Brookdale (WA)

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

Brookdale's population is estimated at around 3,475 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 507 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,968 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 3,240 residents following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 48 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,895 persons per square kilometer, placing Brookdale among the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 17.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.

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, AreaSearch utilises ABS's latest Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Moving forward, demographic trends project an above median population growth for the suburb, with an expected increase of 854 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 26.9% over the 17 years.

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

Brookdale has seen approximately 20 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Around 101 homes were approved between FY-21 and FY-25, with an additional 17 approved in FY-26. On average, 7.2 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years.

This high demand coupled with limited new supply typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction cost of new homes is $361,000, slightly above the regional average. In FY-26, there have been $5.7 million in commercial approvals, reflecting Brookdale's primarily residential nature.

Compared to Greater Perth, Brookdale records about 56% of building activity per person and ranks among the 85th percentile nationally for construction activity. Recent development has consisted solely of detached dwellings, preserving the area's suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers. There are approximately 112 people per dwelling approval in Brookdale, indicating a growing market. Future projections estimate an addition of 936 residents by 2041, with building activity keeping pace with this growth. However, increased population may heighten buyer competition.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects that may affect this region. Notable projects are Forrestdale Business Park West, METRONET Armadale Line Transformation, Gwynne Park Pavilion Redevelopment, and Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia Facility. The following 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 assessment indicates Brookdale faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Brookdale has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, notably in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 11.3% as of an unspecified past year. Employment grew by 3.5% over the previous year, according to AreaSearch data aggregation.

As of September 2025, 1,552 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 7.4%, higher than Greater Perth's 4.0%. Workforce participation is 74.7%, close to Greater Perth's 71.6%. Only 3.2% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have affected this figure. Leading employment industries are retail trade, health care & social assistance, and construction.

Retail trade has a particularly high concentration with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 2.9% compared to the regional average of 8.2%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the ratio of working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.5% while labour force grew by 3.2%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Perth saw employment growth of 2.9% with a slight rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brookdale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Brookdale's median income among taxpayers is $53,462, with an average of $62,731. This is below the national average and compares to Greater Perth's median of $60,748 and average of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Brookdale would be approximately $58,605 (median) as of September 2025. The average estimate for the same period is $68,766. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Brookdale fall between the 14th and 28th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate 36.0% of the population (1,251 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 32.0% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 23rd percentile nationally.

Brookdale is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Brookdale's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.3% houses and 1.7% other dwellings. In contrast, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brookdale was at 14.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 56.3% and rented ones at 29.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,438, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent in Brookdale was $300, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Brookdale's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Brookdale has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 76.2% of all households, including 33.8% couples with children, 17.9% couples without children, and 22.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 23.8%, with lone person households at 20.1% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Brookdale faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.0%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (0.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (32.7%). Educational participation is high at 36.7%, comprising 14.9% in primary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 36.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.9% in primary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Brookdale has 16 active public transport stops, all serving buses. Two routes operate collectively offering 305 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 175 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car use dominates at 87%, while train use is 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling.

Only 3.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census). Service frequency averages 43 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Brookdale is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Brookdale faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Several health conditions impact both younger and older age groups, with private health cover at approximately 52% (~1,810 people), compared to Greater Perth's 59.0%.

Mental health issues affect 12.3% of residents, while asthma impacts 9.9%. Conversely, 67.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to higher chronic condition rates. The area has 7.5% (260 people) of residents aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Perth's 16.3%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Brookdale was found to have a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 17.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 27.2% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Brookdale, making up 38.4% of people there. However, the most notable overrepresentation was found in the 'Other' category, which comprises 1.8% of Brookdale's population compared to 1.4% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups in Brookdale are English at 28.9%, Australian at 26.5%, and Other at 13.0%. Notably, certain ethnic groups have higher representations than regional averages: Maori at 1.5% (vs 0.9%), New Zealand at 1.1% (vs 0.8%), and Dutch at 1.8% (vs 1.5%).

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

Brookdale's median age at 30 years is materially younger than Greater Perth's average of 37 and substantially under Australia's median of 38. Relative to Greater Perth, Brookdale has a higher concentration of residents aged 5-14 (19.0%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.1%). This 5-14 concentration is well above the national average of 12.1%. Post-census data from 2021 shows that the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 14.8% to 16.2% of Brookdale's population, while the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 15.9% to 14.9%. Demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Brookdale's age profile by 2041. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow steadily, increasing from 385 to 558 people (an increase of 172 people or 45%). Meanwhile, the 85+ cohort remains unchanged with a growth rate of 0% (no additional people).