Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Dandenong South
29 km²
Very low typical incomes define Dandenong South, where a typical household earns just $821 a week. This sparsely populated area is far older than the state average, with a typical resident aged 51 and no children under 15 living here. It is a transient community where nearly half of the residents have moved house in the last five years. Most people live alone in small, rented homes, creating a unique residential pocket within the region.
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The population is far older than the national figure, with 23.2% of residents aged 65 and over. Notably, there are no children under 15 in the area.
People born overseas make up 31.2% of the community, which is well above the national figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
While 15.2% of people use another language at home—a rate much higher than most similar areas—this is still far below the Victoria average of 27.6%.
Religious views are typical for the state, with 40.8% identifying as Christian and 39.2% reporting no religion.
Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 32.2% of residents completing Year 12, compared to 58.8% nationally. Only 7.6% hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical weekly household income is $821, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. No households in the area earn $3,000 or more per week.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 36% of people. This includes 11.2% who have a mental health condition.
Volunteer rates are among the lowest at this level at 6.8%. However, a higher than average 4% of residents have served in the Defence Force.
The First Nations population is very small, and typical household income for this group is among the lowest at this level at $250.
Living arrangements are unusual for the region, with 70.7% of people living alone, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%.
Renters make up 69.3% of the market, far above the 30.6% national average. Most homes are small, with 46.7% having only one bedroom and typical weekly rent being much lower than the national figure at $245.
Public transport access is very high, with 87 stops and a typical walk of just 2 minutes to the nearest one. Despite this, 30.4% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is far above the national figure.
The community is highly mobile, with 48.8% of people having moved in the last five years, well above the national average of 40.7%.
Full-time employment is much higher than most areas at 67.2%, though the unemployment rate is also a little above the national figure at 7.0%. Many residents work in manufacturing or construction.
The area is considered only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.2. Most homes are far from health services and schools compared to the state average.