City Beach

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

According to evaluations of ABS population adjustments for the region and new street addresses verified by AreaSearch following the Census, the suburb of City Beach has an estimated population of 7,443 as of May 2026. This represents an addition of 638 people (9.4%) since the 2021 Census, which counted 6,805 residents. The dynamic is calculated from the resident population of 7,443, determined by AreaSearch through analysing the latest ERP statistics from the ABS (June 2025) alongside 5 validated new addresses added after the Census. This population level translates to a density of 759 persons per square kilometer, which aligns closely with typical values observed across places reviewed by AreaSearch. The suburb of City Beach's 9.4% population gain since the 2021 census was higher than the national expansion rate (9.3%), making it a regional leader in population growth. Overseas migration served as the primary source of population growth, acting as virtually the sole contributor to local population increases in recent times.

AreaSearch relies on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 region, which were published in 2024 using 2022 as the baseline year. For SA2 territories excluded from these statistics, and to calculate population changes for all locations past the year 2032, AreaSearch applies the growth rates by age bracket supplied by the ABS in its most recent Greater Capital Region projections (published in 2023, utilizing 2022 statistics). Looking ahead at population trends, a demographic expansion slightly underneath the national median for statistical regions is anticipated, with the suburb of City Beach projected to add 628 residents by 2041 based on compiled SA2-level forecasts, representing an overall increase of 8.4% across the 16 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within City Beach when compared nationally

According to AreaSearch reviews of ABS residential building approvals distributed from statistical area statistics, City Beach registers approximately 23 dwelling approvals annually, with an estimated 118 residences approved over the last 5 financial years (from FY-21 to FY-25) and 69 during the current FY-26. With an average of 3.4 new residents per year relocating to the area for every home constructed during the past 5 financial years (from FY-21 to FY-25), the volume of new supply falls significantly short of demand, which typically intensifies buyer rivalry and creates upward pressure on prices, while new dwellings are built at an average cost of $2,731,000, indicating developers are prioritizing the luxury market segment with high-end properties. Additionally, commercial approvals of $977,000 were logged this financial year, pointing to a heavily residential emphasis.

Relative to Greater Perth, City Beach displays about two-thirds the rate of new home approvals per capita, placing in the 47th percentile of locations analyzed across the country, which translates to limited choice for buyers and sustains interest in established houses. This building rate is also lower than the national average, showing a mature market and suggesting potential construction constraints. Additionally, recent residential construction consists entirely of single-family detached homes, preserving the neighborhood's classic low-density profile with a focus on spacious houses appealing to families. The estimated ratio of 351 residents per approved dwelling underscores the quiet, low-scale nature of the local building environment.

Demographic projections indicate the suburb of City Beach will add 628 citizens by 2041 (starting from the most recent AreaSearch quarterly projection). Current construction volumes seem to correspond well with future demand, promoting stable market trends without driving excessive price growth.

City Beach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major works, and municipal planning strategies exert a significant influence on regional development. AreaSearch has tracked a total of 14 projects that are expected to impact the local area. Significant initiatives include the City Beach Car Park Upgrades, the Bold Park Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, the Ocean Gardens Multi-Generational Living project, and the Amara City Beach development, with the following list detailing the most significant undertakings.

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 exceptional employment performance in City Beach places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

City Beach possesses a highly educated workforce with a significant proportion of professionals, an unemployment rate of only 1.3%, and an estimated job growth rate of 2.2% over the previous year, according to AreaSearch compilations of statistical district data. As of March 2026, there are 3,825 local residents in employment, and the unemployment rate stands at 2.9% below the Greater Perth figure of 4.2%, while labor force participation is notably lower (61.6% compared to 70.2% in Greater Perth). Based on Census records, a moderate 17.6% of workers carried out their duties from home, though the influence of Covid-19 lock-downs should be factored in.

The primary employment sectors for local workers are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area exhibits a notable concentration in professional & technical services, with a employment share that is 2.0 times the regional rate. On the other hand, construction has a smaller footprint at 5.5% compared to the metropolitan average of 9.3%. The neighborhood seems to provide few local employment options, as shown by comparing the count of Census jobs to the resident workforce.

Based on AreaSearch assessments of SALM and ABS statistics compiled from regional data, during the 12 months ending March 2026, the number of employed residents rose by 2.2% while the labor force expanded by 2.6%, causing unemployment to tick up by 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 2.0%, labor force expansion of 2.5%, and an unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points. National employment projections published by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 offer additional context on future labor demand for City Beach. These five and ten-year forecasts have been combined with the local workforce profile to model future employment trends. While nationwide employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, expansion rates vary widely across different industry segments. Projecting these industry-specific trends onto the local workforce mix suggests employment for residents should rise by 7.3% over five years and 15.0% over ten years (note that this is a basic weighted projection for visualization and does not account for local population changes).

