Sydenham District
Religion
In Sydenham District in 2016, the largest religious group was Western (Roman) Catholic (37.8% of all people), while 14.9% of people had no religion and 7.7% did not answer the question on religion.
Sydenham District's religion statistics provide an indicator of cultural identity and ethnicity when observed in conjunction with other key variables. Religion data reveal the major concentrations of religions as well as revealing the proportion of people with no religious affiliation. There are a number of reasons for different religious compositions across areas including the country of birth and ethnic background of the population, the age of the population (belief in religion is generally stronger, the older the population) and changes in values and belief systems.
Sydenham District's religion statistics should be analysed in conjunction with other ethnicity statistics such as Country of Birth data and Language Spoken data to assist in identifying specific cultural and ethnic groups.
Please note: Due to changes in ABS rules around perturbation and additivity of data to protect the confidentiality of individuals, counts of individual religion groups and totals derived from them may differ slightly from those published by the ABS.
Derived from the Census question:
'What is the person's religion?'
Total population
| Religion - Summary | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydenham District - Total persons (Usual residence) | 2016 | 2011 | Change | |||||
| Religion totals | Number | % | Sunshine West % | Number | % | Sunshine West % | 2011 to 2016 | |
 Christian total | 29,779 | 62.5 | 49.5 | 35500 | 33,257 | 69.0 | 57.9 | -3,478 |
| Non Christian total | 6,917 | 14.5 | 24.5 | 35501 | 7,119 | 14.8 | 23.3 | -202 |
| Non-classifiable religious belief | 161 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 35502 | 166 | 0.3 | 0.5 | -5 |
| No Religion/secular beliefs | 7,121 | 14.9 | 18.0 | 35503 | 4,697 | 9.7 | 10.5 | +2,423 |
| Not stated | 3,658 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 35504 | 2,947 | 6.1 | 7.8 | +711 |
| Total Population | 47,636 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 48,187 | 100.0 | 100.0 | -551 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
(Usual residence data)
| Religion - Ranked by size | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydenham District - Total persons (Usual residence) | 2016 | 2011 | Change | |||||
| Religion | Number | % | Sunshine West % | Number | % | Sunshine West % | 2011 to 2016 | |
| Western (Roman) Catholic | 18,026 | 37.8 | 27.2 | 35044 | 20,337 | 42.2 | 32.1 | -2,311 |
| Greek Orthodox | 2,956 | 6.2 | 7.1 | 35015 | 3,128 | 6.5 | 8.9 | -172 |
| Islam | 2,238 | 4.7 | 8.4 | 35017 | 2,590 | 5.4 | 6.7 | -352 |
| Buddhism | 2,194 | 4.6 | 12.3 | 35008 | 2,433 | 5.1 | 14.2 | -240 |
| Anglican | 1,931 | 4.0 | 2.4 | 35000 | 2,542 | 5.3 | 3.7 | -612 |
| Christian,nfd | 1,840 | 3.9 | -- | 35011 | 715 | 1.5 | 1.5 | +1,125 |
| Sikhism | 1,245 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 35041 | 1,022 | 2.1 | 0.9 | +223 |
| Hinduism | 1,145 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 35016 | 929 | 1.9 | 1.3 | +216 |
| Macedonian Orthodox | 1,140 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 35022 | 1,422 | 3.0 | 1.9 | -282 |
| Pentecostal | 567 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 35033 | 514 | 1.1 | 1.3 | +53 |
| Uniting Church | 550 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 35043 | 761 | 1.6 | 1.5 | -211 |
| Baptist | 436 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 35006 | 502 | 1.0 | 1.2 | -66 |
| Coptic Orthodox | 423 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 35014 | 454 | 0.9 | 0.1 | -31 |
| Presbyterian and Reformed | 377 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 35036 | 435 | 0.9 | 1.1 | -58 |
| Serbian Orthodox | 230 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 35039 | 237 | 0.5 | 0.5 | -7 |
| Jehova's Witnesses | 205 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 35018 | 201 | 0.4 | 0.6 | +4 |
| Other Protestant | 173 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 35034 | 188 | 0.4 | 0.6 | -15 |
| Other Oriental Orthodox | 143 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 35032 | 64 | 0.1 | 0.2 | +79 |
| Other Eastern Catholic | 133 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 35028 | 72 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +61 |
| Lutheran | 117 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 35021 | 193 | 0.4 | 0.2 | -77 |
| Other Eastern Orthodox | 84 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 35029 | 984 | 2.0 | 1.5 | -900 |
| Latter Day Saints (Mormons) | 83 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 35020 | 70 | 0.1 | 0.4 | +13 |
| Seventh Day Adventist | 74 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 35040 | 104 | 0.2 | 0.1 | -30 |
| Salvation Army | 65 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 35038 | 97 | 0.2 | 0.0 | -32 |
| Assyrian Apostolic | 61 | 0.1 | -- | 35003 | 75 | 0.2 | -- | -14 |
| Other Non-Christian Religions | 56 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 35031 | 73 | 0.2 | 0.1 | -17 |
| Maronite Catholic | 39 | 0.1 | -- | 35023 | 35 | 0.1 | -- | +4 |
| Russian Orthodox | 31 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 35037 | 49 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -18 |
| Other Christian | 20 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 35027 | 26 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -6 |
| Churches of Christ | 13 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 35013 | 33 | 0.1 | 0.0 | -20 |
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Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
Excludes religions with fewer than 10 adherents.
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the religious affiliation of the population of Sydenham District in 2016 compared to Sunshine West shows that there was a higher proportion of people who professed a religion and a lower proportion who stated they had no religion.
Overall, 77.0% of the population nominated a religion, and 14.9% said they had no religion, compared with 74.0% and 18.0% respectively for Sunshine West.
The largest single religion in Sydenham District was Western (Roman) Catholic, with 37.8% of the population or 18,026 people as adherents.
The major differences between the religious affiliation for the population of Sydenham District and Sunshine West were:
- A larger percentage who nominated Western (Roman) Catholic (37.8% compared to 27.2%)
- A larger percentage who nominated Christian,nfd (3.9% compared to 0.0%)
- A smaller percentage who nominated Buddhism (4.6% compared to 12.3%)
- A smaller percentage who nominated Islam (4.7% compared to 8.4%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the religious affiliation of the population in Sydenham District between 2011 and 2016 were for those who nominated:
- Western (Roman) Catholic (-2,311 persons)
- Christian,nfd (+1,125 persons)
- Other Eastern Orthodox (-900 persons)
- Anglican (-612 persons)