Section of State · Area profile
Major Urban
1,720 km²
Typical weekly family incomes in Major Urban reach $2,262, which is higher than most similar areas. This large community grew by 26% since 2011 and is now defined by a high-earning, well-educated workforce. The area is notably younger than the national figure, with a large proportion of children and families. This creates a dynamic environment where professional success and a strong focus on raising families shape the local character.
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The community is relatively young, with a typical resident aged 37 and children under 15 making up 19% of the population. While the total population has grown to over 2 million people, the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents is much lower than in most other areas.
A high number of residents were born overseas, accounting for 36.4% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian ancestries are the most common, followed by Irish and Scottish heritage.
Language diversity is high, with 21.4% of people using a language other than English at home, a figure that has risen since 2011. This is consistent with the high proportion of overseas-born residents, although only 2.7% of people speak little or no English.
A large number of residents report having no religion, accounting for 42.1% of the population. This figure is well above the national average and has risen significantly by 17 points since 2011.
The area is highly qualified, with 27% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 62.4% completing Year 12. These figures are both much higher than in most similar areas.
Incomes are strong here, with a typical weekly household earning $1,863. This is higher than the national figure, and the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week has risen by 11 points since 2011.
Health profiles are around the middle for this level, with 26% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health is the most commonly reported condition at 8.4%.
Unpaid childcare is very common here, with 29.2% of people providing this care—one of the highest rates for this level. Around 15.1% of residents also spend time volunteering.
Families are larger than usual, with 2.6 people per home. This is higher than the national figure, and 60% of households consist of couples with children.
Homes here are typically large, with 82.2% having three or more bedrooms. While 77.2% are separate houses, typical monthly mortgage payments of $1,900 are much higher than in most other areas.
Public transport use for commuting is higher than the national figure at 5.3%, though it has fallen slightly since 2011. Working from home is far less common here than across Australia, at just 7.5%.
About 39.6% of residents moved house in the last five years. The number of recent arrivals from overseas has fallen significantly, dropping 12 points since 2011.
Working or looking for work is more common here than in most areas, at 65.3%. The workforce is dominated by professionals and those in health care and social assistance.
The area is very walkable, with nearly all homes within a 15-minute walk of a park (97.2%) or public transport (95.3%).