Region (SA4) · Area profile
Melbourne - Outer East
1,879 km²
Much larger than most similar areas, Melbourne - Outer East is a prosperous and growing community of over 518,000 people. It is defined by a high proportion of professional residents and families who live in spacious, detached homes. The area has seen a significant increase in wealth and educational attainment over the last decade, which is reflected in typical household incomes that sit above the national figure. This combination of high earnings and large family homes creates a distinct, comfortable suburban character.
An affluent area whose schools serve an equally well-off community.
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The community is slightly older than the national average, with a typical age of 40. While the proportion of children has dipped slightly since 2011, the number of seniors has risen by 4.4 points to 18.1%.
About 26.9% of residents were born overseas, a figure that has risen 3.8 points since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Chinese at 10.1%.
Language diversity is increasing, with 21.3% of people using a language other than English at home. This is higher than in most similar areas, and the proportion of people who speak little or no English is also much higher than usual.
A large number of residents report having no religion, at 46.2%, which is well above the national figure. This represents a significant shift, as the number has risen 18 points since 2011.
This is a highly qualified area where 28.3% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. Education levels have climbed steadily, with Year 12 completion rising 10 points since 2011 to 62.2%.
Household wealth is notably high, with typical weekly family incomes reaching $2,257. This is much higher than most similar areas, and the proportion of households earning over $3,000 a week has risen 15 points since 2011.
Health trends are typical for the region, with 29.2% of people living with a long-term health condition. Around 9.1% of residents have a mental health condition, which is about the same as the state average.
Residents are very active in providing support, with 14.0% providing unpaid care—one of the highest rates for its level. This is consistent with a high proportion of people caring for children unpaid (29.1%).
The First Nations community is relatively small, making up 0.7% of the population. However, those residents have higher typical personal incomes and Year 12 completion rates than most other similar areas.
Families tend to be larger here, with 2.6 people per home, which is much higher than most areas. This is reflected in the fact that 62.5% of households are couples with children.
The housing stock is dominated by separate houses (86.5%) and large homes, with 82% having three or more bedrooms. Renting is far less common here than in the rest of Australia, at just 19.6%.
While the area has many public transport stops, most people still rely on cars, with 51.8% driving to work. A striking 26.7% of the workforce now works from home, a massive increase from 4.1% in 2011.
The population is relatively stable, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years is among the lowest for its level. Recent arrivals from overseas have also fallen since 2011.
The area has a strong workforce, with an unemployment rate of 4.1% that is much lower than most similar areas. Most residents work in health care, construction, or retail.
The population is among the largest at this level, though its recent growth rate of 2.6% is much lower than the state average.
The local climate is wetter than the state average, with annual rainfall of 992mm. Temperatures are slightly cooler than the Victorian average.
The area is very walkable, with 80.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of local amenities. Most residents are within a short walk of a park (95.1%) or a school (84.5%).