Surrey Hills (West) - Canterbury

The area is noticeably older than most of Australia, with the typical resident aged 45 and a significant 21.4% of the population aged 65 or over. It is a stable community where the population has barely changed since 2011.

About 28.5% of residents were born overseas, a figure that has risen since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by a notable Chinese community at 16.0%.

Language diversity is increasing, with 22.4% of people using a language other than English at home. Mandarin is the most common second language, spoken by 10.0% of the population.

A large number of residents report no religion, sitting well above the national figure at 46.4%. This trend has grown significantly, rising 17 percentage points since 2011.

This is a highly qualified community where 52.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national average. This academic lean is seen in the schools too, which are among the most advantaged in the region.

Incomes are very high, with 44.0% of households earning $3,000 or more a week, far above the national figure. The typical family income of $3,538 per week is among the highest across similar areas.

Residents generally enjoy good health, as the rate of people needing help with daily activities is lower than most areas. Long-term health conditions are reported at 26.9%, which is about the same as the state average.

Volunteerism is much higher here than in most areas, with 21.3% of people contributing their time. There is also a strong presence of unpaid carers, which is well above the national figure.

The First Nations community is small, representing 0.2% of the population. However, those living here report much higher typical personal and household incomes than the national average.

Families tend to be larger than in most areas, with an average of 2.7 people per home. One-parent families are much less common here than in the rest of the state.

Home ownership is very strong, with 45.3% of homes owned outright, far above the national average. This wealth is mirrored in the mortgage market, where typical monthly payments of $3,150 are among the highest in the region.

Working from home has become very common, with 44.1% of the workforce doing so—a massive jump since 2011. While most people use cars, the area is well-connected with a short 15-minute drive to the city.

The population is relatively settled, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years is lower than most other areas. Recent arrivals from overseas have also fallen since 2011.

The workforce is dominated by professionals and managers, with many employed in health care, technical services, and education. The unemployment rate of 4.1% is lower than most areas.

This area is ranked among the most advantaged in the nation, scoring a perfect 10 for overall advantage. It has a very high concentration of businesses and high job skills.

The local climate is characterized by an average annual rainfall of 750mm, which is well above the Victorian average. Minimum temperatures are slightly higher than the state figure.

Described as a walker's paradise, 100% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, a school, and public transport. Almost every resident also has easy walking access to groceries and health services.