A typology of community opportunity and vulnerability in metropolitan Australia

A multivariate model using hierarchical clustering and discriminant analysi s is used to identify clusters of community opportunity and community vulne rability across Australia's mega metropolitan regions, Variables used in th e model measure aspects of structural economic change, occupational change, human capital, income, unemployment, family/household disadvantage, and ho using stress. A nine-cluster solution is used to categorise communities acr oss metropolitan space. Significant between-city variations in the incidenc e of these clusters of opportunity and vulnerability are apparent, suggesti ng the emergence of marked differentiation between Australia's mega metropo litan regions in their adjustments to changing economic and social conditio ns. JEL classification: C49, R11, R12.