North Geelong - Bell Park

Seniors make up 24.1% of the population, which is well above the national figure and has risen since 2011. In contrast, children under 15 are much less common here than in most similar areas.

About 27.9% of residents were born overseas, a figure that is about the same as the national average. The most common ancestries are Australian, English, Irish, Scottish, and Italian.

Language diversity is high, with 26.9% of people using a language other than English at home. This is well above the national average, and 5.1% of the community speak little or no English.

More than half the population identifies as Christian, while 33.6% report no religion. This lack of religious affiliation is well below the national and state figures, though it has risen by 16 points since 2011.

Year 12 completion is far below the state average at 50.4%, though this has risen by 13 points since 2011. The area is well-served by schools, with seven institutions supporting nearly 5,000 enrolments.

Typical incomes are lower than the national figure, with the usual household earning $1,386 a week. However, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more weekly has risen by 11 points since 2011.

Health challenges are common, with 33% of people living with a long-term condition. This is much higher than most areas, and 9.2% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, as 13.8% of people provide this support, which is higher than most similar areas. However, volunteering has fallen since 2011.

First Nations people in the area have a high rate of language maintenance, with 12.4% speaking a traditional language. Unemployment among this group is among the highest for similar areas at 21.3%.

The community has a high number of people living alone (31%) and one-parent families (17.2%), both of which are well above the national average. This helps explain why the typical home has fewer people (2.3) than the national figure.

Separate houses are far more common here than in the rest of Victoria, with 83.8% of homes being detached. Home ownership is also strong, as 39.5% of residents own their home outright.

Public transport infrastructure is plentiful, with a high number of stops per 1,000 people. Despite this, very few people (1.7%) use it to commute, and most rely on cars.

About 38.1% of residents have moved house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 11.2% of the population, a figure that has risen since 2011.

Working or looking for work is less common here than in the state average, and the unemployment rate (5.4%) is higher than most areas. Health care and retail are the biggest industries for local workers.

The area has a large number of businesses but ranks lower than most similar areas for overall advantage. Its overall advantage score of 956 is slightly below the national average.

The local climate is marked by annual rainfall and maximum temperatures that are much lower than most other areas in the region.

The area is very walkable, with 96.3% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Nearly all residents can walk to a park or grocery store within 15 minutes.