 4.8% | 5.9% | -1.2 |
| India | 1.9% | 0.5% | +1.4 |
| Philippines | 1.4% | 1.2% | +0.2 |
| New Zealand | 1.0% | 0.8% | +0.2 |
| Nepal | 0.8% | 0.2% | +0.5 |
| Italy | 0.5% | 0.7% | -0.2 |
| England | 0.2% | 0.5% | -0.3 |
| South Africa | 0.1% | 0.0% | +0.1 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Vietnamese | 18.7% | 19.4% | -0.7 |
| Chinese | 10.8% | 16.8% | -5.9 |
| Australian | 8.6% | 13.0% | -4.4 |
| English | 6.2% | 9.9% | -3.7 |
| Indian | 3.0% | 1.3% | +1.7 |
| Greek | 2.6% | 0.7% | +1.9 |
| Irish | 0.8% | 2.6% | -1.7 |
| Italian | 1.6% | 1.9% | -0.3 |
| Filipino | 1.7% | 1.8% | -0.1 |
| Scottish | 0.7% | 1.7% | -1.0 |
| German | 0.5% | 1.2% | -0.7 |
| Dutch | 0.1% | 0.2% | -0.1 |

## Language

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 73.6% | 64.8% | 8.7 pts higher in Bankstown | gap narrowing |
| Limited English | 18.7% | 16.1% | 2.6 pts higher in Bankstown | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 18.0% | 29.2% | -11.2 |
| Vietnamese | 20.3% | 19.8% | +0.5 |
| Arabic | 19.3% | 18.4% | +0.9 |
| Mandarin | 4.7% | 7.4% | -2.6 |
| Cantonese | 2.9% | 4.4% | -1.6 |
| Greek | 2.3% | 0.5% | +1.9 |
| Hindi | 0.7% | 0.4% | +0.4 |
| Tagalog | 0.7% | 0.6% | +0.1 |
| Italian | 0.6% | 0.7% | -0.1 |
| Punjabi | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 15.7% | 18.9% | 3.2 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 30.5% | 34.8% | -4.2 |
| Islam | 31.1% | 24.9% | +6.2 |
| No religion | 15.7% | 18.9% | -3.2 |
| Buddhism | 11.0% | 13.1% | -2.2 |
| Not stated | 9.5% | 7.3% | +2.2 |
| Hinduism | 1.7% | 0.7% | +1.0 |
| Other religions | 0.5% | 0.2% | +0.3 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | +0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 64.8% | 60.0% | 4.8 pts higher in Bankstown | gap narrowing |
| Bachelor+ | 24.0% | 20.8% | 3.2 pts higher in Bankstown | gap steady |
| Schools/1k kids | 1.69 | 4.69 | 3.00 more in Birrong |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 71 | 38 | 33 more in Bankstown |  |
| Avg size | 522 | 626 | 105 larger in Birrong |  |
| ICSEA | 1,010 | 1,006 | 3 higher in Bankstown |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 64.8% | 60.0% | +4.8 |
| Year 9 or below | 12.5% | 14.9% | -2.4 |
| Year 10 | 10.1% | 14.8% | -4.7 |
| Year 11 | 3.2% | 3.5% | -0.4 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 30.3% | 29.6% | +0.7 |
| Certificate III / IV | 15.0% | 20.0% | -5.1 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 15.9% | 17.4% | -1.5 |
| Postgraduate degree | 11.8% | 8.3% | +3.5 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 1.9% | 2.6% | -0.8 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.6% | 1.7% | -0.1 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 23.1% | 23.7% | -0.5 |
| Engineering & related | 11.2% | 13.5% | -2.3 |
| Society & culture | 10.7% | 9.9% | +0.8 |
| Health | 7.2% | 7.5% | -0.3 |
| Information technology | 6.6% | 4.7% | +1.8 |
| Education | 5.7% | 6.5% | -0.9 |
| Architecture & building | 3.2% | 5.4% | -2.3 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 4.7% | 5.2% | -0.5 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 3.3% | 3.8% | -0.6 |
| Creative arts | 2.4% | 2.4% | +0.0 |
| Agriculture & environment | 0.5% | 0.8% | -0.3 |

