Urban Centre · Area profile
Koo Wee Rup
3 km²
A much younger population than most similar areas defines Koo Wee Rup, where the typical resident is just 33. This shift is clear in the data, as the typical age has dropped by seven years since 2011. With a high proportion of children and a rise in de facto relationships, the community is increasingly made up of young families. While the total population shrank by 32% over the last decade, the area remains a family-oriented hub in the Cardinia region.
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Children under 15 make up 24.4% of the population, which is well above the national figure. This helps explain why the typical age is noticeably younger than in Victoria and Australia.
The area is predominantly Australian and English in ancestry. Only 11.0% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the figures for both the state and the nation.
English is the main language for 91.6% of the community. While slightly more people use another language at home than in most similar areas, this is still far below the Victorian average.
A majority of residents (53.9%) report having no religion, a figure far above the national average. This is a significant shift, as the number of non-religious people rose by 26 points since 2011.
About 40.2% of residents completed Year 12, though this is far below the state and national figures. Only 8.8% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, a figure that has fallen since 2011.
Typical weekly family incomes are about $2,082, which is much higher than in most similar areas. Weekly household income also rose by $837 since 2011 to reach $1,763.
People needing help with daily activities (7.5%) and those with long-term health conditions (31.7%) are both more common here than in the state and national averages.
Caring for children unpaid is very common, with 35.4% of people doing so—well above the national figure. However, the number of volunteers fell by 16 points since 2011.
Families with children are the norm here, making up 62.6% of households. This leads to larger homes, with 2.7 people per dwelling, which is much higher than in most similar areas.
Most residents live in separate houses, with 86.1% having three or more bedrooms. Home ownership is high, though the proportion of homes owned outright fell by 15 points since 2011.
The area is heavily dependent on cars, with 70.3% of workers driving to work. Very few people (0.5%) use public transport for their commute.
The community is quite mobile, with 42.3% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas fell to 6.5% since 2011.
Job prospects are strong, with an unemployment rate of 3.0% and a higher percentage of adults working or looking for work compared to most areas. Construction and health are the top industries.
The area is somewhat walkable, with most homes within a 15-minute walk of health services, schools, and parks. However, it is far below the state average for public transport access.