Greater Dandenong

The area is among the largest in its level with 158,208 people and has grown 17% since 2011. It is generally younger than the state and national figures, though the proportion of seniors has risen 1.8 points over the last decade.

Born overseas residents make up 58.2% of the population, which is far above the 27.7% national figure. The most common ancestries include Chinese, Vietnamese, and English.

Language diversity is very high, with 64.4% of people using another language at home, far exceeding the national figure of 22.3%. About 16.5% of residents speak little or no English, which is among the highest rates in the country.

Religious affiliation is more common here than in most areas; those with no religion make up 21.0%, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%. Buddhism and Islam are also significant, representing 15.9% and 14.2% respectively.

More adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (21.1%) and have completed Year 12 (59.5%) compared to most similar areas. However, these figures remain well below the Victorian averages.

Typical incomes are generally low, with a typical weekly family income of $1,605, which is well below the national figure. While typical personal income is much lower than in most areas, it has risen by $222 since 2011.

A higher number of people need help with daily activities (7.2%) compared to the national figure. Interestingly, the rate of long-term health and mental health conditions is much lower than in most other areas.

Volunteer rates are among the lowest at this level, at 7.1%, which is well below the national figure of 14.1%. Rates of unpaid housework and childcare are also much lower than typical for this level.

There are 615 First Nations people in the area. They tend to be older and speak a First Nations language at a higher rate than most areas, though their typical income is lower than the state average.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.9 people per household. This is consistent with a high proportion of couples with children (61.3%) and a much lower rate of people living alone than in most areas.

Renting is much more common here than in most areas, at 35.0%. While typical weekly rents are about the same as the national figure, the number of people per bedroom is well above the state and national averages.

The area has a high number of public transport stops and routes. While 14.5% of people work from home, this is far below the national figure of 21.0%.

The community is quite mobile, with 37.5% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 16.6% of the population, which is slightly above the national figure.

The unemployment rate is 7.3%, which is a little above the national figure of 5.1%. Manufacturing is the largest industry, employing 14.7% of the workforce.

The area has one of the largest numbers of businesses at 20,566. Despite this, it ranks lower than about 70% of areas in terms of overall advantage.

The area is wetter than most, with average annual rainfall of 809mm, which is well above the Victorian figure of 510mm.

The overall crime rate is higher than most areas, with theft and robbery rates among the highest. Burglary and motor vehicle theft are also much higher than in most similar areas.

The area is very walkable, with 91.0% of homes within a 15-minute walk of key amenities, far above the state figure of 74.3%. Most homes are also within a short walk of public transport and parks.