West Melbourne

West Melbourne is noticeably younger than the state and national figures, with children and seniors making up very small proportions of the population. De facto relationships are far more common here than in most other areas.

The community is highly international, with 53.5% of people born overseas, a figure far above the national average. Chinese, English, and Australian are the most common ancestries.

Language diversity is very high, and 45.0% of residents use a language other than English at home, which is far above the national figure. Mandarin is the most common non-English language spoken.

A majority of residents — 53.8% — report having no religion, which is far above the figures for Victoria and Australia.

The area is highly educated, with 56.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far exceeding the national average. Most residents have completed Year 12, and qualifications are often in management or commerce.

Typical personal incomes are well above the national figure at $1,058 per week. A significant 17.6% of people earn $2,000 or more weekly, which is much higher than in most other areas.

Residents are generally in good health; the proportion of people with long-term health conditions is well below the state and national averages. Very few people require help with daily activities.

Unpaid care work is much less common here than in most areas, with far fewer people caring for children or doing significant housework. Volunteering rates are also a little below the national figure.

The First Nations community is small, but typical personal incomes for these residents are far above the national figure. Unemployment among First Nations people is much higher than in most similar areas.

Living arrangements are dominated by single people or couples without children, leading to a typical household size of just 1.9 people. This is well below the national average.

The area consists almost entirely of flats and apartments, with 65.2% of households renting, far above the state average. Very few homes are owned outright, and typical weekly rents are much higher than most areas.

Many residents forgo cars, with 36.4% of homes having no vehicle. This is supported by a high number of public transport stops and a large proportion of people who work from home.

The area is experiencing rapid turnover, as nearly 74% of people moved here in the last five years. This is driven by a huge number of recent arrivals from overseas.

A very high number of residents are working or looking for work compared to most areas. The workforce is heavily concentrated in professional and technical roles.

Described as a walker's paradise, nearly every home is within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, and parks. Public transport is exceptionally accessible, with 99.7% of homes within a 10-minute walk of a stop.