Tarneit (West) - Mount Cottrell

This is a very young area where 31.6% of people are children under 15, far above the Victorian average of 18%. Conversely, seniors aged 65 and over make up only 2.1% of the population, which is among the lowest levels recorded.

Cultural diversity is a defining feature, with 61.3% of people born overseas, far above the national figure of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are Indian at 28.2%, followed by English, Australian, and Filipino.

Most residents use a language other than English at home, at 68.8%, which is far above the national average. Punjabi is the most common non-English language at 17.3%, and 6.3% of people speak little or no English.

Religious diversity is high, with Hinduism (21.1%) and Islam (20.6%) representing large portions of the community. Those reporting no religion make up 11.4%, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.

The workforce is highly qualified, with 42.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national average of 26.3%. This is reflected in a high Year 12 completion rate of 78.9%.

Typical household weekly income is $2,086, which is a little above the national figure. While typical personal incomes are also slightly higher than average, only 8.2% of people earn $2,000 or more per week, which is well below the national trend.

The community is remarkably healthy, with long-term health conditions affecting only 10.2% of people, far below the national figure of 27.7%. Only 1.9% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid childcare is very common here, with 41.2% of people caring for children, far above the national average. However, volunteering is among the lowest at this level, at 7.5%.

First Nations people make up a small part of the population, with a median age of 14, which is far younger than the state average. Median personal income for this group is $849, well above the national figure.

Homes are larger than usual, with 3.4 people per household, well above the national average. Couples with children make up the vast majority of families at 76.3%, while only 9.3% of people live alone.

The area is almost entirely made up of separate houses (99.3%), with 96.1% of homes having three or more bedrooms. Most are owned with a mortgage (62.7%), and typical monthly payments are around $2,000.

Cars are essential, as only 2.1% of homes have no motor vehicle and 54.5% of workers commute by car. Public transport options are limited, with only one route and a long walk to the nearest stop.

The population is highly mobile, with 87.0% of people moving in the last five years, far above the national figure of 40.7%. Recent overseas arrivals make up 25.5% of the community.

A high proportion of adults are working or looking for work at 71.8%. Common industries include transport and warehousing (14.0%) and healthcare and social assistance (13.9%), though the unemployment rate is a little above the national average at 7.3%.

The area has seen massive population growth since 2021, rising by 85.8%. It is generally well-off, with an overall advantage score of 1,021, which is higher than about 60% of similar areas.

The climate is typical for the region, with an average annual rainfall of 522mm and an average maximum temperature of 20.1 degrees.

The area is mostly car-dependent, as only 22.3% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries. However, almost all homes (97.6%) are within a 15-minute walk of a park.