Federal Electorate · Area profile
Monash
8,247 km²
A significantly older population sets Monash apart from most similar areas, with a typical resident aged 46. This is a spacious community where 91.3% of homes are separate houses and nearly half are owned outright. The area has a very high proportion of seniors, with 25.1% aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 12 points since 2011. It is a largely car-dependent region where traditional family structures remain common and the population is growing steadily.
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Monash is far older than the national figure, and the number of seniors has jumped significantly since 2011. While children under 15 make up 17.1% of the population, there has been a slight decline in this group over the last decade.
The community is overwhelmingly born in Australia, at 80.0%, which is far below the Victorian average. This trend is underscored by a sharp 22 point drop in the proportion of overseas-born residents since 2011.
English is the dominant language for 88.8% of the population. The proportion of people using another language at home has fallen dramatically by 40 points since 2011, leaving the area far below the state and national figures.
Nearly half of residents (49.5%) report no religion, a figure far above the national average. This represents a significant shift in the community, with no-religion responses rising 36 points since 2011.
Qualifications are generally lower than in other areas, with only 16.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Similarly, the 43.3% who completed Year 12 is far below the national figure.
Typical incomes are much lower than the state and national figures, with a typical household earning $1,283 a week. Only 13.0% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, though this has risen since 2011.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas; 34.8% of people have a long-term health condition. This is consistent with the older population, as 7.2% of residents need help with daily activities.
Community spirit is high, with 17.6% of people volunteering, which is well above the national figure. A higher than usual 14.6% of residents provide unpaid care.
The area has a high proportion of people living alone at 30.0%, which is well above the state average. This helps explain why the typical number of people per home is 2.3, lower than most other areas.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, and 42.8% are owned outright, far exceeding the national figure. Renting is much less common here than elsewhere, at 19.9%, and typical weekly rents are well below the national average at $290.
The community is heavily reliant on cars, with only 0.5% of people commuting by public transport. This is reflected in the low number of people without a vehicle and a long 71-minute drive time to the city.
About 39.7% of residents have moved in the last five years, which is about the same as the state average. However, recent arrivals from overseas are much lower than in most other areas.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to other areas, at 54.4%. Full-time employment has also fallen since 2016, though the unemployment rate remains low at 4.2%.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Only 45.9% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, and just 29.9% are near health services.