The City of Boroondara is recognised as one of Victoria’s healthiest local government areas, where residents generally enjoy good health and wellbeing. This is due largely to the municipality's high socioeconomic status. Income and educational levels are some of the highest in Victoria.
However, there is still room for improvement. Some community members are less advantaged and may face health risks due to their living conditions, financial situation, life transitions or lack of social connections. For some residents, Boroondara’s affluence may serve to heighten disadvantage.
Boroondara residents reported an average resilience score of 6.4 out of 8. This is the same as Victorian residents. Furthermore, in Boroondara:
- 69% of residents agree with the statement ‘people around here are willing to help their neighbours’ (slightly lower than the Victorian figure of 74%).
- 77% of residents agree with the statement ‘people in this neighbourhood can be trusted’ (slightly higher than the Victorian figure of 72%).
- 52% of residents consider Boroondara a close-knit neighbourhood (compare to 59% in the Greater Melbourne region).
- 28% of residents engage in voluntary work, which is significantly higher compared to the Greater Melbourne region (19%).
Social isolation is more often a risk amongst older people, particularly those who live alone. In 2016, approximately 27% of residents 65 years and older lived alone. Women in this age bracket are more likely to live alone than men.
Disadvantage and Social Exclusion Research Report
Our Disadvantage and Social Exclusion Research Report, published in 2015, presents results of research conducted to help us better understand disadvantage and social exclusion in the City of Boroondara.
Section 2 of the report profiles neighbourhoods of possible disadvantage through an in-depth analysis of 2011 Census data.
Section 3 presents demographic profiles for residents in 7 population groups that research indicates are at increased risk of social exclusion.
Section 4 outlines the relevant Council strategies and plans and includes examples of actions from the action plans.
For more information on the report, email Research or contact Council.