Balga

Population growth drivers in Balga are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the suburb of Balga is around 15,591. This figure reflects a growth of 1,727 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,864. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 15,586 based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 61 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,969 persons per square kilometer, placing Balga in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth of 12.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 71.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the area.

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 post-2032 estimations, 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. Looking ahead, population projections indicate a growth of 1,699 persons to 2041 for Balga, reflecting an increase of 9.3% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Balga among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Balga has averaged approximately 84 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25. This totals an estimated 422 homes. As of FY-26, 41 approvals have been recorded. Each home built, on average, accommodates three new residents per year.

This demand outpaces supply, potentially exerting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings in Balga is $289,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

In FY-26, there have been $3.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Building activity shows 72.0% detached dwellings and 28.0% attached dwellings, maintaining Balga's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes. With around 194 people per dwelling approval, Balga exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Population forecasts indicate an addition of 1,445 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Balga has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects likely to affect this region. Notable initiatives include Perth Active Transport Network, TAFE Balga Campus Skills Hub, Girrawheen Hub Precinct Redevelopment, and The Amble Estate (Former Hainsworth Primary School Site Redevelopment). Relevant projects are listed below.

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

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The labour market performance in Balga lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Balga has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 10.5% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 5.5%.

As of June 2025, 7657 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 6.6%, higher than Greater Perth's 3.9%. Workforce participation in Balga is 61.0%, below Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Health care & social assistance has particularly notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Education & training has limited presence, with 5.7% employment compared to 9.2% regionally. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. In the 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 5.5%, labour force by 3.9%, reducing unemployment rate by 1.4 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Perth where employment grew by 3.7%, labour force expanded by 3.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Balga's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.5% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released in financial year 2022, Balga had a median income among taxpayers of $49,848. The average income level stood at $55,988. This was below the national average and compared to levels of $58,380 and $78,020 across Greater Perth respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $56,926 for median income and $63,938 for average income as of September 2025. Census data reveals household incomes rank at the 27th percentile in Balga, family incomes at the 24th percentile, and personal incomes at the 26th percentile. The largest segment comprises 31.8% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, with 4,957 residents falling into this category. This pattern is similar to the regional level where 32.0% occupy this income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Balga, with only 79.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 16th percentile.

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

In Balga, as per the latest Census evaluation, 67.6% of dwellings were houses, with 32.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. In contrast, Perth metropolitan area had 0% houses and 0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Balga stood at 15.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 49.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,482, aligning with Perth metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $310, compared to Perth metro's $0. Nationally, Balga's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Balga features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a median household size of 2.4 people

Family households constitute 61.5% of all households, including 24.3% couples with children, 19.5% couples without children, and 15.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.5%, with lone person households at 32.4% and group households making up 6.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people.

Educational outcomes in Balga fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Educational qualifications in Balga trail regional benchmarks, with 23.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the national average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.3%) and certificates (24.6%). Educational participation is high, with 34.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.1% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 5.9% pursuing tertiary education. There are seven schools operating within Balga, educating approximately 1,717 students. The area has varied educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 948. The educational mix includes five primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Balga has 78 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 13 different routes that together facilitate 2,436 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent access to public transport, with an average distance of 161 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 348 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Balga is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Balga demonstrates above-average health outcomes with a low prevalence of common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages. However, certain cohorts such as older residents and those at risk have higher rates of these conditions.

The rate of private health cover in Balga is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~7,706 people), which is lower than the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 7.5% and 6.4% of residents respectively. A significant portion, 75.3%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 0% across Greater Perth. As of a recent report (2021), Balga has 13.1% of its residents aged 65 and over (2,042 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges that require more attention than the broader population.

Balga is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Balga has a high level of cultural diversity, with 49.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 51.0% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Balga, accounting for 44.8% of people. However, Islam is overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, comprising 11.5% of Balga's population.

The top three ancestry groups in Balga are Other at 29.3%, English at 17.9%, and Australian at 15.6%. Notably, Macedonian (1.8%), Vietnamese (3.2%), and Serbian (0.7%) ethnic groups are overrepresented compared to regional averages.

Balga hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Balga's median age is 32 years, which is younger than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Balga has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.7%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (7.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 has grown from 3.8% to 4.7%, while the proportion of those aged 25 to 34 has declined from 21.6% to 20.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Balga's age profile will change significantly. The number of residents aged 75 to 84 is projected to increase by 72%, adding 524 individuals to reach a total of 1,257. This growth is part of an overall trend towards demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older representing 62% of the anticipated population growth. Meanwhile, declines in population are projected for those aged 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 years.