Region (SA4) · Area profile
Melbourne - North West
1,620 km²
A far greater share of people use another language at home in Melbourne - North West than in the rest of the state. This is a young, growing community where the typical resident is just 35, well under the national figure of 38. With a population that grew 33% since 2011, the area is shaped by large families and a strong immigrant presence, as over a third of residents were born overseas. This mix of young families and diverse cultures creates a community that is noticeably younger and more multilingual than most of Australia.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
Rapid population growth here is outstripping school provision.
Explore Melbourne - North West by topic
The area is much younger than most, with a typical age of 35 and a high proportion of children under 15. Since 2011, the population has grown by over 105,000 people.
Born overseas, 35.2% of residents come from outside Australia, a figure well above the national average. Indian and Italian ancestries are prominent, and the proportion of overseas-born people has risen since 2011.
Multilingualism is a defining feature here, as 41.3% of people use a language other than English at home. This is far above the national figure, and the number of people who speak little or no English is also much higher than usual.
Religious affiliation is high, with 45.8% of people identifying as Christian and 14.4% as Muslim. The proportion of people with no religion is far below the Victorian and national figures.
Education levels have risen, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher climbing to 24.0% since 2011. Most residents have completed Year 12, which is a little above the national figure.
Typical weekly household income is $1,791, which is about the same as the state and national figures. However, typical personal income is a little below the national average at $732 per week.
A higher than usual proportion of people need help with daily activities, at 6.9%. In contrast, the rates of mental health conditions and long-term health conditions are a little below the national average.
Unpaid care is common, with 13.3% of people providing unpaid care and 27.5% caring for children. However, the proportion of volunteers is well below the national figure.
First Nations residents in this area have a much higher typical personal income and a far higher Year 12 completion rate than most other areas.
Homes here are larger than usual, with a typical 2.9 people per home. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 65.8% of families.
Large separate houses are the norm, with 84% of homes having three or more bedrooms. Typical weekly rent is $380, and the typical monthly mortgage payment is $1,924.
Working from home has surged to 22.5% since 2011. While most people drive to work, 87.8% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.
The population is quite mobile, with 39.3% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 15.1% of the community.
The unemployment rate is 6.3%, which is a little above the national figure. Many residents work in health care, construction, and retail.
The area continues to expand rapidly, with a population growth rate of 10.3% since 2021, which is a little above the state average.
The area experiences lower average maximum temperatures than other parts of the state, while annual rainfall is well above the Victorian average.
Most homes are within a short walk of a park or school, but access to health services is far below the state average.