Cardinia

This is a noticeably younger area than the state or national average, with 22.7% of residents being children under 15. Seniors make up a much smaller share of the population at 12.6%, which is well below the national figure of 17.2%.

The community is becoming more diverse, with the share of people born overseas rising to 23.5% since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, though Indian ancestry accounts for 4.3% of the population.

More people are using languages other than English at home, a figure that rose 11 points since 2011 to reach 17.8%. Punjabi is the most common non-English language spoken here.

A large number of residents report having no religion, accounting for 44.3% of the population. This is well above the national figure of 38.9% and has risen 14 points since 2011.

While 19.1% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, this is far below the Victorian average of 29.2%. However, school completion is improving, with 54.7% of people finishing Year 12, a rise of 13 points since 2011.

Typical weekly household incomes are about the same as the state and national figures, sitting at $1,874. Higher earners are becoming more common, as the share of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose 13 points since 2011.

Residents generally report fewer long-term health conditions than most areas. Mental health conditions are reported by 9.3% of people, which is slightly higher than the national figure of 8.8%.

Childcare is a major activity here, with 32.6% of people providing unpaid care for children, among the highest rates for its level. Conversely, volunteering has fallen since 2011 to 11.8%.

The First Nations community is notably young, with a typical age of 20. These residents have a higher typical personal income of $697 and a lower unemployment rate of 7.7% than most similar areas.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.8 people per household and a very low share of people living alone. Most households are couples with children, making up 64.1% of the total.

The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 91% of dwellings. Large family homes are the norm, with 88% of houses having three or more bedrooms, though few people own their homes outright compared to the national average.

Cars are essential for most, as only 2.6% of homes have no motor vehicle. Working from home has become much more common, rising 14 points since 2011 to 18.8%.

Cardinia is a high-turnover area, with 45.6% of residents having moved house in the last five years. This is well above the national average of 40.7%.

The local workforce is very active, with 67.1% of adults working or looking for work, which is well above the national figure. Many residents work in construction or health care and social assistance.

The region shows high overall advantage, ranking 8 out of 10. It is experiencing some of the highest population growth in the state, rising 11.6% since 2021.

The area is much wetter than the state average, with an average annual rainfall of 963mm. Temperatures are slightly cooler, with an average maximum of 20.2 degrees.

Overall recorded offences are much lower than in most areas. However, the robbery rate is much higher than usual, and the general crime rate has risen by 16.6% over the last five years.

The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.7. Residents have far less access to health services and groceries within a 15-minute walk compared to the Victorian average.