Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Sunshine North
8 km²
Set in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Sunshine North is a diverse community where over half the population was born overseas. It is a relatively young area, with a typical resident aged 37. The neighbourhood is defined by its strong Vietnamese roots and a high proportion of large family homes. While it offers excellent access to public transport and parks, it faces challenges with lower typical incomes and higher unemployment compared to the rest of the state.
Modest local incomes, but the area's schools serve a more advantaged intake.
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The population is younger than most areas, with a typical age of 37. While children under 15 make up 16.7% of residents, those in de facto relationships are far less common here than in the rest of Victoria.
This is a highly multicultural area where 54.2% of people were born overseas, a figure far above the national average. Vietnamese is the most common ancestry at 34.1%, followed by Chinese at 12.1%.
Language diversity is very high, with 69.6% of residents using a language other than English at home. This is far above the Victorian average, and 20.6% of the community speak little or no English.
Religious affiliation is more common here than in most areas; only 24.0% of residents report having no religion, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
While 19.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, this is well below the state average. However, the area performs better than most similar areas in terms of Year 12 completion, at 56.0%.
Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual personal weekly income at $546. Only 4.5% of people earn $2,000 or more per week, which is lower than most other areas.
A higher number of people need help with daily activities (8.4%) compared to the national average. However, the rate of long-term health conditions is much lower than in most other areas.
Participation in unpaid work is low, with only 6.5% of people volunteering. This is well below the Victorian average of 13.3%.
There are 47 First Nations people in the area. This community is noticeably older than the state average, with a typical age of 29, and Year 12 completion is far below the Victorian figure.
Homes here are more crowded than usual, with 2.9 people per home. This is consistent with a high rate of one-parent families, who make up 21.1% of households.
The area is dominated by separate houses (82.2%), with 82.3% of homes having three or more bedrooms. This helps explain why the number of people per bedroom is higher than in most areas.
Public transport access is a major highlight, as 83.7% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of a stop. Only 8.9% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is higher than the national average.
About 32.8% of residents moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 12.3% of the population, which is higher than in most similar areas.
Unemployment is much higher here than in most areas, sitting at 8.4%. The local workforce is concentrated in manufacturing, retail, and health care.
The area is somewhat walkable, with most homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and parks. However, access to health services is far below the state average.