Federal Electorate · Area profile
Dickson
724 km²
A strong preference for larger family homes sets Dickson apart, where 90.4% of houses have three or more bedrooms. This is a growing community of nearly 160,000 people that feels more family-oriented than most areas, with a high number of children and larger typical households. The area is relatively affluent with higher-than-average incomes, and it has seen a significant shift toward a non-religious identity over the last decade. It offers a blend of suburban living and good walkability to local parks and schools.
Dickson has many young families but fewer schools per child than most areas.
Families are well catered for: 33 schools serve Dickson.
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The area is notably young, with 20.3% of the population being children under 15. While the typical resident is 38, the proportion of seniors is slightly lower than the state and national figures.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 20.1% of the community, which is well below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the main language for 88% of the community. Only 8.8% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the national average.
There has been a major shift in faith, with the share of people reporting no religion rising 20 points since 2011 to reach 43.1%, which is higher than most areas.
Educational attainment is high, with 63.7% of residents having completed Year 12, well above the national figure. About 23.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Incomes are strong here, with typical weekly household earnings of $2,059, which is much higher than most areas. High earners are common, as 27.2% of households earn $3,000 or more a week.
Mental health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 10.9% of residents. Long-term health conditions overall are also a little above the national figure.
Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, with 31.6% of people caring for children, among the highest rates for its level. There is also a high proportion of former Defence Force members.
Households tend to be larger than usual, averaging 2.8 people. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 61.9% of families.
Separate houses are very common at 85.1%, and 90.4% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Renting is less common here than in the rest of the state.
Car use is dominant, with only 3.2% of people using public transport to commute. However, working from home has risen sharply since 2016 to reach 17.9%.
The community is relatively stable, with fewer people moving in the last five years compared to most areas. Recent arrivals from overseas have also fallen significantly since 2011.
The local workforce is very active, with 67.3% of adults working or looking for work, which is much higher than most areas. Unemployment is slightly lower than the national figure.
The area is moderately walkable, with 77.2% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Nearly 90% of residents live within a 15-minute walk of a park.