Cable Beach

Population growth drivers in Cable Beach are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of 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 estimated population of Cable Beach is around 6,841. This reflects an increase of 1,111 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,730. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 6,317 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 213 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 732 persons per square kilometer. Cable Beach's 19.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and that of the Rest of WA, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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). Looking ahead, population projections indicate an above median growth for non-metropolitan areas nationally. The suburb of Cable Beach is expected to expand by 851 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 5.0% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Cable Beach has received approximately 20 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 103 homes. As of FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded. On average, each constructed dwelling attracts about four new residents per year between FY-21 and FY-25. This has led to a significant demand exceeding supply, typically resulting in price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average construction value for new properties is $501,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, commercial approvals worth $24.6 million have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity in Cable Beach compared to other areas in WA. However, when measured against the national average, construction activity is lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New development in Cable Beach consists of 92% standalone homes and 8% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

With around 217 people per dwelling approval, the developing market shows signs of growth. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Cable Beach is projected to add approximately 342 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Cable Beach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 42ndth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could impact the area significantly due to their influence on local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Among these key projects are Walmanyjun Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment, Broome Boating Facility, Yinajalan Ngarrungunil Health and Wellbeing Campus, and Broome Recreation & Aquatic Centre Redevelopment. The following list details those likely to be 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.

The employment environment in Cable Beach shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Cable Beach has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.3% as of September 2025, with estimated employment growth of 0.9% over the past year. This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

There were 3,640 residents employed at this time, with an unemployment rate matching Rest of WA's 3.3%. Workforce participation was higher than average at 75.9%, compared to Rest of WA's 67.2%. According to Census responses, only 5.3% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food.

Cable Beach had a notably high concentration in health care & social assistance, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, mining showed lower representation at 2.9% compared to the regional average of 11.7%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.9%, labour force grew by 1.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of WA saw employment growth of 1.4% and a fall in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Cable Beach. These projections estimate national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Cable Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years. However, it is important to note that this extrapolation does not account for localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Cable Beach had a median taxpayer income of $62,008 and an average income of $72,875 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is higher than the national averages of $59,973 (median) and $74,392 (average), specifically for Rest of WA. By September 2025, based on a 9.62% growth in wages since financial year 2023, estimated incomes would be approximately $67,973 (median) and $79,886 (average). According to Census 2021 data, Cable Beach's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 76th and 89th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 33.9% of residents (2,319 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income bracket, similar to regional levels where this group represents 31.1%. Cable Beach demonstrates affluence with 32.6% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 77th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Cable Beach, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 78.2% houses and 21.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro WA had 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cable Beach was at 19.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.3% and rented dwellings at 52.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,560. Median weekly rent in Cable Beach was $371, compared to Non-Metro WA's $265. Nationally, Cable Beach's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $371 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 71.2% of all households, including 29.2% couples with children, 26.8% couples without children, and 14.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.8%, with lone person households at 23.8% and group households accounting for 5.0%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

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

Cable Beach has a higher level of educational attainment than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 30.2% have university qualifications, compared to 17.6% in the rest of Western Australia and 20.5% in the SA4 region. This educational advantage is reflected in various qualifications: bachelor degrees at 19.8%, postgraduate qualifications at 6.1%, and graduate diplomas at 4.3%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 39.5% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (27.9%).

Educational participation is notably high in Cable Beach, with 36.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (15.2%), secondary education (10.4%), and tertiary education (3.8%).

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

Cable Beach has 13 active public transport stops, all served by buses. These stops facilitate 134 weekly passenger trips via a single route. Residents have limited access to transport, with an average distance of 740 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars are the dominant mode of transportation at 86%, while walking and cycling account for 6% and 3% respectively. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 5.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 19 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Cable Beach's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data for Cable Beach residents shows positive outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions.

Common health issues affect both young and old age groups similarly. Private health cover is high at 56% of the total population (around 3,839 people). Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, impacting 5.8 and 5.5% respectively. About 79.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.3% in Rest of WA. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 5.8% of residents aged 65 and over (396 people), lower than the 19.2% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking higher than the general population nationally.

In terms of cultural diversity, Cable Beach records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cable Beach's cultural diversity aligns with its broader region, with 80.3% being citizens, 81.7% born in Australia, and 87.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Cable Beach at 41.6%. Buddhism shows slight overrepresentation at 1.3%, compared to Rest of WA's 1.0%.

Top ancestry groups are Australian (24.6%), English (23.6%), and Australian Aboriginal (16.7%). Notably, French (0.6% vs regional 0.4%), Spanish (0.5% vs 0.2%), and Filipino (1.6% vs 1.2%) groups are overrepresented in Cable Beach.

Cable Beach hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Cable Beach's median age is 33 years, which is notably lower than the Rest of WA average of 40 years and significantly below the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Rest of WA, Cable Beach has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.5%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (4.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is substantially above the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, younger residents caused the median age to decrease by 1.3 years to 33 years. During this period, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 increased from 17.4% to 20.5%, while those aged 35-44 rose from 15.3% to 17.5%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 5-14 decreased from 16.3% to 14.1%, and those aged 45-54 fell from 14.2% to 12.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Cable Beach. The 25-34 age group is projected to increase by 323 people (23%), rising from 1,402 to 1,726 residents. Conversely, both the 55-64 and 75-84 age groups are expected to decrease in number.