Melton - Bacchus Marsh

The area is much younger than most, with 24.0% of people under 15, a figure well above the national average. Conversely, seniors aged 65 and over make up only 10.0% of the population, which is well below the figures for Victoria and Australia.

This is a diverse community where 33.5% of people were born overseas, a rate well above the national figure. The most common ancestries are Australian and English, followed by Indian, Italian, and Irish.

Language diversity is very high, with 35.7% of residents using a language other than English at home, which is far above the Australian average. Punjabi is the most common non-English language spoken.

People with no religion make up 26.7% of the population, a figure that is far below the national average. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 47.5%.

Year 12 completion is higher than most similar areas at 59.2%. While the proportion of adults with a bachelor degree is well below the state average, this figure rose 7.7 points since 2011.

The typical weekly household income is $1,873, which is about the same as the national figure. High-earners are less common here, with only 8.7% of people earning $2,000 or more a week, well below the national average.

Residents are generally healthier than in other similar areas, with a long-term health condition rate that is well below the national figure. Mental health conditions affect 7.6% of the population.

Caregiving is a major part of local life, with 32.1% of people providing unpaid childcare, well above the national average. However, volunteering is among the lowest at this level, falling to 8.3% since 2011.

The First Nations community is slightly older than the national average at 25 years. Unemployment for First Nations people is 12.6%, which is well above the state figure.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 3.0 people per home and very few people living alone. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 67.9% of families.

The area is dominated by separate houses, with 90.9% of homes being detached, far above the national average. Most of these are large, as 92.0% have three or more bedrooms.

Reliance on cars is very high, as only 3.3% of homes have no motor vehicle, much lower than the national average. While 19.6% of people work from home, very few use public transport for their daily commute.

The population is quite mobile, with 41.8% of people moving house in the last five years. This is a little above the national average.

The workforce is active, with 64.1% of adults working or looking for work, which is well above the national figure. The most common industries are health care, construction, and retail.

Growth is exceptionally strong in this region, with a population increase of 25.0% since 2021, far above the 8.0% seen across Victoria.

The climate is relatively cool and dry, with an average annual rainfall of 508mm and an average maximum temperature of 20.0 degrees, both of which are lower than most similar areas.

Daily life is less walkable than in most of Victoria, with only 38.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a 'city' hub. Access to groceries and health services is far below the state average, though most homes are within a short walk of a park.