State Electorate · Area profile
St Albans (Western Metropolitan)
35 km²
Low typical incomes and high unemployment mark St Albans as a struggling but diverse working-class hub. The typical weekly household income of $1,331 is much lower than the national figure. This is a community shaped by its international roots, where over half the people were born overseas and many speak a language other than English at home. Despite financial pressures, it is a highly walkable area with a population that is slightly younger than the Australian average.
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The typical resident is 37, making the area a little younger than the national figure. While the population of 75,388 is larger than most similar areas, there are fewer children under 15 and far fewer people in de facto relationships than usual.
Overseas birthplaces are very common here, with 53.0% born abroad, far above the national figure of 27.7%. Vietnamese ancestry is the most prominent, making up 22.2% of the population.
Language diversity is very high, with 62.5% of people using another language at home, compared to 22.3% nationally. This helps explain why 16.8% of residents speak little or no English, a figure far above the state and national averages.
Religious affiliation is more common here than in other similar areas, with only 22.3% of people reporting no religion, far below the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the most common faith at 43.1%.
Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 18.9% of the population, which is well below the national figure. However, the percentage of people who completed Year 12 has risen since 2016 to 55.3%.
Earnings are among the lowest for this level, with a typical weekly family income of $1,457, well below the national figure of $2,120. Only 4.3% of people earn $2,000 or more a week.
People needing help with daily activities are more common here than in most areas, at 8.2%. Conversely, mental health conditions are reported at 6.2%, which is much lower than most areas.
Volunteer rates are well below the national figure, with only 6.5% of people volunteering. Unpaid care for children (20.1%) and general housework (15.3%) are also among the lowest at this level.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.7 people per home. One-parent families are very common at 20.9%, well above the national figure of 14.1%.
Renters are more common than in most areas, with 32.8% of households renting, though typical weekly rent of $331 is lower than the national figure. Interestingly, 35.8% of homes are owned outright, which is higher than most areas.
Public transport use for commuting is much higher than most areas, and 9.8% of homes have no motor vehicle. While working from home rose to 16.0% since 2016, this remains well below the national figure.
Recent overseas arrivals are more common here than in most areas, at 15.1%. However, 33.0% of people moved in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.
The unemployment rate is 9.1%, well above the national figure of 5.1%. Only 52.3% of adults are working or looking for work, which is much lower than most similar areas.
The area is very walkable, with 96.1% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. A huge 94.3% of residents live within 15 minutes of a school, far above the state average.