Bunbury (WA)

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

According to ABS population updates for the wider region and new address datasets verified by AreaSearch following the Census, the resident population of Bunbury (WA) is estimated to be approximately 4,440 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 492 individuals (12.5%) relative to the 2021 Census, when the count stood at 3,948 people. This shift is calculated from a resident population of 4,433 estimated by AreaSearch using the latest ABS ERP release (June 2025) plus 13 verified new addresses since the Census date. Bunbury (WA) has a population density of 926 persons per square kilometer, which is consistent with the standard averages recorded by AreaSearch. The growth rate of 12.5% since the 2021 census outstripped both the national benchmark (9.3%) and the Rest of WA, placing the suburb among the regional growth frontrunners. Overseas migration was the primary contributor to these gains, serving as almost the sole driver of population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS and Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 region, published in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For SA2 regions lacking this coverage and to project population shifts beyond 2032, AreaSearch applies growth rates by age cohort from the latest ABS Greater Capital Region projections (published in 2023 and based on 2022 data). Looking at future demographic changes, population growth is projected to exceed the median for non-metropolitan areas. Aggregated SA2 projections indicate that the suburb of Bunbury (WA) will expand by 596 persons to 2041, which represents an overall gain of 13.3% across the 16 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Bunbury when compared nationally

An evaluation of ABS building approvals allocated from statistical areas shows Bunbury has averaged approximately 16 new home approvals annually, totaling an estimated 84 homes over the last 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 29 during the current FY-26. Because there were 4.4 new residents for every home constructed during those 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand is outrunning supply. This imbalance generally escalates buyer competition and drives prices upward. Newly built residences average a value of $445,000, suggesting that developers are focusing on the higher-end, premium portion of the market. Furthermore, commercial approvals have reached $11.4 million this financial year, showing a moderate rate of commercial investment.

Recent approvals consist of 92.0% standalone houses and 8.0% medium and high-density options, preserving the traditional low-density profile of the locality with a focus on spacious family residences. Notably, builders are creating standalone houses at a higher rate than the historical baseline suggests (49.0% at Census), pointing to sustained appetite for family homes despite wider densification patterns. Bunbury represents a transitioning market with approximately 313 people per approval.

Demographic projections indicate Bunbury will add 589 residents through to 2041, measured from the most recent quarterly estimate by AreaSearch. Homebuilding is keeping a reasonable pace with the projected population growth, though buyers might face increased competition as the population expands.

Bunbury has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major developments, and planning schemes have a significant impact on local performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects that are likely to influence the area. Principal developments include Transforming Bunbury's Waterfront, Prinsep Street Streetscape, Bunbury Ocean Pool, and Bunbury Regional Hospital Redevelopment, with the listed items detailing those of greatest significance.

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.

The labour market in Bunbury demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Bunbury features a well-educated labor force with strong representation in essential services, an unemployment rate of only 3.1%, and an annual job growth rate estimated at 2.2% using AreaSearch's aggregated statistical data. As of March 2026, there are 2,487 employed residents. The unemployment rate is 0.4% lower than the Regional WA rate of 3.5%, while workforce participation matches the Regional WA level of 65.6%. Census figures indicate that a minor 7.0% of the workforce worked from home, though this may have been influenced by COVID-19 restrictions.

Resident employment is primarily clustered in health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. The concentration in health care & social assistance is particularly pronounced, reaching 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing represents a minimal share at 1.4% compared to 9.3% across the region. With 2.1 workers for every resident at the time of the Census, the locality serves as a major employment center, importing labor from surrounding areas and offering more positions than it has working residents.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS statistics for the broader area, the year ending March 2026 saw employment levels rise by 2.2% and the labor force expand by 1.9%, which reduced the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Regional WA saw employment fall by 0.1%, the labor force increase by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. National employment projections released in May-25 by Jobs and Skills Australia provide context for future labor demand in Bunbury. These five and ten-year projections have been aligned with the local industry profile to estimate growth. While national employment is projected to rise by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, trends vary by sector. Applying these sectoral projections to the local employment structure suggests Bunbury's jobs should grow by 6.5% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighted extrapolation that does not incorporate local population forecasts.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to financial year 2023 ATO statistics compiled by AreaSearch, taxpayer incomes in Bunbury are exceptionally high compared to national levels. Taxpayers in the suburb have a median income of $65,012 and an average income of $83,569, compared to Regional WA figures of $59,973 and $74,392 respectively. Adjusting for WPI growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023 yields updated estimates of approximately $72,118 for median income and $92,703 for average income as of March 2026. Census records place personal income in the 70th percentile ($923 weekly) and household income in the 42nd percentile. In terms of distribution, 30.2% of residents (1,340 people) earn in the $1,500 - 2,999 brackets, which aligns with the surrounding region where 31.1% of taxpayers share this range. Residents retain 85.9% of their income for non-housing costs, and the area's SEIFA income metric falls in the 6th decile.

