Bulgarra

An assessment of population growth drivers in Bulgarra reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, as of Feb 2026 the suburb of Bulgarra's population is estimated at around 3,357. This reflects an increase of 367 people (12.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,990 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,321, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 8 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 723 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bulgarra's 12.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), along with the Rest of WA, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 64.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Moving forward with demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected. The suburb of Bulgarra is expected to expand by 280 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 7.7% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Bulgarra according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Bulgarra has had approximately 5 new homes approved annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 29 homes. In FY-26 so far, 9 approvals have been recorded. This results in around 11.2 new residents arriving per year for each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand outpaces supply, which typically influences prices upwards and intensifies competition among buyers. The average construction value of these homes is $752,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $57,000 in commercial development approvals, reflecting Bulgarra's residential nature. Compared to Rest of WA, Bulgarra records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks among the 16th percentile nationally, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. This activity is also below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists solely of detached dwellings, preserving Bulgarra's traditional low-density character focused on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

Developers are constructing more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (76.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 945 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Future projections show Bulgarra adding 259 residents by 2041, with construction maintaining a reasonable pace to match projected growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as the population grows.

Bulgarra has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely to impact the region. Key projects are Perdaman Urea Project - Project Destiny, Yuri Hydrogen Project, Karratha Hotel Development, and The Quarter Karratha. Below is a list detailing those most 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.

Employment performance in Bulgarra ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Bulgarra has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with the construction sector notably prominent. Its unemployment rate was 2.1% in September 2025, lower than Rest of WA's 3.3%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.5%.

As of September 2025, 2,130 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate 1.2% below the regional average and workforce participation at 82.0%, compared to Rest of WA's 67.2%. Only 2.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries include mining, construction, and retail trade, with mining particularly strong at 1.9 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employed just 0.3% of local workers, below Rest of WA's 9.3%.

Bulgarra appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 0.5%, labour force grew by 0.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of WA saw employment rise by 1.4% and unemployment fall by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national growth rates over five and ten-year periods. Applying these projections to Bulgarra's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.2% over five years and 11.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The suburb of Bulgarra has a median taxpayer income of $77,918 and an average income of $91,770 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year ended 30 June 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with the Rest of WA's median income of $59,973 and average income of $74,392. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $85,414 (median) and $100,598 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Bulgarra, between the 95th and 96th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows that 35.3% of locals (1,185 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, mirroring the metropolitan region where 31.1% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident through 46.9% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.3% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Bulgarra, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 76.3% houses and 23.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro WA had 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Bulgarra was 11.1%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (39.6%) or rented (49.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bulgarra was $1,810, exceeding Non-Metro WA's average of $1,560. The median weekly rent in Bulgarra was $388, compared to Non-Metro WA's $265. Nationally, Bulgarra's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Bulgarra features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.3% of all households, including 35.7% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.7%, with lone person households at 24.1% and group households comprising 6.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 9.9%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.1%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 53.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (43.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 35.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.5% in primary education, 10.1% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Bulgarra has one active public transport stop operating within its boundaries, serving a mix of bus routes. This stop is serviced by two individual routes that collectively offer 21 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in Bulgarra is rated as limited, with residents typically located 625 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward, with car being the dominant mode of transportation at 89%, and walking accounting for 4%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.8, which is above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 2.1% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages three trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Bulgarra is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Bulgarra shows superior health outcomes according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of Bulgarra's total population of 2,136 people, compared to 56.4% across the Rest of WA and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 6.4% and 6.2% of residents respectively. 81.2% of Bulgarra's residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.3% across the Rest of WA. Working-age residents in Bulgarra have notably low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 2.6% of residents aged 65 and over (87 people), which is lower than the 19.2% in the Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors in Bulgarra are particularly strong, ranking even higher than those of the general population nationally.

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

Bulgarra had a cultural diversity index above the average, with 23.2% of its population born overseas and 14.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Bulgarra, accounting for 33.6% of its population. Notably, Buddhism was overrepresented in Bulgarra, comprising 2.3% of the population compared to 1.0% across the rest of WA.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English at 28.8%, Australian at 27.8%, and Other at 7.3%. There were also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: New Zealand was overrepresented at 1.5% compared to 0.9% regionally, Maori at 1.4% versus 1.0%, and Australian Aboriginal at 6.1% matching the regional figure.

Bulgarra's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Bulgarra's median age is 32 years, which is significantly younger than Rest of WA's 40 years and considerably younger than Australia's national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up a strong 21.2% of Bulgarra's population compared to Rest of WA, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 2.3%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.4%. Since 2021, the 25-34 age group has grown from 19.8% to 21.2%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 19.4% to 20.7%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 13.8% to 11.9%. By 2041, Bulgarra's population is projected to undergo significant demographic changes. The 25-34 age cohort is expected to increase by 162 people (23%), growing from 711 to 874. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 75-84 and 65-74 age cohorts.