Applecross

Population growth drivers in Applecross are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, AreaSearch estimates the population of the Applecross statistical area (Lv2) to be around 7,568. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 7,228 people, a rise of 340 individuals or approximately 4.7%. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 7,179 in June 2024 and the validation of 543 new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at 2,365 persons per square kilometer, placing Applecross (SA2) in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Over the past decade, ending in 2021, Applecross demonstrated a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%, outperforming its SA3 area. This growth was predominantly driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in June 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch uses growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its Greater Capital Region projections released in November 2023 based on 2022 data. Looking ahead, demographic trends indicate an above median population growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. By 2041, Applecross (SA2) is projected to increase by 1,476 persons, reflecting a total increase of approximately 24.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Applecross among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Applecross, around 179 new homes were approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 897 homes. By FY26, 14 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.7 people moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction value of these dwellings was $863,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment.

In FY26, $43.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Perth, Applecross has 279.0% more construction activity per person, indicating strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity comprises 20.0% detached dwellings and 80.0% attached dwellings, marking a shift from existing housing patterns (currently 62.0% houses). This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points for buyers. Applecross has around 163 people per dwelling approval, characteristic of a low density area. Future projections estimate an addition of 1,833 residents by 2041, with current development patterns suggesting new housing supply should readily meet demand.

Future projections show Applecross adding 1,833 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Applecross has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Twenty-nine projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Applecross Village Redevelopment (Stage 2), Mount Pleasant Primary School Redevelopment, METRONET Canning Bridge Bus Interchange Upgrade, and Townhouse Fund Applecross Development. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Applecross performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Applecross has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 1.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.1% over the past year based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, there are 4,564 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 2.7% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is somewhat below standard at 61.9%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. The area has a particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

However, construction has limited presence with 7.4% employment compared to 9.3% regionally. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1% while labour force increased by 4.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth saw employment grow by 2.9%, labour force expand by 3.0%, with a marginal increase in unemployment. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.27% while the state unemployment rate is at 4.6%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Applecross's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.5% over ten years.

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

The suburb of Applecross has one of the highest income levels nationally, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Applecross is $68,819, with an average income of $120,671. These figures compare to Greater Perth's median and average incomes of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Based on a 9.62% increase since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $75,439 (median) and $132,280 (average). The 2021 Census shows Applecross's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 89th and 89th percentiles. The earnings profile indicates that 33.1% of residents earn $4,000 or more weekly (2,505 residents), differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 32.0%. Economic strength is evident with 43.9% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.5% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Applecross displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Applecross, as per the latest Census, consisted of 61.9% houses and 38.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Perth metro had 76.5% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Applecross was at 45.0%, with the rest being mortgaged (26.6%) or rented (28.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Applecross was $2,800, higher than Perth metro's average of $2,200. The median weekly rent figure for Applecross was $475, compared to Perth metro's $400. Nationally, Applecross's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Applecross has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 72.7% of all households, including 32.7% couples with children, 31.1% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.3%, with lone person households at 24.6% and group households making up 2.7%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Applecross places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Applecross is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 51.5% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 28.6% in the SA4 region. This educational advantage suggests strong potential for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.9% and graduate diplomas at 4.5%.

Vocational pathways account for 21.5% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.2% and certificates at 11.3%. Educational participation is notably high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 7.8% in tertiary education, and 7.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Applecross shows that there are currently 34 operational transport stops within the area. These stops offer a variety of bus services, with a total of 10 different routes operating. Together, these routes facilitate approximately 1,656 passenger trips each week.

The accessibility of these transport services is considered excellent, with residents located an average of 171 meters from their nearest stop. On average, there are around 236 daily trips across all routes, which equates to roughly 48 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Applecross with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% of the total population (5,683 people), compared to 66.5% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.2 and 5.7% of residents respectively.

A total of 75.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.5% across Greater Perth. Applecross has 23.9% of its population aged 65 and over (1,808 people), which is higher than the 22.4% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Applecross was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Applecross has a high level of cultural diversity, with 23.5% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 40.5% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Applecross, making up 51.6% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, comprising 0.2% of Applecross's population versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 26.9%, Australian at 17.6%, and Other at 10.9%. Notably, South African, Welsh, and French ethnicities have higher representation in Applecross compared to the regional average: South African at 1.3% versus 0.9%, Welsh at 0.8% versus 0.7%, and French at 0.8% versus 0.6%.

Applecross hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Applecross's median age is 44, surpassing Greater Perth's figure of 37 and the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group constitutes 12.2%, higher than Greater Perth, while the 25-34 cohort stands at 10.2%. Post-2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group rose from 7.1% to 8.7%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort decreased from 12.9% to 12.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling indicates significant changes in Applecross's age profile. The 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 78%, reaching 1,175 from 658. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 58% of the population growth. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are forecasted to experience population declines.