Collie (WA)

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

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the suburb of Collie (WA) is around 8,182, reflecting a 7.7% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 7,599 people. This growth can be inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 8,131 based on ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density is approximately 155 persons per square kilometer. Comparing Collie's growth to the national average (8.9%), it shows competitive fundamentals with a difference of only 1.2 percentage points. Interstate migration contributed about 49.0% of recent population gains, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being positive factors. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year, and for areas not covered, it utilises ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data.

Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 1,201 persons to reach a total population of 9,383 by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 14.0% over the 17-year period.

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

Collie has seen approximately 24 new homes approved annually, with around 120 approvals in the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 7 so far in FY-26. This results in an average of about 3.5 people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years. The demand significantly outpaces supply, which typically leads to increased competition among buyers and upward pressure on prices.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $320,000, below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY-26, around $16.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Comparatively, Collie has roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person when measured against the rest of WA, and it ranks among the 48th percentile nationally for areas assessed, leading to relatively constrained buyer choice and interest in existing dwellings. This lower activity reflects market maturity and possible development constraints.

The area's building activity shows 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining Collie's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes. With around 344 people per dwelling approval, Collie indicates a developing market. Based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by 1,145 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Collie has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to impact this region. Notable projects include the Collie Micronising Facility, Collie Magnesium Plant, Quantum Filtration Medium Manufacturing Plant, and Collie to Mumballup Road Upgrade. The following list details 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Collie faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Collie's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 6.8%. Employment grew by 6.4% over the past year, as per AreaSearch data aggregation. As of June 2025, 3,688 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.7%, higher than Rest of WA's 3.2%. Workforce participation was lower at 49.9% compared to Rest of WA's 59.4%.

Leading industries for Collie residents include mining, healthcare & social assistance, and retail trade. Mining is particularly strong with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has a lower representation at 1.1% versus the regional average of 9.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 6.4%, labour force grew by 5.3%, and unemployment fell by 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of WA had employment growth of 1.1%, labour force growth of 0.5%, with a fall in unemployment of 0.6 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (Sep-22) project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Collie's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.2% over five years and 11.9% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Collie is just below the national average. The median assessed income was $48,368 while the average income stood at $63,591. This contrasts with Rest of WA's figures where the median income was $57,323 and the average income was $71,163. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Collie would be approximately $55,236 (median) and $72,621 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Collie all fall between the 9th and 11th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 27.3% of the community earns between $400 - $799 (2,233 individuals), unlike metropolitan regions where 31.1% earn between $1,500 - $2,999. After housing costs, 86.4% of income remains in Collie, ranking at the 15th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Collie, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.3% houses and 7.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro WA's 88.1% houses and 11.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Collie was higher at 41.8%, with the rest being mortgaged (36.2%) or rented (22.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,263, lower than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,616. The median weekly rent in Collie was $250, compared to Non-Metro WA's $300. Nationally, Collie's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,263 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 65.1% of all households, including 23.5% couples with children, 29.1% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 32.5% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate stands at 7.0%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 5.3%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.1%) and postgraduate qualifications (0.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 6.4% and certificates make up 37.8%.

Educational participation is notably high at 27.4%, including 11.1% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 1.2% pursuing tertiary education. Collie's five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,289 students, serving distinct age groups with four primary and one secondary school. The area demonstrates varied educational conditions, with an ICSEA index of 919.

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

Collie has one active public transport stop operating within its boundaries. This stop serves a mix of bus routes, with three individual routes providing service. These routes collectively offer 13 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility in Collie is limited, with residents typically located 1439 meters from the nearest transport stop. The service frequency averages one trip per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Collie is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Collie, with common conditions prevalent across younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 52%, covering about 4,291 individuals, which is higher than the average SA2 area's rate. The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (affecting 11.2% of residents) and mental health concerns (impacting 9.3%). However, 61.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 66.4% in the Rest of WA. Collie has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.7%, with around 1,857 individuals, compared to 17.6% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

Collie is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Collie's population showed low cultural diversity with 88.6% citizens, 88.0% born in Australia, and 97.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion at 41.2%. Judaism had no representation in Collie (0.0%), similar to Rest of WA (0.0%).

Top ancestry groups were English (34.2%), Australian (32.9%), and Scottish (7.1%). Welsh (1.1% vs regional 0.6%) and Polish (1.3% vs regional 0.7%) were overrepresented, while Maori showed a slight divergence at 0.8% compared to the regional 1.0%.

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

The median age in Collie is 43 years, which is slightly higher than Rest of WA's average of 40 years and also above the Australian median of 38 years. The 65-74 age group is notably more prevalent in Collie at 13.4%, compared to the Rest of WA average, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 10.9%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.7% to 11.5%, while the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 12.2% to 11.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Collie. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow by 395 people (42%) from 940 to 1,336. Conversely, the 15 to 24 age group is projected to decrease by 54 people.