## Income

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $542 | $548 | $6 higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| Household income | $1,331 | $1,575 | $244 higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,436 | $1,639 | $203 higher in Birrong | gap steady |
| High earners | 4.0% | 4.9% | 1.0 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 11.7% | 20.1% | 8.4 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 33.0% | 28.6% | +4.4 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 28.8% | 29.4% | -0.6 |
| Under $650 | 19.7% | 16.1% | +3.6 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 6.5% | 10.5% | -4.0 |
| $4,000 or more | 5.2% | 9.6% | -4.4 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 50.3% | 51.1% | -0.8 |
| $650–$1,499 | 29.8% | 29.3% | +0.4 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 9.1% | 10.8% | -1.7 |
| $3,000 or more | 1.0% | 1.3% | -0.2 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 18.2% | 22.4% | 4.2 pts higher in Birrong |  |
| Mental health | 4.4% | 5.1% | 0.7 pts higher in Birrong |  |
| Needs assistance | 6.7% | 6.8% | 0.1 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other condition | 6.4% | 7.7% | -1.2 |
| Asthma | 4.8% | 6.6% | -1.8 |
| Arthritis | 5.0% | 6.2% | -1.2 |
| Diabetes | 5.2% | 5.9% | -0.7 |
| Mental health | 4.4% | 5.1% | -0.7 |
| Heart disease | 2.5% | 2.9% | -0.4 |
| Cancer | 1.4% | 2.4% | -1.1 |
| Lung condition | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.0 |
| Stroke | 0.6% | 0.7% | -0.1 |
| Dementia | 0.6% | 0.5% | +0.1 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 71.4% | 69.2% | +2.2 |
| One condition | 13.2% | 15.8% | -2.6 |
| Two conditions | 3.3% | 4.6% | -1.3 |
| Three or more | 1.8% | 2.1% | -0.3 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 5.8% | 6.6% | 0.8 pts higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 9.4% | 12.7% | 3.3 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| Unpaid child care | 22.2% | 20.5% | 1.7 pts higher in Bankstown | gap widening |
| Defence service | 0.3% | 1.1% | 0.8 pts higher in Birrong |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 16.1% | 19.8% | 3.6 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 143 | 18 | 125 larger in Bankstown |  |
| Median age | 24 yrs | 31 yrs | 7 yrs older in Birrong |  |
| Year 12 | 45.6% | — |  |  |
| Unemployment | 17.0% | — |  |  |
| Median income | $666 | $900 | $234 higher in Birrong |  |
| Household income | $1,263 | $1,656 | $393 higher in Birrong |  |
| Indigenous language | 14.0% | — |  |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.9 | 3.2 | 0.3 larger in Birrong | gap widening |
| One-parent | 18.9% | 16.5% | 2.3 pts higher in Bankstown | gap widening |
| Living alone | 22.1% | 18.1% | 3.9 pts higher in Bankstown | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 62.2% | 65.3% | -3.1 |
| One-parent families | 18.9% | 16.5% | +2.3 |
| Couples without children | 17.1% | 16.6% | +0.5 |
| Other families | 1.8% | 1.5% | +0.3 |

