Dandenong

The community is much younger than the national figure, with a typical age of 33 and a high proportion of children under 15. Seniors make up only 12.7% of the population, which is well below the national figure of 17.2%.

An overwhelming 60.5% of residents were born overseas, a figure far above the national average of 27.7%. The most common birthplaces include India, China, and the Philippines.

Language diversity is very high, with 66.4% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far above the national figure, and it helps explain why 15.2% of residents speak little or no English.

Religious affiliation is strong here, with Islam being the most common faith at 34.1%. Only 14% of people report no religion, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.

While more residents have completed Year 12 than in most similar areas, 54.2% is still well below the national figure of 58.8%. About 18.8% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are generally low, with a typical personal weekly income of $596, which is well below the national figure of $805. Only 10.8% of households earn $3,000 or more a week.

People needing help with daily activities are more common here than in most areas, at 8.0%. However, the rate of long-term health conditions is well below the national figure at 20.4%.

Volunteer rates are among the lowest for this level at 6.5%. Similarly, far fewer people provide unpaid care or do significant unpaid housework compared to the national average.

The First Nations community here is older and faces significant hardship, with an unemployment rate of 30.8% and a typical income far below the state average.

Homes are more crowded than usual, with 2.8 people per home. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most other areas.

Renting is the primary way people live, with 52.7% of households renting, far above the national figure of 30.6%. Detached houses are rare, and many homes have fewer than three bedrooms.

Public transport use is among the highest for its level, and 12.6% of homes have no motor vehicle. The area is well-served, with 163 stops and 49 different routes.

The population is highly mobile, with 45.2% of residents moving in the last five years. This is driven by a high number of recent overseas arrivals, who make up 21.6% of the community.

Unemployment is well above the national figure at 9.4%. Manufacturing is a major employer, and nearly 19% of the workforce are technicians and tradespeople.

The area is a walker's paradise with a score of 8.1. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of public transport, parks, groceries, and health services.