Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Dandenong North
9 km²
Typical weekly personal incomes are much lower than the national figure in Dandenong North, a large community where over half the residents were born overseas. This diversity is reflected in the fact that 55.8% of people use a language other than English at home. While the area faces some economic challenges, it is highly walkable with excellent access to parks, health services, and schools. Most people live in large, separate houses, contributing to a family-oriented feel.
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The population has grown slightly to 22,526 people since 2011. While the typical age is 38, the number of seniors aged 65 and over has risen by 4 percentage points to reach 18.4%.
More than half the population (50.9%) was born overseas, a figure far above the national average of 27.7%. The most common ancestries include Australian, English, Indian, Greek, and Chinese.
A striking 55.8% of residents use a language other than English at home, which is far above the national figure. This is consistent with the high overseas birth rate, though 10.8% of people still speak little or no English.
Religious affiliation is common here, as the 18.6% of people reporting no religion is far below the national figure. Christianity is the most common faith at 45.5%, followed by Islam at 12.9%.
The number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher has risen to 19.5% since 2011, although this remains well below the national figure. Most residents have completed Year 12, standing at 58.3%.
Typical weekly family income is $1,640, which is well below the national figure of $2,120. Personal incomes are also much lower than usual, with nearly half of all residents earning under $650 a week.
A higher than average 8.1% of people need help with daily activities. However, the rate of people with long-term health conditions is a little below the national figure.
Volunteer rates are among the lowest for similar areas at 7.9%, falling since 2011. Unpaid care for children is also slightly lower than the national average.
There are 153 First Nations people in the area. A notable 12.4% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the Victorian average.
Homes are larger than in most areas, with an average of 2.8 people per household. One-parent families make up 16.5% of the community, which is higher than most areas.
Separate houses make up 85.5% of dwellings, far above the national figure. Most homes are spacious, with 83% having three or more bedrooms, and typical weekly rent is a little below the national figure at $341.
Most people drive to work, with 62.2% using a car. While public transport use has fallen, the area has a high number of bus routes and stops compared to similar places.
The community is relatively stable, as the 30.8% of people who moved in the last five years is well below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals have fallen to 10.6%.
The unemployment rate is 7.2%, which is a little above the national figure. Only 54% of adults are working or looking for work, a rate much lower than most areas.
The area has a high number of businesses (1,862) but ranks low for overall advantage, scoring 3 out of 10. Population growth has been lower than the state average.
Annual rainfall is far above the Victorian average at 823mm. Average temperatures are slightly lower than the state figure.
The area is very walkable, with 99.9% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Almost every home is within 15 minutes of a park or health service.