### Household size

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 25.3% | 24.2% | +1.1 |
| 1 person | 22.1% | 18.1% | +3.9 |
| 3 people | 19.3% | 18.1% | +1.2 |
| 4 people | 16.9% | 18.4% | -1.5 |
| 6 or more | 7.1% | 11.8% | -4.7 |
| 5 people | 9.3% | 9.7% | -0.5 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $400 | $440 | $40 higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $1,800 | $2,033 | $233 higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 1.20 | 1.00 | 0.20 higher in Bankstown | gap steady |
| Renting | 50.4% | 30.9% | 19.5 pts higher in Bankstown | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 21.4% | 37.5% | 16.1 pts higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 30.0% | 83.4% | 53.4 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 42.6% | 79.2% | 36.6 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 50.4% | 30.9% | +19.5 |
| Owned outright | 21.4% | 37.5% | -16.1 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 24.6% | 28.5% | -3.9 |
| Not stated | 2.1% | 1.8% | +0.3 |
| Other tenure | 1.6% | 1.5% | +0.1 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 30.0% | 83.4% | -53.4 |
| Flat or apartment | 58.5% | 5.5% | +53.0 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 10.1% | 10.8% | -0.6 |
| Other dwelling | 1.1% | 0.0% | +1.1 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 bedrooms | 49.4% | 14.6% | +34.8 |
| 3 bedrooms | 24.8% | 43.5% | -18.8 |
| 4 bedrooms | 12.2% | 25.8% | -13.6 |
| 5 or more | 5.6% | 9.8% | -4.2 |
| 1 bedroom | 5.3% | 1.9% | +3.4 |
| Studio / none | 0.7% | 1.6% | -0.8 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 63.8% | 47.3% | +16.5 |
| $550–$749 | 7.9% | 16.4% | -8.5 |
| Under $200 | 9.9% | 14.1% | -4.2 |
| $200–$349 | 13.2% | 11.7% | +1.4 |
| $750 or more | 1.6% | 1.0% | +0.6 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 32.2% | 30.5% | +1.7 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 30.7% | 22.2% | +8.5 |
| $3,000 or more | 14.4% | 22.2% | -7.8 |
| Under $1,000 | 15.4% | 13.1% | +2.3 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 14.0% | 8.6% | 5.4 pts higher in Bankstown | gap widening |
| Work from home | 24.2% | 29.4% | 5.3 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| PT commute | 5.4% | 3.9% | 1.5 pts higher in Bankstown | gap widening |
| PT stops | 139 | 18 | 121 more in Bankstown |  |
| Stops/1k | 3.98 | 5.40 | 1.42 more in Birrong |  |
| Departures/1k | 2,629.2 | 733.4 | 1,895.8 more in Bankstown |  |
| PT routes | 28 | 4 | 24 more in Bankstown |  |
| Stop walk | 1 | 5 | 4 longer in Birrong |  |
| Drive to city | 22 | 21 | 1 longer in Bankstown |  |
| Reach 30 min | 129,472 | 27,622 | 101,850 more in Bankstown |  |
| Reach 45 min | 318,574 | 122,546 | 196,028 more in Bankstown |  |
| Transit to city | 73 | 73 |  |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 41.1% | 40.1% | +0.9 |
| Worked at home | 24.2% | 29.4% | -5.3 |
| Train | 4.0% | 3.6% | +0.4 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.9% | 2.9% | +1.0 |
| Walked | 2.6% | 1.1% | +1.6 |
| Bus | 1.4% | 0.3% | +1.2 |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 46.1% | 38.4% | +7.7 |
| 2 vehicles | 27.3% | 34.2% | -6.8 |
| No vehicle | 14.0% | 8.6% | +5.4 |
| 3 vehicles | 8.0% | 12.3% | -4.3 |
| 4 or more | 4.5% | 7.1% | -2.6 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 41.3% | 28.5% | 12.8 pts higher in Bankstown | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 15.6% | 11.4% | 4.2 pts higher in Bankstown | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 10.3% | 9.1% | 1.3 pts higher in Bankstown | gap steady |
| Participation | 46.0% | 45.1% | 0.8 pts higher in Bankstown | gap steady |
| Full-time | 49.6% | 52.5% | 3.0 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 13.6% | 13.1% | +0.4 |
| Retail trade | 11.1% | 9.7% | +1.4 |
| Manufacturing | 8.6% | 8.3% | +0.3 |
| Transport & warehousing | 8.3% | 8.2% | +0.0 |
| Education & training | 6.1% | 7.4% | -1.3 |
| Professional & technical | 6.9% | 6.4% | +0.5 |
| Construction | 6.5% | 6.8% | -0.3 |
| Finance & insurance | 5.2% | 6.6% | -1.5 |
| Accommodation & food | 6.5% | 5.6% | +0.9 |
| Public administration & safety | 4.9% | 5.2% | -0.3 |
| Administrative & support | 3.1% | 4.3% | -1.2 |
| Other services | 4.2% | 2.8% | +1.4 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Bankstown % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 21.5% | 24.0% | -2.5 |
| Clerical & administrative | 14.2% | 15.3% | -1.1 |
| Community & personal service | 12.1% | 9.7% | +2.4 |
| Labourers | 11.8% | 12.0% | -0.3 |
| Technicians & trades | 11.0% | 11.7% | -0.7 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 9.7% | 9.6% | +0.1 |
| Sales workers | 9.0% | 7.5% | +1.5 |
| Managers | 8.0% | 7.6% | +0.4 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Bankstown | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 8.5 | 5.3 | 3.3 higher in Bankstown |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 7.8 | 5.2 | 2.6 more in Bankstown |  |
| 15-min city | 100.0% | 91.6% | 8.4 pts higher in Bankstown |  |
| Walk to shops | 99.4% | 21.5% | 77.9 pts higher in Bankstown |  |
| Walk to transit | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to school | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 93.6% | 0.9% | 92.8 pts higher in Bankstown |  |
| Amenities/1k | 9.6 | 10.2 | 0.6 more in Birrong |  |
| Intersections/km² | 283 | 187 | 96 higher in Bankstown |  |
| Mean slope | 5.0% | 4.6% | 0.4 pts higher in Bankstown |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL10181/bankstown/vs/SAL10378/birrong