Victoria
Disadvantage is concentrated within a small number of communities across Victoria. These communities experience a complex web of persistent and hard-to-shift disadvantage.
Just 27 postcodes (4% of total) account for 28.2% of the highest rank positions 
across 22 indicators of disadvantage. These postcodes show high rates of:
- unemployment
- criminal convictions
- disability
- low education
- child maltreatment
- family violence
- psychiatric admissions
We can see that disadvantage is concentrated when we compare the 3% most disadvantaged postcodes to the rest of the state. Those living in the 3% most disadvantaged postcodes in the state are:
- 3 times more likely to be experiencing long term unemployment or have been exposed to child maltreatment
- 2.6 times more likely to have experienced domestic violence
- 2.4 times more likely to be on disability support
- twice as likely to have criminal convictions.
Locational disadvantage is entrenched
The persistent nature of locational disadvantage becomes obvious when we compare findings of this 2015 study with previous studies undertaken in 2007, 2004 and 1999. No fewer than 25 of the state’s 40 most disadvantaged postcodes in Dropping Off The Edge 2015 were also found to be ‘most disadvantaged’ in the 2007 study (see table below). In fact, 10 of the current top 12 ‘most disadvantaged’ locations were in the ‘most disadvantaged’ list in 2007.
Most disadvantaged postcodes in Victoria – Comparison with previous years
(Bands illustrate the severity of disadvantage experienced by a location with Band 1 being most severe. Locations listed alphabetically within bands.)
| Band | 2015 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|
| Band | 20015 | 2007 |
| Band 1 | 3047 Broadmeadows 3214 Corio 3177 Doveton 3200 Frankston North 3465 Maryborough 3840 Morwell |
Top 5% Top 5% Top 5% Top 10% Top 5% – |
| Band 2 | 3022 Ardeer 3019 Braybrook 3048 Coolaroo 3061 Campbellfield 3940 Rosebud West 3355 Wendouree |
– Top 5% Top 10% Top 5% Top 5% Top 10% |
| Band 3 | 3523 Heathcote 3825 Moe 3556 Eaglehawk 3075 Lalor 3021 St Albans 3478 St Arnaud |
Top 5% – Top 5% – – Top 10% |
| Band 4 | 3175 Dandenong 3505 Merbein 3500 Mildura 3549 Robinvale 3660 Seymour 3074 Thomastown |
– Top 10% – Top 5% – – |
| Band 5 | 3915 Hastings 3909 Lakes Entrance 3629 Mooroopna 3335 Rockbank 3630 Shepparton 3995 Wonthagi |
Top 5% Top 5% – – – Top 5% |
| Band 6 | 3020 Albion 3377 Ararat 3672 Benalla 3888 Orbost 3842 Churchill 3984 Corinella 3356 Delacombe 3496 Red Cliffs 3939 Rosebud 3380 Stawell |
Top 10% – Top 5% Top 5% – Top 5% Top 10% – Top 5% Top 5% |