Alfred Cove

Population growth drivers in Alfred Cove are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Alfred Cove is around 2,997. This represents an increase of 167 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,830. The current estimate reflects an inferred resident population of 2,949 based on AreaSearch's examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of approximately 2,775 persons per square kilometer, placing Alfred Cove in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, from 2016 to 2026, Alfred Cove has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.9%, outpacing the SA3 area. Recent population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 93.0% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends project an above median growth for national statistical areas, with Alfred Cove expected to expand by 407 persons to reach a total of 3,404 by 2041, reflecting a 15.8% increase over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Alfred Cove recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Alfred Cove has seen approximately 8 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 41 homes. This fiscal year alone, 2 approvals have been recorded so far. The area has experienced an average of 5.4 people moving in for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. With new dwellings developed at an average cost of $724,000, the focus appears to be on premium properties.

This financial year, $266,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating a residential nature for the area. Compared to Greater Perth, Alfred Cove has significantly lower building activity, at 56.0% below the regional average per person. The scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is also lower than nationally, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. Approximately 83.0% of new buildings are detached dwellings, with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 17.0%, maintaining Alfred Cove's traditional suburban character focused on family homes.

With around 356 people per dwelling approval, the area shows signs of a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Alfred Cove is projected to add approximately 472 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Alfred Cove has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Two projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: Attadale Reserve Masterplan & Sports Facilities Upgrade, Westfield Booragoon Shopping Centre Expansion, Fremantle to Murdoch and Cockburn Central Transport Capacity enhancement, and Myaree Business Area Master Plan. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Alfred Cove demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Alfred Cove has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.4% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 1,780 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.3% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Alfred Cove is 74.6%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, only 12.7% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Alfred Cove has a particularly strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing is under-represented, with only 3.1% of Alfred Cove's workforce compared to Greater Perth's 4.7%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.4%, while labour force increased by 4.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Alfred Cove's employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Alfred Cove is extremely high nationally. The median income is $62,288 while the average income stands at $95,622. This contrasts with Greater Perth's figures of a median income of $60,748 and an average income of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $68,280 (median) and $104,821 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Alfred Cove, between the 78th and 81st percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that the predominant cohort spans 25.3% of locals (758 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 32.0% in the same category. The substantial proportion of high earners (37.8% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Alfred Cove. After housing costs, residents retain 86.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Alfred Cove is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Alfred Cove's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Alfred Cove was at 41.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.6% and rented ones at 17.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,400, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent in Alfred Cove was $430, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Alfred Cove's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,400 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Alfred Cove has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 73.5% of all households, including 36.1% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.5%, with lone person households at 23.6% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Perth average.

Alfred Cove demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

In Alfred Cove, the proportion of residents aged 15 and above with university qualifications is significantly higher than broader averages, standing at 42.9% compared to 27.9% in Western Australia and 28.6% in the SA4 region. This notable educational advantage indicates strong potential for knowledge-based opportunities within the area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 29.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 18.2%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Alfred Cove has 13 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes that together facilitate 1,152 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in the area is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 173 meters from their nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to the predominantly residential nature of the area. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation for 82% of residents, while buses are used by 9%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling in Alfred Cove.

According to the 2021 Census, only 12.7% of residents work from home, which could be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 164 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 88 weekly trips per individual stop.

Alfred Cove's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Alfred Cove's health outcomes data shows excellent results, with AreaSearch assessing mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence as very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (1,952 people), compared to Greater Perth's 59.0% and the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.2 and 6.4% of residents respectively.

A total of 73.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 21.1% of residents aged 65 and over (632 people), higher than Greater Perth's 16.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Alfred Cove was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Alfred Cove was found to have a higher level of cultural diversity than most other local markets, with 14.0% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 29.8% born overseas. The predominant religion in Alfred Cove is Christianity, which accounts for 54.0% of the population, compared to 45.0% across Greater Perth. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups in Alfred Cove are English (29.7%), Australian (22.9%), and Irish (7.8%).

Notably, French ethnicity is overrepresented at 0.9%, compared to 0.5% regionally, Croatian at 1.2% versus 0.8%, and South African at 1.0%.

Alfred Cove's median age exceeds the national pattern

Alfred Cove's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Alfred Cove has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (7.8% locally) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (9.4%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 grew from 11.2% to 13.0%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 6.1% to 7.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 14.8% to 13.5% and the 0-4 age group dropped from 5.5% to 4.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Alfred Cove's age profile will significantly change. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 60%, adding 141 residents to reach 375. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 59% of the population growth. Meanwhile, population declines are anticipated for the 5-14 and 35-44 age groups.