Pakenham - South East

The area is noticeably younger than the state and national average, with a typical age of 35. While children under 15 make up 17.9% of the population, seniors aged 65 and over are slightly more common here than in the rest of Victoria.

Birthplaces are diverse, with 29.6% of people born overseas, which is higher than most similar areas. The most common ancestries are English and Australian, though India is the most frequent overseas birth country at 7%.

A higher than usual proportion of residents use another language at home, at 22.6%. This is mostly reflected in Punjabi, Mandarin and Hindi speakers, although the figure is still well below the Victorian average.

Religious patterns are about the same as the state and national figures, with 38.5% of people identifying as Christian and 38.4% reporting no religion.

Education levels are far below the national average, with only 15.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Fewer than half of residents have completed Year 12, which is much lower than most other areas.

Income is very low compared to the rest of the country; typical weekly household earnings are $1,235, well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 7.7% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, among the lowest for its level.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas. Long-term health conditions affect 32.5% of people, and mental health conditions are more frequent than the national average at 11.4%.

Participation in unpaid activities is lower than most areas. This includes a much lower rate of volunteering at 9.3% and fewer people providing unpaid care or doing significant housework.

There are 88 First Nations people in the area. Unemployment among this group is among the highest for its level at 22.6%, and Year 12 completion is well below the national average at 32.8%.

The area has a much higher share of one-parent families (19.5%) and people living alone (32.7%) than most other areas. Consequently, homes are smaller, with a typical size of 2.3 people.

Renting is far more common here than in the state average, at 39.6%. Outright home ownership is much lower than most areas, and there are fewer large homes with three or more bedrooms.

Public transport stops are far more numerous here than in most areas, though the walk to the nearest stop is much longer than usual. Most people still rely on cars, with 61.6% of workers driving to their jobs.

This is a highly mobile community, with 49.4% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are also much more common here than in the rest of Australia.

The unemployment rate is 6.4%, which is a little above the national figure. Common industries for local workers include health care, construction and manufacturing.

Overall advantage is low, ranking in the bottom 20% of similar areas. This is consistent with the low typical incomes and a lower share of adults with high-level job skills.

Annual rainfall is far above the Victorian average at 938mm. The average maximum temperature is slightly lower than other areas, while the minimum is a little higher.

The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 5.1. Many residents live far from essential services, as only 42.4% can walk to health services within 15 minutes.