Where You Live Matters: The Impact on Health and Behaviour

You are more likely to gamble if you live near a gambling venue
Photo: Alexis Fam Photography

Where you live clearly matters. Although this point seems so obvious, the hike in house prices has driven first home buyers to focus more on the cost of the property rather than lifestyle factors. 

Recent survey results released by Digital Finance Analytics suggest that in the urban cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, those wishing to get on the housing ladder consider traditional requirements such as commute times, local shopping and access to sporting facilities less important now than in 2010.

According to this survey, the top buying criteria is price of the property, followed by proximity to schools and access to public transport.

While sacrificing a trip to the local gym may seem a small price to pay in return for owning your first home, what happens if instead of having sporting facilities nearby, you live close to a gambling venue? 

Residential Proximity to Pokie Venues Exacerbates Problem Gambling

The recently published results from the comprehensive 2010 survey of gambling behaviour showed that the closer you live to pokie venues, the more likely you are to gamble, which in turn increases your chances of developing gambling problems. 

Over 7,000 respondents from the urban centres of the Northern Territory participated in this survey.

“The closer you live to pokie venues, the more likely you are to gamble…”

While these conclusions are hardly surprising, they prove that there is a definite relationship between problem gambling and residential proximity to gambling venues. 

As betting venues tend to be more prevalent in poorer suburbs, their ill effects are felt more heavily in these areas. 

Where You Live Determines Longevity

Recent statistics released by the National Health Performance Authority also suggest a relationship exists between your physical health and where you live. 

For example, a baby born in Hunters Hill of northern Sydney is expected to live 2.5 years longer than a baby born in Bankstown, a suburb in south western Sydney.  Hunters Hill also has the lowest rate of avoidable deaths in the country.

Avoidable deaths are those preventable through better diet, exercise and access to medical treatment. 

A Telling Tale of Two Suburbs

Interestingly, the 2011 Census data tells us that 71 per cent of residents in Hunters Hill were born in Australia, versus 38.2 per cent in Bankstown. 

Almost 4 out of 5 residents in Hunters Hill speak English as a first language, compared with less than 2 out of 5 in Bankstown. The average age of the population in Hunters Hill is also 10 years older.

“Recent statistics… suggest a relationship exists between your physical health and where you live.”

In terms of economic capacity, the median weekly household income in Hunters Hill is more than double that of Bankstown.

Hunters Hill also enjoys a much lower unemployment rate.

But Clearly, Affordability Trumps Demographics and Lifestyle Factors For First Home Buyers!

So what is the point of this article, when affordability stops many first home buyers from purchasing in their preferred locations?

The intention has not been to spread fears about buying property in poorer suburbs; rather, the aim is to raise awareness of how the choice of where you live can have unexpected impact on your health and behaviour.