Urban Centre · Area profile
Smythesdale
6 km²
Daily life in Smythesdale revolves around large family homes and a strong presence of children. This community is notably younger than most areas, with a typical resident aged 36 and a high proportion of children under 15. It is a predominantly residential area of around 731 people where most live in detached houses. The local character is defined by a shift towards non-religious beliefs and a growing number of families moving into the region.
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The area is much younger than the national figure, with 22.2% of the population being children under 15. People in de facto relationships are well above the state average at 19.5%, while the typical age of residents is 36.
Most residents were born in Australia (85.0%), and the proportion of people born overseas is far below the national figure at 6.8%. Common ancestries include Australian (45.0%) and English (44.6%).
English is the primary language for 90.7% of the community, and the proportion of people using another language at home is far below the state average at 1.6%.
A majority of residents report having no religion (54.3%), which is far above the national figure of 38.9%. This is a significant increase from 2011.
The community has a lower rate of higher education than most areas, with 9.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Certificate III or IV is the most common qualification, held by 47.7%.
Typical family income is $1,837 a week, slightly below the national figure. However, the number of households earning $3,000 or more per week has risen to 13.7% since 2011.
Mental health conditions are reported by 14.1% of residents, which is well above the national figure of 8.8%. Long-term health conditions generally affect 33.4% of the population.
Unpaid care is common here, with 31.2% of people caring for children and 15.8% providing other unpaid care, both figures being much higher than most areas. Conversely, volunteering has fallen to 12.6%.
Homes are larger than usual, with an average of 2.7 people per household. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 61.8% of families.
The area consists almost entirely of separate houses (98.8%), with 85.9% of homes having three or more bedrooms. Renting is very rare, occurring in only 5.6% of households.
Cars are essential here, as 0% of people commute by public transport and 98.8% of homes own at least one vehicle. Working from home has risen to 13.1% since 2011.
The community is becoming more mobile, with 37.9% of residents moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals have also risen to 12.0% since 2011.
Full-time employment is slightly above the national figure at 60.3%, and the unemployment rate is much lower than most areas at 2.7%. Many locals work in construction or health care.
Smythesdale is somewhat walkable, with 76.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries. However, access to public transport and schools is far below the state average.