Section of State Range · Area profile
1 million or more
1,720 km²
Daily life in 1 million or more is defined by a growing, high-earning population where larger families are common. The area has expanded quickly, adding over 416,000 people since 2011. It is a relatively young community, with a typical resident aged 37 and many children under 15. This mix of youth and high professional qualifications creates a prosperous environment where residents generally earn more than the national figure.
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The population is younger than most similar areas, with 19% of residents being children under 15. While the total population has grown 26% since 2011, the proportion of people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is 1.9%, which is a little below the national figure.
This is a highly diverse area where 36.4% of people were born overseas, a figure well above the national average. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries, with the largest overseas birthplaces being England, India, and New Zealand.
About 21.4% of residents use a language other than English at home, a figure that has risen by 4.1 points since 2011. Mandarin, Italian, and Vietnamese are the most common non-English languages spoken.
A large proportion of the community identifies as having no religion, at 42.1%, which is well above the national figure. This represents a significant increase of 17 points since 2011.
The area is highly qualified, with 62.4% of residents completing Year 12 and 27% holding a bachelor degree or higher. Most qualifications are in management, commerce, or engineering.
Earnings are much higher than in most similar areas, with a typical family income of $2,262 per week. About 15.2% of people earn $2,000 or more weekly, which is a little above the national average.
Health outcomes are slightly better than the national average, with only 4.6% of people needing help with daily activities. Long-term health conditions are also a little less common here than across Australia.
Family care is a priority here, as 29.2% of people provide unpaid child care—one of the highest rates for areas of this level. Volunteer rates are around 15.1%, slightly above the national figure.
Homes are larger than usual, with an average of 2.6 people per household. About 60% of families consist of couples with children, and 25.2% of people live alone.
Most people live in separate houses, with 82.2% of homes having three or more bedrooms. While typical weekly rents are $350, the typical monthly mortgage payment is much higher than in most areas at $1,900.
Car travel is the primary way to get to work, though 5.3% use public transport—one of the highest rates for this level. Only 7.5% of the workforce works from home, which is far below the national figure.
The area sees a steady flow of people, with 39.6% having moved house in the last five years. However, the arrival of new residents from overseas has fallen by 12 points since 2011.
The workforce is very active, with 65.3% of adults working or looking for work, which is well above the national figure. Most residents are employed in health care, retail, or education.
The area is very walkable, with 97.2% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. Public transport is also highly accessible, with 95.3% of residents living within 10 minutes of a stop.