California Gully

The community is slightly older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 39. It is also home to a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than most areas, sitting well above the Victorian average at 4.4%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents than the state or national figures. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, each accounting for around 40% of the population.

English is the main language here, though the share of people using another language at home is higher than in most similar areas. A small number of residents speak little or no English, which is a little below the national figure.

A high proportion of residents report having no religion at 48.1%. This is well above the figures for both Victoria and Australia.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 35.9% of residents completing Year 12, which is far below the national figure. Very few adults hold a bachelor degree or higher compared to the state average.

Incomes are much lower than in most similar areas, with a typical household earning $1,054 a week, which is far below the national figure. Only 6.4% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, a much lower share than across Victoria.

Health challenges are very high here, with 39.1% of people living with a long-term health condition, far above the national figure. This includes a very high rate of mental health conditions and a significant number of people who need help with daily activities.

More people provide unpaid care here than in most similar areas. However, the rate of volunteering is much lower than the national figure.

The First Nations community is among the largest for its level, though it faces significant hardship. Unemployment for First Nations people is much higher than most areas at 19.4%, and typical personal incomes are well below the state average.

The area has a very high number of one-parent families and people living alone, both of which are far above the state and national figures. Because of this, homes are slightly smaller than usual, with 2.3 people per home.

Separate houses are very common here, far above the state average. While typical rents and mortgage payments are well below the national figure, the share of renters is well above the state average.

Most people drive to work, and very few work from home compared to the rest of the state. Despite this, there are more public transport stops than in most similar areas.

The area has seen a higher number of people move in over the last five years than most similar places. Recent arrivals from overseas also make up a much higher share of the population than in most other areas.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work here than in most areas, and the unemployment rate is a little above the national figure. Many residents work as labourers or in community and personal service roles.

The area is very walkable, with 100% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. Most residents can also easily walk to groceries and schools, although very few have health services within a 15-minute walk.