Cottesloe

Cottesloe has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Cottesloe is around 8,748. This reflects an increase of 998 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,750 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 8,723 in June 2024, following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 93 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,332 persons per square kilometer, placing Cottesloe in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 12.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 9.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, 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, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb until 2041, with an expected increase of 2,083 persons, reflecting a gain of 23.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Cottesloe among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Cottesloe has received around 50 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 253 homes. As of FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.9 people moved to the area annually for each new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating strong demand supporting property values. New homes are being built at an average cost of $2,190,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $62.3 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Perth, Cottesloe has slightly more development, preserving buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. Recent construction comprises 76% detached houses and 24% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a focus on family homes.

With around 168 people per approval, Cottesloe reflects a developing area. By 2041, AreaSearch estimates Cottesloe will grow by 2,058 residents, with building activity keeping pace with growth projections despite potential increased competition among buyers as the population expands.

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

Twenty-three projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area, with notable ones including Cottesloe Village Precinct and Town Centre Redevelopment, 7-11 Station Street Mixed-Use Precinct, Ocean Village Cottesloe, and McCabe Street Mixed-Use Residential Precinct (Former Rocky Bay Site). The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The labour market strength in Cottesloe positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Cottesloe has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 1.2%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in September 2025. There are 4,872 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.8% lower than Greater Perth's 4.0%.

Workforce participation stands at 66.2%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. A moderate 16.9% of residents work from home, as per Census responses, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Cottesloe specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level, but construction is under-represented at 5.2% compared to Greater Perth's 9.3%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and 2025, labour force decreased by 2.9%, employment by 3.1%, raising unemployment by 0.2 percentage points, unlike Greater Perth's employment growth of 2.9% and labour force expansion of 3.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cottesloe's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes, not accounting for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Cottesloe is exceptionally high nationally. The median assessed income is $84,217 and the average income stands at $295,283. This contrasts with Greater Perth's figures of a median income of $60,748 and an average income of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $92,319 for the median income and $323,689 for the average as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Cottesloe all rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 98th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 44.1% of the population (3,857 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, unlike regional trends where 32.0% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Economic strength is evident through 54.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 88.3% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Cottesloe's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.0% houses and 31.0% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cottesloe stood at 46.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.7% and rented ones at 27.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,925, higher than Perth metro's $1,907. Median weekly rent in Cottesloe was $550, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Cottesloe's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Cottesloe features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.3% of all households, including 31.7% couples with children, 30.4% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households making up 4.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

Cottesloe's educational attainment is notably high, with 60.6% of residents aged 15+ possessing university qualifications. This exceeds WA's rate of 27.9% and Greater Perth's at 30.1%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (41.0%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational pathways account for 16.5%, including advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (7.5%).

Educational participation is significant, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (9.4%), tertiary education (8.8%), and primary education (8.1%).

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

Cottesloe has 42 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 14 routes, collectively facilitating 4,653 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 220 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 79%, followed by train at 11% and cycling at 3%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 16.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 664 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 110 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Cottesloe's health outcomes show remarkable results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 144% of the total population, which consists of 12,631 people.

This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth and 55.7% nationally. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (6.5%) and asthma (5.7%). A significant majority, 75.5%, report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Cottesloe has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 24.0% (2,099 people), compared to 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Cottesloe's population, born in Australia, is 74.2%, with 89.0% being citizens, and 93.3% speaking English only at home. These figures are roughly similar to the wider region's averages. Christianity is the predominant religion, representing 47.7% of Cottesloe's population.

However, Judaism is notably overrepresented, comprising 0.3% of Cottesloe's population compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth. In terms of ancestry, English is the most represented group at 34.1%, higher than the regional average of 28.0%. Australian and Scottish ancestry follow, representing 23.2% and 10.0% respectively. Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Welsh are overrepresented at 0.9% compared to 0.7% regionally, French at 1.0% versus 0.5%, and South African at 0.9% versus 1.0%.

Cottesloe hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Cottesloe's median age is 44, surpassing Greater Perth's figure of 37 and the national norm of 38. The 75-84 age group constitutes 9.1% of Cottesloe's population, higher than Greater Perth's percentage, while the 35-44 cohort makes up 10.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group grew from 7.1% to 9.1%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 12.7% to 13.9%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort decreased from 13.7% to 11.9%. By 2041, Cottesloe's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 75-84 group is expected to grow by 64%, reaching 1,306 people from 796. Those aged 65 and above are projected to account for 64% of the population growth. Meanwhile, the 35-44 cohort is projected to decrease by 19 people.