Meldale

The population is much older than most areas, with 30.9% of residents aged 65 and over, which is far above the national figure. Conversely, children under 15 make up only 10.9% of the community, well below the state average.

English is the most common ancestry at 53.5%, and while 14.3% of people were born overseas, this is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the primary language for 90.4% of residents, and the proportion of people using another language at home is far below the state and national averages.

About 39.1% of residents have no religion, which is roughly the same as the national figure, while 52.2% identify as Christian.

Education levels are much lower than most areas; only 10.5% of adults have a bachelor degree or higher, and just 31.7% completed Year 12, far below the national average.

Typical incomes are much lower than most areas, with the usual weekly household income being $1,125, which is well below the national figure of $1,746.

Health needs are high here, with 40.4% of people reporting a long-term health condition—far above the national average—and 7.4% needing help with daily activities.

A higher than average 28.7% of people spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework, though the rate of volunteering is a little below the national figure.

First Nations residents make up 3.9% of the population. Those who identify as First Nations are noticeably older than the state average, with a typical age of 28.

Couples without children make up the largest group at 53.3%. Households are slightly smaller than usual, with a typical size of 2.3 people.

Housing is dominated by detached houses, 94.6% of which are separate dwellings. Home ownership is strong, with 45.7% owning their homes outright, far above the national figure.

The area is entirely dependent on cars, as 0% of people use public transport to commute and every home has at least one motor vehicle.

Movement into the area is low, with 28.8% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%.

Unemployment is among the highest at this level at 10.1%, well above the national figure. Many of those working are in construction (22.8%) or as technicians and tradespeople (25%).

The area is completely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 0.0 and no parks, schools, or grocery stores within a 15-minute walk.