Urban Centre · Area profile
Latrobe
6 km²
Rapid growth defines Latrobe, where the population climbed by 53% since 2011 to reach 4,456 people. It is a community with a strong Indigenous presence and a noticeably older feel, as a quarter of residents are now seniors. This shift is reflected in the housing and health data, with a high number of people needing daily assistance. Overall, it is a place of detached houses and increasing diversity, sitting in a walkable layout with a growing number of new arrivals.
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The area has a significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population at 7.8%, which is well above the national figure. It is an aging community where the typical resident is 43 and 25.2% are seniors, a figure that rose 7.5 percentage points since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia (85.8%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the national average. English, Irish, and Scottish ancestries are common, though the proportion of people born overseas fell slightly since 2011.
English is the main language for 90.7% of the community. While those using another language at home rose to 5.3% since 2011, this is still far below the national figure.
A majority of people here report no religion (53.3%), which is far above the national figure. This represents a big shift over the last decade, rising 29 percentage points since 2011.
Qualifications are lower than in most other areas, with only 11% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Around 30.3% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure.
Typical weekly household income is $1,137, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. High earners are rare, with only 8.1% of households earning $3,000 or more per week.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 37.9% of people living with a long-term condition. This helps explain why 10.3% of residents need help with daily activities, which is well above the national figure.
Unpaid care for children is common at 26.0%, while 13.3% of the community provide other types of unpaid care. Volunteering has fallen to 14.2% since 2011.
The area has seen a rise in people living alone, now reaching 30.9%. While couples with children make up 48.8% of households, the average number of people per home has dropped to 2.3.
Detached houses are the norm for 92.4% of residents, though the proportion of renters rose sharply to 29.0% since 2011. Typical weekly rent is $250, which is well below the national figure.
Cars are essential for most, as 74.3% of people drive to work and only 0.7% use public transport. Very few people work from home (4.2%), which is far below the national figure.
Latrobe is a dynamic place with 43.5% of people moving in the last five years. This mobility is linked to a high number of recent overseas arrivals, which rose to 21.5% since 2011.
Full-time employment is relatively high at 58.4%, though the overall number of adults working or looking for work fell since 2011. Health care and retail are the biggest industries.
The area is quite walkable, with 93% of homes within a short walk of public transport and parks. However, it is much harder to reach groceries on foot, with only 39.4% of homes within a 15-minute walk.