Pakenham - South West

The community is noticeably younger than the state and national average, with a typical age of 33. Children under 15 account for 25.3% of the population, a figure well above the national average of 18.2%.

About 30.4% of residents were born overseas, which is slightly above the national figure. The most common ancestries are English and Australian, followed by Scottish, Irish, and Indian.

Language diversity is high, with 26.6% of people using another language at home, well above the national average. Punjabi is the most common non-English language spoken.

Roughly 40.2% of residents report having no religion, which is about the same as the Victorian average. Other significant groups include Christians at 37.6% and Hindus at 4.1%.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 19.3% of the population, which is well below the national figure of 26.3%. Local schools are larger than most similar areas, though there are fewer schools per 1,000 children.

Typical weekly household income is $1,803, which is about the same as the state and national averages. However, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week is well below the national average.

About 9.6% of residents have a mental health condition, which is higher than most similar areas. Long-term health conditions are reported at 26.7%, a little below the national figure.

Unpaid childcare is very common here, with 34.1% of people providing this care—well above the national average. Conversely, only 10% of residents volunteer, which is much lower than most other areas.

First Nations residents here are noticeably younger than the national average, with a typical age of 20. Year 12 completion is 43.5%, which is well above the national figure of 37%.

Homes are larger than usual, with 3.0 people per home compared to the national average of 2.5. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 65.1% of households.

The area is dominated by separate houses, with 89.8% of homes being detached. Large family homes are the norm, as 89.6% of dwellings have three or more bedrooms, far above the national average.

Cars are essential for most, with only 3.3% of homes having no motor vehicle. While there are many public transport stops, only 2.6% of people use transit to commute, and the walk to the nearest stop is longer than in most areas.

The population is highly mobile, with 44.2% of people moving in the last five years, well above the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas also make up a higher share of the community than in most areas.

More adults are working or looking for work (66.2%) than in most similar areas. Full-time employment is also a little above the national average, with many residents working in health care and construction.

The area is home to 2,530 businesses and is among the largest for its level. Overall, its advantage score of 968 is lower than about 62% of other areas.

Annual rainfall is 916mm, which is far above the Victorian average. The average maximum temperature is 20.2 degrees, which is lower than most similar areas.

The area is somewhat walkable, with 92.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries, far above the state average. However, access to health services is far below the state figure.