Sunbury

The population has grown by 8.2% since 2011 to reach 13,671 people. While the typical resident is 39, the area has a high proportion of children under 15, at 19.1%, which is slightly above the state average.

Sunbury is much less diverse than the rest of Victoria, with only 15.9% of people born overseas. The most common ancestries are Australian and English, together making up over 75% of the community.

English is the primary language for 87.2% of residents, and the 9.1% who use another language at home is far below the state and national figures. Very few people, just 0.8%, speak little or no English.

Nearly half of the population identifies as Christian, while 41.0% of residents report having no religion. This last group has grown significantly, rising 19 points since 2011.

The area has a high number of students, with 3,903 enrolments across six schools. However, the proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is 18.6%, which is well below the national figure.

Sunbury is a high-earning area where 26.8% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, well above the national average. Typical family incomes are also a little higher than the state and national figures.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most similar areas, affecting 31.8% of people. Mental health conditions are also a little more frequent than the national average.

Unpaid care is a major part of local life, with 30.9% of people caring for children—a figure well above the national average. However, volunteering has fallen to 11.8% since 2011.

The First Nations community in Sunbury is doing well compared to other areas, with a very low unemployment rate of 4.7% and household incomes that are far above the national figure.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.8 people per household and a very low 16.2% of people living alone. Most families consist of couples with children.

The area is dominated by large houses, with 98.8% being separate dwellings and 96.3% having three or more bedrooms. Renting is uncommon, at just 13.7%, which is far below the state average.

The community is heavily reliant on cars, with 98% of homes owning a vehicle and only 1.5% of people commuting by public transport. Working from home has become much more common, rising 18 points since 2011.

Residents tend to stay put, as the 32.4% who moved in the last five years is well below the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas are also much less common than in other parts of the state.

Employment is strong, with 66.5% of adults working or looking for work, which is well above the national average. The most common industries are construction, health, and retail.

Sunbury is an advantaged area with a score of 9 for access to money and resources, placing it above 90% of similar areas. It is also growing rapidly, with an 11.4% population increase since 2021.

The local climate is cooler and drier than most similar areas. Annual rainfall is 619mm and the average maximum temperature is 19.4 degrees.

The suburb is mostly car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 3.0. While 90.3% of homes are near a park, very few people can walk to groceries or health services within 15 minutes.