Whittlesea

The typical resident is 40, making the area a little older than the state and national figures. While the number of seniors fell since 2011, there are still more people aged 65 and over here than in most of Australia.

Most residents were born in Australia (85.1%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents than the state or national averages. English, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries alongside Australian.

English is the primary language for 90.1% of the community. While the proportion of people using another language at home rose to 6.0% since 2011, this is still far below the national figure.

A large number of residents report no religion (47.0%), a figure that rose 30 points since 2011 and is well above the national average. Christianity remains common at 45.5%.

Education levels have risen, with those who completed Year 12 increasing by 17 points since 2011. However, the 12.2% of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is far below the national average.

Typical family incomes are much higher than in most similar areas at $2,006 a week. This is part of a general rise in wealth, with the number of households earning $3,000 or more a week increasing 14 points since 2011.

Health needs are higher than usual here, with 8.8% of people needing help with daily activities and 34.6% living with a long-term health condition, both of which are above the national average.

Unpaid care for children is more common here than in most areas, while the proportion of people who volunteer has fallen 11 points since 2011 to 10.6%.

Families tend to be larger than in most areas, with 2.6 people per home. This is consistent with the higher number of children and a higher rate of one-parent families compared to the national figure.

Homes here are typically large, with 85.7% having three or more bedrooms. Most people live in separate houses (85.6%), and renting is far less common here than across Australia.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, though the number of people working from home rose 11 points since 2011 to 15.0%. Only 1.0% of residents commute using public transport.

The community is relatively stable, with fewer people moving in the last five years than the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas have also fallen to 2.7%.

The workforce is active, with 59.0% of adults working or looking for work. Employment is concentrated in construction, health care, and education, with a low unemployment rate of 3.8%.

While almost all homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park and most are near public transport, the area is far below the national average for walking distance to groceries, schools, and health services.