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

Census data shows that Bunbury's housing stock consists of 48.8% detached houses and 51.2% alternative options like townhouses, apartments and other dwellings, differing from the Regional WA breakdown of 88.5% houses and 11.6% alternative dwellings. Home ownership in Bunbury is lower than in Regional WA at 36.6%, with the remaining properties being mortgaged (25.0%) or rented (38.4%). The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,733 is higher than the Regional WA average of $1,560, while the median weekly rent of $330 compares to $265 in the wider region. On a national level, Bunbury's mortgage payments are below the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are much lower than the national figure of $375.

Bunbury features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households represent the majority at 56.8% of all residences, consisting of couples with children (17.0%), couples without children (31.3%), and single-parent households (7.7%). Non-family households account for the remaining 43.2%, consisting of lone-person households (39.1%) and group households (4.2%). The median household size is 2.0 people, which is below the Regional WA average of 2.5.

Bunbury performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Educational profiles in Bunbury are considerably higher than regional averages, with 31.3% of residents aged 15+ holding a university degree, compared to 17.6% in the Rest of WA and 18.0% in the SA4 region. This high concentration of degrees prepares the area well for knowledge-based employment. Bachelor degrees are held by 20.3% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.8%. Vocational education is also strong, with 35.8% of residents aged 15+ possessing trade qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (23.7%).

A significant 23.0% of the local population is enrolled in study. This includes 8.7% in secondary schools, 6.2% in primary schools, and 3.1% in tertiary programs.

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

Public transport analysis identifies 42 active bus stops in Bunbury. These stops are served by 21 distinct routes, which provide a total of 2,412 passenger trips per week. Transport links are rated as good, with residents living an average of 281 meters from their nearest stop. Most residents travel outside the suburb for work, with private cars being the primary mode of travel at 84%, followed by walking at 9%. Motor vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per household, which is below the regional average. A small share of 7.0% of residents work from home, based on the 2021 Census, which may have been influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 344 trips daily across all routes, which is equivalent to approximately 57 weekly trips for each stop.

Bunbury's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health metrics indicate favorable conditions for local residents. An analysis of mortality rates and health diagnoses by AreaSearch shows outcomes align with national standards, with common medical conditions showing low rates among the public, though they are higher than national averages among older cohorts. The rate of private health insurance is high, covering approximately 60% of the population (2,680 people), compared to 56.4% across Regional WA.

Arthritis and mental health conditions are the most prevalent issues locally, each affecting 9.7 and 9.7% of residents. Meanwhile, 65.6% of the population reported no health issues, compared to 69.3% in Regional WA. Health metrics for working-age residents are typical. Residents aged 65 and over make up 24.5% of the population (1,087 people), which is higher than the regional average of 19.2% but lower when compared nationally.

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

Bunbury exhibits high levels of cultural diversity, with 10.6% of residents using a language other than English at home and 27.1% born outside Australia. Christianity is the primary religion, representing 48.1% of the community. The most distinct religious overrepresentation is Judaism, which accounts for 0.2% of the population, compared to a negligible proportion in Regional WA.

In terms of parent country of birth, the three most common ancestries are English at 33.7%, Australian at 22.6% (which is lower than the regional benchmark of 28.4%), and Irish at 9.4%. There are also distinct concentrations of other backgrounds, with Welsh making up 0.8% of the population (compared to 0.6% regionally), South Australian at 0.8% (compared to 0.6% regionally), and Polish at 0.9% (compared to 0.5% regionally).

Bunbury hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Bunbury is 48 years, which is older than the Regional WA average of 40 and the national average of 38. The 65 - 74 age group is larger than the regional average (13.5% locally), while the 5 - 14 group is smaller (7.3%). Since 2021, younger cohorts have lowered the median age by 1.0 years to 48. The 25 to 34 age group rose from 11.5% to 14.0% of the population, and the 15 to 24 group grew from 9.2% to 10.4%. Conversely, the 85+ group fell from 4.5% to 3.2%, and the 55 to 64 group declined from 15.9% to 14.7%. Projections for 2041 point to significant changes, with the 25 to 34 group growing by 43%, adding 264 residents to total 886, while the 15 to 24 and 65 to 74 cohorts are projected to contract.