Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Thomastown
15 km²
A short walk to local shops and transport defines daily life in Thomastown, a large and diverse community in Melbourne's north. Over half of its 20,234 residents were born overseas, contributing to a multicultural area where 65.6% of people speak a language other than English at home. The community is notably older than the national average, with a high proportion of seniors and many homeowners who own their houses outright. It is a place of modest incomes and strong family ties, marked by a high number of large households.
Modest local incomes, but the area's schools serve a more advantaged intake.
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The community is older than most, with 21.8% of people aged 65 and over, which is well above the national figure of 17.2%. It is also less common to find people in de facto relationships here compared to other areas.
Birthplaces are incredibly diverse, with 51.5% of people born overseas—far above the 27.7% national average. Italian, Australian, English, Greek and Vietnamese are the most common ancestries.
Language diversity is very high, with 65.6% of residents using a language other than English at home. This is far above the national figure of 22.3%, and 15.3% of the population speak little or no English.
Faith plays a significant role here, as the proportion of people with no religion (16.5%) is far below the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity and Islam are the most common religious affiliations.
While many residents have completed Year 12, the 52.3% completion rate is well below the national figure of 58.8%. Only 17% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is also well below the Australian average.
Incomes are generally much lower than in other areas, with a typical family earning $1,387 a week, well below the national figure of $2,120. Only 3.7% of people earn $2,000 or more per week.
Health needs are high, as 10.7% of people require help with daily activities, which is well above the national average of 5.8%. Arthritis and diabetes are the most common long-term conditions.
Participation in unpaid work is lower than usual, with only 5.6% of people volunteering, well below the national figure of 14.1%. However, 13.6% of residents provide some form of unpaid care.
There are 159 First Nations people in the area, and they are noticeably older than those in the rest of the state. The unemployment rate for this group is 16.9%, which is well above the national figure.
Families tend to be larger than in most areas, with 2.6 people per home. There is also a much higher proportion of one-parent families (18.1%) compared to the national average of 14.1%.
Most people live in separate houses, and 42.7% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%. Renting is more common here than in similar areas, with 28.7% of households renting.
Public transport is highly accessible, with 114 stops and a very short 3-minute walk to the nearest one. While 9.2% of homes have no car, the typical commute to the city by transit takes 68 minutes.
The population is relatively stable, as the 30.4% who moved in the last five years is well below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 13.1% of the community.
The local job market faces challenges, with an unemployment rate of 8.0%, which is a little above the national figure. Many residents work in health care, manufacturing, and construction.
The area is very walkable, with 95.5% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Most residents can also easily reach groceries, parks and schools on foot within 15 minutes.