Dayton

Dayton lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Dayton is estimated at around 6,877, reflecting an increase of 1,370 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 24.9% change from the previous population count of 5,507. The estimation is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024. Additionally, 374 validated new addresses were confirmed since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,853 persons per square kilometer, placing Dayton in the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Dayton's growth rate exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and state averages, marking it as a significant growth leader in the region.

Interstate migration contributed approximately 43.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being 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 uses growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population dynamics anticipate above median growth for statistical areas across the nation. By 2041, the suburb of Dayton is projected to grow by 1,221 persons, reflecting a total increase of 13.2% over the 17-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

The level of residential development activity in Dayton was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Dayton recorded around 118 residential properties granted approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 593 homes were approved. In FY-26 so far, 55 homes have been approved.

On average, each dwelling accommodated about 2.1 new residents annually over these five years. The average construction cost of new homes was $353,000, indicating a focus on quality construction. This year, $3.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting limited commercial development focus compared to residential. Compared to Greater Perth, Dayton has 58.0% more development activity per person. Recent construction comprises 96.0% standalone homes and 4.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban character.

With around 65 people per dwelling approval, Dayton shows characteristics of a growth area. Future projections estimate Dayton to add 910 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Dayton has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

In total four projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to impact the area. Key projects include St Leonards Private Estate - Dayton Release, Dayton Central by LWP Property Group, Dayton District Centre (Future Town Centre & Train Station Precinct), and Brabham Senior High School. The following 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.

Employment conditions in Dayton demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Dayton has a well-educated workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.7%. Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 2.6%.

As of September 2025, 4,044 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Dayton is high at 80.9%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, only 4.3% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing sectors.

The area has a notable concentration in transport, postal & warehousing, with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average. However, education & training employs only 5.1% of local workers, lower than Greater Perth's 9.2%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.6%, while the labour force grew by a similar percentage, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 2.7%. In contrast, Greater Perth recorded higher employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with a marginal rise in unemployment to 4.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project an expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Dayton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, the suburb of Dayton had a median income among taxpayers of $71,479. The average income stood at $83,004. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Greater Perth's median and average incomes of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% between financial years 2023 and 2025, current estimates for Dayton would be approximately $78,355 (median) and $90,989 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that incomes in Dayton rank highly nationally, with household, family, and personal incomes between the 74th and 80th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 49.9% of residents (3,431 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, reflecting regional patterns where 32.0% similarly occupy this range. In Dayton, high housing costs consume 19.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 68th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Dayton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dayton's dwelling structure, as assessed in the latest Census, consisted of 96.7% houses and 3.3% other dwellings. In contrast, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dayton was at 5.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 72.6% and rented ones at 22.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, exceeding Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent figure in Dayton was $360, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Dayton's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 81.2% of all households, including 49.4% couples with children, 20.8% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 18.8%, with lone person households at 16.0% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6 people.

Dayton shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Dayton's residents aged 15 and above have a higher proportion with university qualifications at 30.6%, compared to the broader SA3 area at 19.7% and SA4 region at 24.3%. This educational attainment is significantly higher than the benchmarks, indicating strong potential for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.8% and graduate diplomas at 2.0%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 37.8% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas at 13.1% and certificates at 24.7%.

Educational participation is notably high in Dayton, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.7%), secondary education (6.3%), and tertiary education (5.0%).

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

Public transport analysis shows 30 active stops operating within Dayton, consisting of buses. These stops are served by three routes, collectively offering 878 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 256 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode at 82%, while train accounts for 9%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 4.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 125 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 29 weekly trips per stop.

Dayton's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Dayton.

AreaSearch's assessment reveals very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (4,136 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 5.6% and 5.5% of residents respectively. 83.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. Dayton has 4.5% of residents aged 65 and over (309 people), which is lower than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Dayton is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Dayton's population is highly diverse linguistically, with 51.4% speaking a language other than English at home. A significant portion, 50.9%, was born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Dayton, comprising 38.6% of its population.

However, the category 'Other' stands out at 10.4%, substantially higher than Greater Perth's average of 1.4%. In terms of ancestry, 'Other' is the largest group at 22.8%, notably higher than the regional average of 11.2%. English ancestry comprises 16.5% and Australian ancestry 16.0%, both lower than regional averages of 28.0% and 21.2% respectively. Notably, Filipino (9.3%), Indian (11.9%), and South African (0.9%) ethnic groups are overrepresented in Dayton compared to regional averages.

Dayton hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Dayton's median age at 30 years is younger than Greater Perth's average of 37 and lower than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, Dayton has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (24.0%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (4.3%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the proportion of Dayton's population aged 35 to 44 has increased from 21.0% to 22.5%, while the percentage of residents aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 25.1% to 24.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that Dayton's age profile will change significantly. The number of residents aged 45 to 54 is expected to grow steadily, increasing by 281 people (41%) from 680 to 962. Conversely, the population in the 35 to 44 age range is projected to decrease.