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

According to the latest postcode-level ATO statistics released by AreaSearch for financial year 2023, the suburb of City Beach's taxpayers earn a median income of $80,918, with an average of $176,423. This is remarkably high on a national scale, and compares to the Greater Perth median of $60,748 and average of $80,248. Adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, current figures would be approximately $89,762 (median) and $195,706 (average) as of March 2026. Data from the 2021 Census reveals that household, family, and individual incomes in City Beach all rank in the upper brackets nationally, placing between the 92nd and 99th percentiles. Income distribution shows the largest segment consists of 48.2% earning $4000+ per week (3,587 residents), whereas the metropolitan area has its peak in the $1,500 - 2,999 range at 32.0%. The high proportion of high earners (57.1% above $3,000/week) demonstrates substantial economic capability throughout this suburb. After subtracting housing expenses, households retain 89.0% of their income, indicating high purchasing power, and the area's SEIFA ranking for income sits in the 10th decile.

City Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The mix of residences in City Beach, as recorded in the last Census, consisted of 87.6% separate houses and 12.4% other dwelling types (including semi-detached properties, units, and alternative dwellings), compared to the Perth metropolitan average of 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Furthermore, home ownership in City Beach was much higher than the Perth metropolitan average at 53.9%, with the remaining properties occupied by households with a mortgage (34.7%) or tenants renting (11.5%). The median monthly home loan payment for the area was significantly higher than the Perth metropolitan average at $4,000, while the median weekly rental cost was recorded at $750, in contrast to Perth metro figures of $1,907 and $350. Nationwide, City Beach's mortgage obligations are far higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are also well above the national median of $375.

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

Families make up the vast majority of households at 80.4%, which includes 43.2% couples with children, 30.5% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent households. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 19.6%, consisting of single-person households at 17.8% and group households at 1.5% of the total. The median household occupancy of 2.8 people exceeds the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in City Beach places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Academic achievement in City Beach is substantially higher than state and metropolitan benchmarks, with 55.2% of residents aged 15+ holding a university degree, compared to 27.9% across WA and 30.1% in Greater Perth. This significant academic lead positions the neighborhood well for professional opportunities. Bachelor degrees represent the most common credential at 35.4%, followed by postgraduate degrees (14.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational training is held by 17.3% of those aged 15+ – consisting of advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificate credentials (7.9%).

Participation in study is remarkably high, with 33.0% of citizens currently registered in academic programs. This cohort contains 12.3% attending high school, 9.7% in primary school, and 8.1% enrolled in higher education courses.

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

Public transit statistics show 51 active passenger stops located within City Beach, operating a variety of bus services. These locations are connected by 4 distinct routes, which combine to support 1,061 passenger journeys weekly. Transit access is classified as outstanding, with households typically situated 197 meters from their closest transport stop. Due to the area's residential profile, most workers commute out of the suburb, with private cars remaining the primary transport mode at 87%, and 2% choosing to ride a bicycle. Household car ownership averages 1.9 vehicles per residence, exceeding the regional benchmark. Roughly 17.6% of residents worked from home (2021 Census; potentially reflecting COVID-19 related patterns).

Transit service schedules average 151 runs per day across the network, which equates to roughly 20 weekly trips for each passenger stop.

City Beach's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Public health statistics show excellent metrics across City Beach, according to AreaSearch calculations of mortality rates and chronic illness rates, displaying very low levels of common medical conditions across all age brackets, while the level of private medical insurance is exceptionally high at roughly 97% of the overall population (7,236 people). This compares to 59.0% for Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent health issues recorded among residents were arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.0 and 5.3% of the community, respectively, while 74.9% reported being entirely free of chronic health problems, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. The suburb has 25.0% of its population aged 65 and over (1,860 people), which is higher than the 16.1% average in Greater Perth. Senior citizens in the area enjoy particularly strong health outcomes, with nationwide rankings corresponding closely with the broader local population.

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

City Beach exhibits greater cultural diversity than most suburban property markets, with 13.2% of its population communicating in a language other than English at home and 30.9% born outside Australia. The principal religion in City Beach is Christianity, representing 55.5% of residents. The most pronounced religious divergence is seen in Judaism, which accounts for 0.6% of the local population, compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

Regarding ethnic ancestry (parents' country of birth), the three most common backgrounds in City Beach are English at 29.0%, Australian at 22.6%, and Irish at 8.6%. There are also notable differences in the concentration of other backgrounds: South Australian ancestry is overrepresented at 1.4% in City Beach (compared to 1.0% across the region), Hungarian at 0.4% (compared to 0.2%), and Croatian at 1.1% (compared to 0.8%).

City Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age of 46 years in City Beach is substantially higher than the Greater Perth average of 37 and well above the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Perth, the 15 - 24 age bracket is highly represented (17.5% locally), whereas 25 - 34 year-olds are underrepresented (5.7%). Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 group has expanded from 14.3% to 17.5% of the population, and the 85+ bracket rose from 4.7% to 6.6%. On the other hand, the 45 to 54 cohort fell from 16.5% to 14.3% and the 5 to 14 age group decreased from 14.9% to 13.1%. Population projections for 2041 point to major demographic shifts in City Beach. The 85+ cohort is anticipated to expand substantially, growing by 427 people (87%) from 491 to 919. This aging trend is prominent, with residents aged 65+ accounting for 85% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 55 to 64 and 0 to 4 age brackets are projected to experience population decreases.