Mernda

The area is noticeably younger than the rest of Victoria and Australia, with children under 15 making up 27% of the population. Seniors are much less common here than in most other areas, with only 7.6% aged 65 and over.

Mernda is very diverse, with 35.2% of people born overseas, which is well above the national figure. Indian and Italian ancestries are common, with 10.3% of residents born in India.

Language diversity is far above the state and national averages, as 39.1% of people use a language other than English at home. Punjabi and Hindi are the most common of these languages.

The community is more religious than most other areas, with 44.6% identifying as Christian and 9.4% as Hindu. Those with no religion make up 28.5%, which is far below the national figure.

Residents are well qualified, with 67.7% completing Year 12 and 28.5% holding a bachelor degree or higher, both of which are much higher than in most similar areas.

Typical weekly incomes are a little above the national figure, with the usual household earning $2,011. This is much higher than in most similar areas.

The community is generally healthy, as people with long-term health conditions (21.9%) are well below the state and national averages. Only 4.2% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid childcare is very common here, with 39.3% of people caring for children, a figure far above the national average. However, volunteering is among the lowest at this level, at 8.4%.

First Nations residents in Mernda have a typical personal income of $866, which is far above the national figure. The typical age for this group is 20, making them noticeably younger than those in the rest of the state.

Homes are larger than usual, with 3.0 people per home, which helps explain why 69.4% of households are couples with children. Very few people live alone compared to the state average.

Most residents live in separate houses, and 91.9% of homes have three or more bedrooms, far above the national average. Very few people own their homes outright, with only 14.3% doing so.

Cars are the main way to get to work, though 20.5% of people work from home. Most residents have a vehicle, as only 2.0% of homes have no motor vehicle.

The area is seeing rapid growth and change, with 50.7% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 15.9% of the population.

More adults are working or looking for work (71%) compared to most other areas. Full-time employment is also well above the national figure at 62.3%.

Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, and 94.8% are within 10 minutes of public transport. However, access to health services is far below the state average.