Applecross

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Applecross is around 7,573. This figure represents an increase of 345 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,228. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 7,179 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 550 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,366 persons per square kilometer, placing Applecross in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, ending in June 2024, Applecross has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, an above median population growth is projected for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. The suburb of Applecross is expected to increase by 1,499 persons to reach a total population of around 9,072 by the year 2041, reflecting an overall increase of approximately 24.3% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Applecross had approximately 179 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 897 homes. As of FY26, 14 approvals have been recorded. The average population growth per dwelling built in the area between FY21 and FY25 was 0.7 people per year. This suggests that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction value of new homes over this period was $863,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, Applecross has registered $43.8 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Perth, Applecross has 280.0% more construction activity per person, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. Current building activity shows a focus on higher-density living, with 80.0% attached dwellings and 20.0% detached dwellings. This marks a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which are currently 62.0% houses. Applecross has a low density characteristic, with around 163 people per dwelling approval. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Applecross is projected to add 1,841 residents by 2041.

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 emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 29 such projects that could affect this region. Notable 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.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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 was 1.3% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.2%.

As of that date, 4,578 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.7% below Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was 76.0%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, 14.4% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

The area specializes in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Construction has limited presence at 7.4%, compared to the regional average of 9.3%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.2% while labour force grew by 4.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In Greater Perth, employment grew by 2.9%, labour force expanded by 3.0%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The suburb of Applecross had one of the highest income levels nationally according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. Its median income among taxpayers was $68,819 and average income stood at $120,671, compared to Greater Perth's figures of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $75,439 (median) and $132,280 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Applecross ranked highly nationally, between the 89th and 89th percentiles. The earnings profile showed that 33.1% of residents earned $4000+ weekly (2,506 residents), differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominated at 32.0%. Economic strength was evident with 43.9% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retained 87.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Applecross, as per the latest Census, consisted of 61.9% houses and 38.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 71.0% houses and 29.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Applecross stood at 45.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.6% and rented ones at 28.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,800, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,907. Median weekly rent in Applecross was $475, compared to Perth metro's $350. 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 account for 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 constitute the remaining 27.3%, with lone person households at 24.6% and group households comprising 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 high, with 51.5% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications as of the latest available data. This compares favourably to broader benchmarks of 27.9% in Western Australia and 28.6% in the relevant SA4 region. The area's strong educational attainment positions it well for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 34.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%).

Vocational pathways account for 21.5% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and over – advanced diplomas comprise 10.2%, while certificates make up 11.3%. Educational participation is notably high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest data available. 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 serving the area. These stops facilitate a variety of bus routes, totaling 10 different lines which together facilitate approximately 1,656 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is considered excellent, with residents typically residing within 171 meters of their nearest stop. As Applecross is predominantly residential, most commuters travel outward from the area. The primary mode of transportation is by car, used by 79% of residents, followed by bus at 11%, and train at 6%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling in the area.

According to the 2021 Census, approximately 14.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages around 236 trips per day across all routes, equating 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, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Very low prevalence of common health conditions was found across all age groups. Private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 75% of the total population (5,687 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth and 55.7% nationally.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.2 and 5.7% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 75.4%, reported being completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 71.9% across Greater Perth. Applecross has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 24.6% (1,862 people), compared to 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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 significant 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, comprising 51.6% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, making up 0.2% of the population versus 0.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (26.9%), Australian (17.6%), and Other (10.9%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences in representation: South African is overrepresented at 1.3% compared to 1.0% regionally, Welsh at 0.8% versus 0.7%, and French at 0.8% versus 0.5%.

Applecross hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Applecross is 44 years, which exceeds the Greater Perth figure of 37 years and substantially surpasses the national norm of 38 years. The 75-84 age group comprises 9.2% of Applecross's population compared to Greater Perth, while the 25-34 cohort constitutes 10.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has grown from 7.1% to 9.2%, and the 15-24 cohort has increased from 11.6% to 12.9%. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort has declined from 12.9% to 11.8%. Demographic modeling indicates that Applecross's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041. Leading this demographic shift, the 75-84 group is projected to grow by 68%, reaching 1,173 people from 696. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 57% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.