HOBSONS Bay’s population has jumped by almost 2500 residents since 2006, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show.
Census 2011 figures, released last Thursday, reveal that Hobsons Bay has one of the smallest populations in the west with 83,863 residents.
Almost four in 10 were born overseas, a jump from 23,685 in 2006 to 30,582.
The most frequently cited countries of birth after Australia were England 3.5percent, India 2.8percent, Italy 2percent, New Zealand 1.9percent and Vietnam 1.6percent. Almost half of all residents had both parents born overseas, compared to a state average of four in 10.
More than one in three people in Hobsons Bay spoke at least one language other than English at home, including
Arabic 3.6percent, Italian 3.3percent, Greek 3.0percent, Vietnamese 2percent and Maltese 1.6percent.
As at census time, residents had a median age of 38, a median weekly personal income of $582 and household income of $1286 a week.
A Hobsons Bay baby boom meant there were 5741 children aged four or under and 4743 aged 5-9. The highest number of residents (6743) fell into the 40-44 age bracket.
Catholicism was still the leading religion at 30.9percent and the number of people ticking the ‘no religion’ box on the census form jumped from 18.5 to 22percent.
Of occupied homes in Hobsons Bay 36percent were owned outright, 33 per cent were owned with a mortgage and 27.8percent were rented. The median mortgage was $1800 per month and median rent $281 per week.
Of private homes 76.3percent were separate houses, 12.4per cent were semi-detached, 10.5percent were units and 0.7per cent other dwellings.
Almost 29percent of people in Hobsons Bay attended an educational institution.
Of these, 24.2percent were in primary school, 20.4percent in secondary school and 21.2percent in a tertiary or technical institution.
When it came to families in Hobsons Bay 46.2percent were couple families with children, 35.1percent were couple families without children and 16.6percent were one-parent families.
The next national census will be held in 2016.
