About our community

Who we are

• 183,023 people live in Boroondara.  
• 197,734 people are predicted to live in Boroondara by 2031, an increase of 8%. 
• 324 residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
• 6,406 residents need help in their day-to-day lives due to a disability.
• 27% of residents speak a language other than English at home. The 3 most common languages spoken after English are Mandarin, Cantonese and Greek.
• 145 different countries of origin with more than 120 languages spoken.
• 31% of residents were born overseas.
• 54% of residents identified as having one of 39 main religions, while 37% of residents did not identify as having any religion.
• 47% of residents over 15 years have a Bachelor degree or higher.
• 26% of residents volunteer.
• 6% of the working age population are unemployed. In May 2021, a total of 2,704 residents were receiving JobSeeker and youth allowance benefits.  

Our economy

• 27,210 registered businesses in Boroondara in 2020. 
• 71,353 people employed in local jobs in Boroondara.
• 53 shopping centres and strips are in Boroondara. 

How we live

• 62,794 households live in Boroondara.
• 75,880 households are expected to live in Boroondara by 2031.
• 22,060 households are couples with children, which is the most common household type.
• 18% of households have a weekly income of less than $740, the lowest income quartile for Victoria.
• 43% of households have a weekly income of over $2,395, the highest income quartile for Victoria.
• 757 households live in social and public housing.  
• 55% of dwellings are separate houses.
• 426 people identified as homeless.
• $415 is the median weekly rent, which is higher than the median for Greater Melbourne ($355).
• $2,412 is the median monthly mortgage repayment. The median for Greater Melbourne is $1,829.

General health, wellbeing and quality of life

• 53% of residents report their health as excellent or very good compared to 42% of Victorians. 
• 87 years is the median life expectancy of Boroondara residents, well above the Victorian average of 82. 
• Cancer is the leading cause of premature death in Boroondara at an annual rate of 68 per 100,000 compared to 94 per 100,000 in Victoria.

Mental wellbeing and social connection

• 85% of residents rate their feeling of life being worthwhile as high or very high.
• 9% of residents report high to very high levels of psychological distress compared to 13% of Victorians. More women in Boroondara experience high levels of psychological distress compared to men (10% and 8% respectively). 
• 69% of residents agree that people in their neighbourhood are willing to help each other compared to 74% of Victorians.
• 52% of residents agree ‘this is a close knit neighbourhood’ compared to 59% of Victorians. 
• 23% of households in Boroondara are lone person households, which increases the risk of loneliness and isolation. 

Climate change and its impacts on health

52% of Boroondara’s land cover is made up of hard surfaces. This includes roofs, driveways and roads, which contribute to the urban heat island effect. In Boroondara, the number of annual days where the temperature is over 35°C will increase. This will lead to a rise in the frequency and duration of heatwaves. 

Preventing all forms of violence

• 69% of residents feel safe walking alone at night. 
• 1,046 family violence incidents were reported in Boroondara in year ending March 2021, an increase of 16% since 2020. 

Reducing alcohol harm

67% of Boroondara adults are at an increased risk of harm from alcohol compared to 60% of Victorians. Women living in Boroondara have a significantly higher lifetime risk of alcohol-related harm compared to Victorian women (61% and 51% respectively).

Increasing healthy eating

5% of Boroondara residents eat enough vegetables compared to 4% of Victorians.

Increasing active living

58% of residents get enough physical activity compared to 51% of Victorians. Slightly more men than women in Boroondara met the guidelines for physical activity (59% and 57% respectively).