Epping (Vic.) - West

The area is noticeably younger than the state and national figures, with children under 15 making up 26.5% of the population. Conversely, seniors aged 65 and over are far less common here than elsewhere, at only 6.2%.

Born overseas, 45.2% of residents hail from other countries, a figure far above the national average of 27.7%. Indian, Italian, and English are among the most common ancestries reported.

Language diversity is very high, with 59.2% of people using another language at home, far above the national figure of 22.3%. This is reflected in the use of Arabic, Punjabi, and Hindi alongside English.

Religious affiliation is common here, with those reporting no religion at 15.6%, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity and Islam are the most prevalent faiths.

Education levels are strong, as 71.8% of residents completed Year 12, which is far above the national figure of 58.8%. About 28.1% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Typical weekly household income is $1,848, which is about the same as the national figure. However, those earning $2,000 or more a week are less common here than in most other areas.

Residents generally report better health, with long-term health conditions affecting only 17.9% of people, well below the national figure of 27.7%.

Unpaid childcare is very common here, with 34.6% of people providing this care, well above the national average. However, local volunteering is quite low at 6.6%.

The First Nations community is small, but those who identify as such have a Year 12 completion rate of 52.5%, which is far above the national figure of 37.0%.

Homes are larger than usual, with an average of 3.2 people per household. This is consistent with the fact that 72% of households are couples with children.

Separate houses make up 84.1% of dwellings, far above the national figure. Large homes are the norm, with 88.3% of properties having three or more bedrooms.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 60.1% of workers driving to work and only 2.4% using public transport. This is mirrored by the fact that only 2.8% of homes have no motor vehicle.

Recent arrivals from overseas make up 13.4% of the population, which is higher than in most similar areas.

The local workforce is active, with 67.9% of adults working or looking for work, well above the national figure. The unemployment rate is 6.5%, which is a little above the national average.

The area is home to 1,546 businesses, making it larger than about 78% of similar areas. Its overall advantage score is 988, slightly below the national average.

The local climate is characterized by an average annual rainfall of 636mm, which is a little above the state average.

Most residents can easily walk to parks and groceries, but health services are far less accessible than in other parts of the state, with only 11.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk.