# Major Urban

Section of State · Area profile

Area: 3,341 km²

A large and diverse population defines Major Urban, where over a third of residents were born overseas. The community is relatively young, with a typical resident aged 37 and a high proportion of children. This is a highly educated and prosperous area, with a significant shift towards high-income households and a strong presence of professionals. The region is growing quickly, adding over a million people since 2011 to create a densely populated, urban environment.

## Demographics & Identity

The population is much younger than most similar areas, with 18.0% of residents being children under 15. While the number of seniors has risen to 15.3%, the typical resident is 37, which is a little younger than the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 4,971,771 | +29.1% since 2011 |
| Median age | 37 yrs | +2.8% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 0.7% | +60.2% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 15.3% | +14.4% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 18.0% | -1.5% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 10.8% | +31.2% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Young adults (25–44) 31.0%, Older adults (45–64) 23.4%, Children (0–14) 18.0%, Seniors (65+) 15.3%, Youth (15–24) 12.3%

**Marital status** — Married 46.5%, Never married 38.3%, Divorced 7.7%, Widowed 4.6%, Separated 2.9%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas, 35.2% of the population hail from other countries, a figure well above the national average of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are English and Australian, followed by Irish, Chinese and Scottish.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 35.2% | +9.5% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 60.5%, India 4.8%, China 3.4%, England 2.6%, Vietnam 1.8%, New Zealand 1.6%, Philippines 1.2%, Italy 1.2%, South Africa 0.5%, Nepal 0.4%

**Ancestry** — English 25.9%, Australian 23.7%, Irish 8.6%, Chinese 8.3%, Scottish 7.3%, Italian 6.4%, Indian 5.2%, Greek 3.4%, German 2.9%, Vietnamese 2.4%, Filipino 1.6%, Dutch 1.5%

## Language

Language diversity is high, with 33.7% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far above the national figure, and there is a higher proportion of people who speak little or no English compared to most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 33.7% | +12.2% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 5.4% | -6.7% since 2016 |

**Language used at home** — English only 61.6%, Mandarin 4.3%, Vietnamese 2.3%, Greek 2.1%, Punjabi 1.9%, Arabic 1.8%, Italian 1.7%, Cantonese 1.6%, Hindi 1.3%, Tagalog 0.5%

## Religion

Christianity is the most common religion at 40.2%, while 37.6% of residents report no religion. The proportion of people with no religion has risen by 14 points since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 37.6% | +62.1% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — Christianity 40.2%, No religion 37.6%, Not stated 6.2%, Islam 5.2%, Hinduism 4.1%, Buddhism 3.9%, Other religions 2.0%, Judaism 0.9%

## Education & Qualifications

Residents are highly qualified, with 33.0% holding a bachelor degree or higher, well above the national figure of 26.3%. Two-thirds of the population have completed Year 12, and many hold qualifications in management and commerce.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 66.8% | +16.8% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 33.0% | +36.7% since 2011 |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 66.8%, Year 10 9.5%, Year 9 or below 9.4%, Year 11 8.6%

**Highest qualification level** — Bachelor degree 32.6%, Certificate III / IV 19.1%, Advanced diploma / diploma 15.3%, Postgraduate degree 13.7%, Graduate diploma / certificate 4.7%, Certificate I / II 1.3%

**Field of qualification** — Management & commerce 20.8%, Society & culture 12.6%, Engineering & related 12.2%, Health 10.1%, Education 7.5%, Architecture & building 5.2%, Information technology 5.2%, Creative arts 4.9%, Food, hospitality & personal services 4.5%, Natural & physical sciences 3.8%, Agriculture & environment 1.2%

## Income

Typical family income is $2,229 a week, which is higher than most similar areas. There has been a significant increase in prosperity, with the share of households earning $3,000 or more a week rising by 14 points since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $835 | +42.0% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,868 | +41.2% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $2,229 | +41.7% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 13.5% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 24.9% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $1,500–$2,999 30.6%, $650–$1,499 24.3%, Under $650 14.4%, $4,000 or more 13.9%, $3,000–$3,999 11.0%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 38.9%, $650–$1,499 30.7%, $1,500–$2,999 18.8%, $3,000 or more 5.5%

## Health & Disability

While 25.9% of people have a long-term health condition, this is a little below the national figure. However, the proportion of people needing help with daily activities is higher than most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 25.9% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 8.4% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 5.7% | +24.4% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Mental health 8.4%, Asthma 8.0%, Other condition 7.9%, Arthritis 7.1%, Diabetes 4.5%, Heart disease 3.4%, Cancer 2.5%, Lung condition 1.2%, Stroke 0.8%, Dementia 0.7%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 67.1%, One condition 18.1%, Two conditions 5.2%, Three or more 2.5%

## Community Participation

More people provide unpaid care here than in most similar areas, though volunteering has fallen by 3.6 points since 2011. There is also a lower proportion of former Defence Force members compared to other areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 12.2% | -22.6% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 12.6% | +15.7% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 26.4% | -1.4% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 1.6% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 19.0% | -2.8% since 2011 |

## Family & Households

Homes here are more crowded than usual, with 2.6 people per home. Family life is dominated by couples with children, who make up 61.4% of households.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.6 | +0.0% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 13.2% | -1.2% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 25.5% | +6.9% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 61.4%, Couples without children 24.1%, One-parent families 13.2%, Other families 1.3%

**Household size** — 2 people 31.4%, 1 person 25.5%, 4 people 16.9%, 3 people 16.8%, 5 people 6.4%, 6 or more 3.1%

## Housing & Dwellings

Housing is expensive, with typical weekly rents at $383 and monthly mortgage payments at $2,000, both of which are much higher than most areas. Detached houses are less common here than across Australia.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $383 | — |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $2,000 | +9.9% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.90 | -18.2% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 31.1% | +11.3% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 29.8% | -9.4% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 67.7% | -5.5% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 71.7% | -0.2% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned with a mortgage 36.1%, Rented 31.1%, Owned outright 29.8%, Other tenure 1.6%, Not stated 1.4%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 67.7%, Townhouse / semi-detached 16.5%, Flat or apartment 15.4%, Other dwelling 0.3%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 40.0%, 4 bedrooms 26.2%, 2 bedrooms 20.9%, 1 bedroom 5.9%, 5 or more 5.4%, Studio / none 0.3%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $350–$549 49.6%, $200–$349 25.2%, $550–$749 9.5%, Under $200 7.6%, $750 or more 4.5%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,800–$2,999 34.2%, $1,000–$1,799 25.9%, $3,000 or more 19.9%, Under $1,000 13.4%

## Transport & Vehicles

Working from home has surged to 28.5% since 2011, placing the area among the highest for this trend. About 8.7% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than most similar areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 8.7% | -11.0% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 28.5% | +711.6% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 3.5% | -63.8% since 2011 |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 46.8%, Worked at home 28.5%, Car (passenger) 3.3%, Walked 2.0%, Train 2.0%, Bicycle 0.8%, Bus 0.7%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 1 vehicle 38.0%, 2 vehicles 36.9%, 3 vehicles 10.8%, No vehicle 8.7%, 4 or more 5.7%

## Migration & Movement

The area is dynamic, with 41.2% of residents having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas also make up a higher proportion of the population than the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 41.2% | +10.5% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 16.1% | -19.9% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

A higher proportion of adults are working or looking for work than in most similar areas. The workforce is dominated by professionals and managers, with health care and social assistance being the largest industry.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | -4.4% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 63.9% | +2.7% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 59.9% | -5.8% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Health care & social assistance 14.0%, Professional & technical 9.6%, Retail trade 9.5%, Construction 8.9%, Education & training 8.9%, Manufacturing 6.9%, Accommodation & food 6.2%, Public administration & safety 5.5%, Finance & insurance 4.7%, Transport & warehousing 4.7%, Other services 3.4%, Administrative & support 3.2%, Wholesale trade 2.9%, Arts & recreation 1.8%, Media & telecommunications 1.8%, Rental & real estate 1.6%, Electricity, gas & water 1.0%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 0.5%, Mining 0.2%

**Occupations people work in** — Professionals 27.2%, Managers 13.6%, Clerical & administrative 12.7%, Technicians & trades 11.9%, Community & personal service 10.7%, Sales workers 8.3%, Labourers 7.9%, Machinery operators & drivers 5.7%

## Walkability

The area is very walkable, with a score of 7.3. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, and 93.5% are close to public transport.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 7.3 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 6.8 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 85.5% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 84.3% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 93.5% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 89.3% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 98.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 75.5% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 14.3 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 235 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 4.7% | — |

## Nearby areas

[Other Urban](https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS21/other-urban) · [Bounded Locality](https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS22/bounded-locality) · [Rural Balance](https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS23/rural-balance) · [Other Urban](https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS61/other-urban) · [Rural Balance](https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS63/rural-balance) · [Rural Balance](https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS83/rural-balance) · [Major Urban](https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS80/major-urban) · [Bounded Locality](https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS82/bounded-locality)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sos/SOS20/major-urban