Downer

The typical resident is 35, making Downer noticeably younger than the national average. It is a growing community of 4,296 people, where 18% are children and 13.8% of residents are in de facto relationships, a figure slightly above the national average.

People born overseas make up 28.8% of the population, which is a little above the national figure and has risen since 2011. The most common ancestries are English and Australian, followed by Irish, Scottish, and Chinese.

Language diversity is higher than in most similar areas, with 23.4% of people using a language other than English at home. This rose by 4.2 percentage points since 2011, and 3.3% of residents speak little or no English.

A large majority of the community reports no religion at 55.3%, a figure far above both the ACT and national averages. This trend has seen a significant increase, rising 15 percentage points since 2011.

Downer is exceptionally well-qualified, with 52% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national figure. This high level of education has grown since 2011, with 80.6% of residents having completed Year 12.

The area is much wealthier than most similar places, with a typical weekly family income of $2,882. High earners are common here; the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose by 19 percentage points since 2011.

While the number of people needing help with daily activities is much lower than in most areas, 11.5% of residents have a mental health condition, which is a little above the national average.

Community spirit is high, with 23.3% of people volunteering, a figure well above the national average. This sits alongside a higher-than-usual 28.4% of people caring for children unpaid.

There are 82 First Nations people in the area. This group sees much higher Year 12 completion rates (64.4%) and higher typical personal incomes than the national average, though the unemployment rate is well above the national figure at 16.2%.

Household sizes are typical for the region, with an average of 2.5 people per home. About 58.4% of families are couples with children, while 27.2% of people live alone.

Renting is more common here than in most areas at 36.1%. The housing stock is shifting, as the proportion of separate houses fell 12 percentage points since 2011, and typical weekly rents have risen to $420.

Downer is very well connected, with a tiny 1-minute walk to the nearest stop and a short 9-minute drive to the city. Public transport use for commuting is much higher than in most similar areas.

The community is quite mobile, with 49.3% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas also make up a significant 19.9% of the population, though this is down from 2011.

More people are working or looking for work here (70.7%) than in most similar areas. The workforce is heavily concentrated in public administration and safety, which employs 29.3% of residents.

Downer is an area of very high advantage, ranking in the top 10% of all areas for overall advantage and education and job skills. This is consistent with its high typical incomes and high university completion rates.

The area experiences average maximum temperatures of 20.9 degrees, while the average minimum of 6.7 degrees is among the lowest for its level.

Downer is very walkable, with a score of 7.3. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a school, a park, and health services, with 95.4% of homes within walking distance of groceries.