Federal Electorate · Area profile
Cooper
59 km²
A short drive from the city center, Cooper is a well-connected hub in the heart of Greater Melbourne. It is a highly educated and professional community where nearly 40% of adults hold a university degree. This academic profile helps explain the area's higher typical incomes and the large number of people working from home. The neighborhood is an accessible, urbanized pocket with a diverse population and a growing number of people living in smaller households.
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The typical resident is 37, making the area a little younger than the national figure. While the population grew by 12% since 2011, there are far fewer children and seniors here than in most similar areas.
People born overseas make up 31.1% of the population, which is well above the Australian figure. English, Australian, and Italian are the most common ancestries, though the proportion of overseas-born residents fell 11 points since 2011.
Language diversity is high, with 31.9% of people using a language other than English at home, a figure well above the national average. However, this trend has fallen by 8.7 points since 2011.
A large majority of residents report no religion, at 45.8%, which is well above the figures for Victoria and Australia. This has seen a significant rise of 19 points since 2011.
Education levels are far above the national average, with 40% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This high level of qualification is also reflected in the 70.8% of residents who completed Year 12.
Typical weekly family income is $2,390, which is a little above the national figure. This reflects a trend toward higher earnings, with 25.9% of households now earning $3,000 or more per week.
Mental health conditions are reported by 11.1% of residents, which is a little above the national figure. Additionally, 6.5% of people need help with daily activities, a figure that rose 2.0 points since 2011.
More people provide unpaid care here than in most areas, though volunteering has fallen by 5.9 points since 2011. There are also fewer people caring for children or doing heavy housework than in most similar areas.
Living arrangements are shifting toward smaller households, with 30.5% of people living alone, well above the national average. Family homes are generally smaller, with only 2.4 people per home.
Renters make up 38% of households, well above the national figure. The area has far fewer large homes than average, with only 56% of dwellings having three or more bedrooms.
The area is highly connected, with 36.3% of people working from home and a very short 14-minute drive to the city. About 12.2% of homes have no car, which is well above the national figure.
The community is relatively mobile, with 40.7% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 15% of the population, though this is down 16 points from 2011.
A high proportion of residents are working or looking for work, at 66.3%, which is well above the national figure. Most residents work as professionals or managers, often in health, education, or technical roles.
This is a walker's paradise with a score of 8.4, as nearly all homes are within a short stroll of parks, schools, and groceries. Almost every resident is within a 10-minute walk of public transport.