Urban Area · Area profile
Geelong
1,329 km²
Rapid growth and rising incomes mark Geelong as a major regional hub that has added about 116,176 people since 2011. This is a large and evolving community where a growing number of residents now hold university degrees and earn well above the typical income for similar areas. While it remains mostly Australian-born, the area is seeing a shift toward a more secular identity, with nearly half of the population reporting no religion. It is a place of spacious detached homes and a workforce increasingly working from home.
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The typical resident is 39, making the area a little older than the national figure. While children under 15 make up 18.1% of the population, there has been a rise in seniors, with 19.1% now aged 65 and over.
About 17.2% of residents were born overseas, which is much higher than most similar areas but far below the Victorian and national figures. English, Australian, Irish and Scottish ancestries are the most common.
English is the main language for 83.8% of people, and the 11.2% who use another language at home is a much higher figure than in most similar areas. However, this is still far below the state and national averages.
A large proportion of the community identifies as having no religion, at 45.3%. This figure is well above the national average and has risen by 21 points since 2011.
Education levels have climbed significantly, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher rising 10 points since 2011 to 25.5%. This is much higher than most similar areas.
Incomes have seen a strong upward trend; the typical family now earns $2,113 a week, which is much higher than most similar areas. Since 2011, the share of households earning $3,000 or more per week has risen by 15 points.
Long-term health conditions are reported by 31.0% of residents, which is well above the national figure. Mental health is the most common condition, affecting 10.8% of people.
The area has a high rate of unpaid care, with 28.1% of people caring for children and 13.4% providing other unpaid care. Volunteering has fallen by 3 points since 2011 to 14.6%.
Families here tend to be larger than in most similar areas, with a typical 2.5 people per home. Couples with children make up the majority of households at 56.8%.
Detached houses are very common here, making up 86.7% of homes, which is far above the national average. A high proportion of homes—80.1%—have three or more bedrooms.
Car travel is the dominant way to get to work, but 19.7% of people now work from home, a massive increase of 17 points since 2011. Only 1.3% of commuters use public transport.
The community is quite mobile, with 42.9% of people having moved house in the last five years. This is higher than most similar areas and slightly above the national figure.
Health care and social assistance is the largest employer, with 17.1% of the workforce in this field. The unemployment rate is 4.3%, which is lower than most similar areas.
Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, but they are less likely to be near schools or groceries compared to the state average. The overall walkability is rated as somewhat walkable.