Whittlesea - Wallan

The area is noticeably younger than the state and national figures, with 21.5% of people under 15. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 12.5%, which is well below the national figure.

People born overseas make up 36.0% of the population, well above the national average of 27.7%. Common ancestries include Australian, English, and Italian, while India is the most common overseas birthplace.

Language diversity is far above the national average, with 42.7% of people using a language other than English at home. English only is spoken by 52.6%, followed by Arabic, Punjabi, and Italian.

Religious affiliation is more common here than in most areas, as the 25.7% who claim no religion is far below the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the most common faith at 46.7%.

The community is becoming more qualified, with the proportion of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher rising 9.5 points since 2011 to 22.8%. Year 12 completion is also higher than most areas at 61.1%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,790, which is about the same as the state and national figures. However, personal incomes are lower than in most other areas.

Residents generally report fewer long-term health conditions than most areas, though the proportion of people needing help with daily activities has risen slightly since 2011 to 6.1%.

Unpaid care for children is much higher than most areas at 29.9%, consistent with the high number of children in the community. Conversely, volunteering is among the lowest at 7.8%.

First Nations people in this area are noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 21. Their unemployment rate is 8.6%, which is well below the national figure.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.9 people per home and a high proportion of couples with children (66.0%). Only 17.9% of people live alone, which is much lower than most areas.

The area is dominated by separate houses (87.1%), and 88.9% of homes have three or more bedrooms. This is far above the national figure, though the proportion of homes owned outright has fallen since 2011.

Most people rely on cars for work, with 58.8% driving and only 2.6% using public transport. Working from home has increased significantly, rising 17 points since 2011 to 18.8%.

The population is quite mobile, with 39.4% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 13.3% of the population.

More adults are working or looking for work here (63.4%) than in most similar areas. Health care, construction, and retail are the most common industries.

The population is continuing to grow rapidly, with a 13.9% increase since 2021, which is well above the Victorian average of 8.0%.

The area receives far more rainfall than the state average, with 846mm annually. Maximum temperatures are also much lower than in most other areas.

While 95.7% of homes are near a park, the area is less walkable than most of Victoria. Many residents live far from groceries and health services, with a walkability score of 5.3.