Essendon

The area is a little younger than the state and national figures, with children under 15 making up 15.1% of the population. De facto relationships are more common here than in most similar areas, and the population has grown by about 7,782 people since 2011.

People born overseas make up 27.7% of the community, which is about the same as the national average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Italian and Irish.

Language diversity is much higher than in most similar areas, with 25.7% of people using a language other than English at home. This is well above the national figure, though the number of people who speak little or no English has fallen slightly since 2016.

About 37.5% of residents have no religion, which is a little below the national figure. This proportion has risen significantly by 15 percentage points since 2011.

Essendon is far more qualified than the state and national averages, with 43% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This high level of education is reflected in the 74% of residents who completed Year 12, a figure far above the national average.

Incomes are much higher than in most similar areas, and the typical family earns $2,852 a week, which is well above the national figure. Since 2011, the number of households earning $3,000 or more per week has risen by 16 percentage points.

Residents are slightly less likely to have long-term health conditions than the national average. About 4.9% of people need help with daily activities, which is lower than in most similar areas.

Volunteering has fallen by 3.5 percentage points since 2011. While fewer people do unpaid housework or childcare compared to most areas, those providing other types of unpaid care are more common.

First Nations residents in Essendon have a much higher typical personal income and a far higher Year 12 completion rate than the state and national averages. The unemployment rate for this group is also well below the national figure.

Single-person households are very common, making up 33.3% of the area, which is well above the national figure. This contributes to a typical home size of 2.3 people, which is a little lower than the state average.

Renting is far more common here than in most areas, with 40.1% of households renting. The area has very few large homes, with only 51.1% of dwellings having three or more bedrooms, and the typical monthly mortgage payment is much higher than the state average.

Working from home is very popular, with 37.2% of people doing so, far above the national figure. The area is highly connected, with a very short 9-minute drive to the city and a high number of public transport departures per person.

The community is quite mobile, with 42.2% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 17.1% of the population, which is a little above the national average.

Employment is strong, with a higher percentage of people working or looking for work than in most similar areas. Professionals and managers make up over half of the workforce.

The population continues to grow, with a 7.5% increase since 2021, which is about the same as the state average.

The area sees a little more rainfall than the state average, with 601mm annually. Minimum temperatures are slightly higher than the state figure.

Essendon is a walker's paradise, with a walkability score of 8.8. Every single home is within a 15-minute walk of a park and a school, and nearly all are within a short walk of groceries and public transport.