Urban Centre · Area profile
Harvey
6 km²
Life in Harvey revolves around a sprawling residential layout where most people live in separate houses and rely on cars to get around. The community has grown rapidly, with the population more than doubling since 2011 to 2,797 people. It is a noticeably older area than the state average, with a quarter of residents aged 65 or over. This shift toward an older population is mirrored by a significant increase in people needing help with daily activities.
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The typical resident is 44, making the area noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Seniors make up 25% of the population, a figure well above the state and national averages.
A significant 28.9% of residents were born overseas, a figure that has risen 16 points since 2011. Filipino and Italian heritage are particularly common, with 12.5% and 13.9% of the population respectively.
Reflecting the rise in overseas births, 21.9% of people now use a language other than English at home, which is a huge increase from just 2.5% in 2011.
People with no religion make up 33.4% of the community, which is well below the state figure of 42.9%. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 56.3%.
Qualifications are lower than the national average, with only 11.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the share of residents who completed Year 12 rose by 8.9 points since 2011.
Typical weekly family income is $1,756, which is a little below the national figure of $2,120. Most households earn between $650 and $2,999 per week.
A higher than usual 7.9% of residents need help with daily activities. Long-term health conditions are also more common than the state average, with arthritis being the most reported issue at 12%.
Volunteer rates stand at 16.8%, which is a little above the national figure. However, this is a drop of 11 points since 2011.
Families with children are common, making up 54.5% of households. Around 30.7% of people live alone, which is well above the state average.
Detached houses dominate the landscape at 91.1%. Renting is much more common here than in most similar areas, with 33.9% of households renting.
Cars are essential for most, with 73.1% of workers driving to work and only 1.1% using public transport. Very few people, just 2%, work from home.
The area has seen a surge in migration, with recent overseas arrivals making up 24.7% of the population, far above the national figure of 14.5%.
Manufacturing is the major employer, accounting for 31.7% of jobs. Full-time employment is high at 65%, well above the national average of 58.9%.
Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of parks, schools, and health services, making it more walkable than the state average. However, only 40.4% of homes are within 10 minutes of public transport.