[2] It includes the outer north-western suburbs, including the major centres of Broadmeadows, Craigieburn and Sunbury, as well as a number of rural localities between 13 and 40 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre.

It has an area of 504 square kilometres, and in June 2018 it had a population of 224,394.

The City was Australia's first local government to introduce a Bill of Rights for its denizens in 2004, following the establishment of a Social Justice Charter in 2001.

[citation needed] Between 2012 and 2024, Hume was divided into three wards – Aitken, Jacksons Creek and Meadow Valley – which elected a total of 11 Councillors: Council elections are counted using single transferable vote.

Voting is compulsory for residents who are on the voters' roll for local council elections, but voters aged 70 years or over are not obliged to vote at local council elections.