Drummond Cove

Drummond Cove lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Analyzing population updates from the ABS for the surrounding region alongside newly validated addresses recorded by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of Drummond Cove has a population estimated to be approximately 1,923 in May 2026. This represents a growth of 318 people (19.8%) compared to the 2021 Census, which counted 1,605 residents. The estimate is derived from a resident population of 1,920 calculated by AreaSearch using the ABS ERP release from June 2025 and 1 validated new address registered since the Census date. This population level means the suburb of Drummond Cove has a density ratio of 1,265 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average across national locations evaluated by AreaSearch. The suburb of Drummond Cove registered a 19.8% expansion rate since the 2021 census, outpacing the SA4 region (8.2%) and the SA3 area to become a regional growth leader. Population growth was driven mostly by interstate migration, which accounted for roughly 57.99999999999999% of all population increases recently, though natural increase and overseas migration also contributed positively.

AreaSearch relies on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 region published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline. For any SA2 regions lacking this data, and to project growth past 2032, AreaSearch utilizes growth rates by age cohort from the latest ABS Greater Capital Region projections published in 2023 and based on 2022 numbers. Looking at future demographic trends, projections show population expansion above the median for non-metropolitan areas in Australia, with the suburb of Drummond Cove expected to add 379 persons by 2041 under consolidated SA2-level forecasts, representing a total increase of 19.6% over the 16 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Drummond Cove when compared nationally

According to AreaSearch evaluations of building approvals from the ABS allocated from statistical area statistics, Drummond Cove has averaged approximately 4 residential property approvals per year, summing to roughly 23 homes over the last 5 financial years. In the current FY-26 period, 15 approvals have been documented. Since an average of 12.3 people per year relocated to the locality for every home constructed over the last 5 financial years (from FY-21 to FY-25), demand is running well ahead of supply, which typically drives up prices and intensifies buyer competition, while new builds average a construction cost of $407,000, showing developers are concentrating on upmarket, premium properties.

Relative to the Rest of WA, Drummond Cove has roughly two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per capita, sitting in the 72nd percentile of areas monitored across the country, even though construction activity has accelerated recently. This rate also sits below the national average, suggesting the area is relatively mature and faces possible planning restrictions. Additionally, all recent building permits are for standalone houses, preserving the suburban character of the area with detached residences that draw buyers looking for space. With roughly 180 people per dwelling approval, Drummond Cove displays the hallmarks of a developing growth zone.

Demographic projections suggest Drummond Cove will add 376 residents by 2041 (compared to the latest quarterly estimate from AreaSearch). If building activity continues at its current pace, new supply might fall short of population gains, which could increase competition among prospective buyers and underpin stronger price growth.

Drummond Cove has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 5thth percentile nationally

Infrastructure updates, major regional projects, and town planning initiatives can have a significant effect on local market performance. AreaSearch has identified no projects that are expected to influence this specific area. Relevant regional projects include the North West Coastal Highway Upgrades (Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area Access), the Dongara-Geraldton-Northampton Route (DGN Route), the WA Police Satellite Technology Upgrade, and the Regional And Rural Wa Road Network Safety Improvements, with the main details of these projects outlined below.

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Drummond Cove ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Drummond Cove has a workforce with solid skill levels and strong representation in essential services, showing an unemployment rate of only 2.8% and estimated employment growth of 3.5% over the past year, according to AreaSearch calculations of statistical area data. As of March 2026992 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 0.7% lower than the Regional WA rate of 3.5%, while labor force participation is typical at 69.1% compared to Regional WA's 65.6%. Census data showed that a low 4.6% of residents worked from home, though this may have been influenced by COVID-19 restrictions.

The main industries employing residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and mining. The area shows a high concentration in education & training, with an employment share that is 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is underrepresented, employing only 2.4% of the workforce compared to 9.3% in Regional WA. This mostly residential locality seems to provide few jobs internally, based on the difference between the local working population and the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS statistics for broader statistical areas, during the 12 months ending March 2026, employment grew by 3.5% while the labor force expanded by 3.8%, leading to an increase in the unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Regional WA recorded a 0.1% drop in employment and a 0.3% rise in the labor force, resulting in a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia released in May-25 provide additional context on prospective local demand. These five and ten-year projections have been mapped against the local industry mix to estimate growth. While national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, trends vary widely by sector. Applying these sectoral trends to the local industry mix suggests employment among residents would rise by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years (note that this weighting extrapolation is illustrative and does not incorporate local population forecasts).

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

Latest postcode level ATO statistics released for financial year 2023 show that Drummond Cove taxpayers have a median income of $62,738 and an average of $77,549. This is well above average nationally, and compares to Regional WA's median of $59,973 and average of $74,392. Adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $69,595 for median and $86,025 for average income as of March 2026. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Drummond Cove cluster around the 74th percentile nationally. Distribution data shows the predominant cohort spans 37.4% of locals (719 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader trends across the region showing 31.1% in the same category. After housing costs, residents retain 86.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

At the time of the latest Census, the mix of housing styles in Drummond Cove consisted of 100.0% standalone houses and no other housing types such as townhouses or apartments, compared to Regional WA where standalone houses made up 88.5% and other options made up 11.6%. Home ownership in Drummond Cove was lower than the regional rate at 24.0%, with the remaining properties occupied by people with a mortgage (48.1%) or renting (27.9%). The median mortgage repayment was $1,733 per month, which was well above the Regional WA average of $1,560, while the median weekly rent was $330 compared to $265 in Regional WA. Nationally, mortgage repayments in Drummond Cove are below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are also significantly lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households make up the vast majority of homes at 82.0%, consisting of couples with children at 40.7%, couples without children at 29.9%, and single parent households at 10.6%. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.0%, with single person homes at 15.7% and group households at 2.4%. The median household size of 2.8 people is larger than the Regional WA average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in the area shows some room for growth, with university qualification levels (18.4%) sitting significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher education qualification at 14.4%, followed by postgraduate degrees (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational and technical training is very common, with 45.1% of residents aged 15+ holding a vocational qualification, consisting of advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (34.7%).

Enrolment rates are particularly high, with 32.0% of local residents participating in some form of structured education. This comprises 12.5% in primary schools, 10.4% in secondary schools, and 1.6% in tertiary study.

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

Analysis of transit options shows 20 active public transport stops operating in Drummond Cove, consisting of bus services. These stops are served by 1 separate routes, which provide a total of 88 passenger trips per week. Access to transport is rated as good, with residents living an average of 201 meters from their nearest stop. Because the area is primarily residential, most workers commute out of the suburb, and cars remain the primary mode of travel for 91% of residents. Households own an average of 1.8 vehicles, which is above the regional average. A relatively low 4.6% of residents worked from home, based on 2021 Census data which may reflect pandemic-era conditions.

Services run at an average frequency of 12 trips per day across the available routes, which averages out to approximately 4 trips per week for each individual stop.

The level of general health in Drummond Cove is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Drummond Cove shows strong health profiles compared to averages elsewhere, according to AreaSearch indicators for mortality rates and chronic illnesses, with low rates of common health issues seen in both younger and older cohorts, and private health insurance membership is very high, covering approximately 58% of the population (~1,115 people).

The most prevalent medical issues reported in the area were asthma (7.4%) and mental health concerns (6.5%), while 74.8% of the population reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 69.3% across Regional WA. Residents under the age of 65 experience better health outcomes than average. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 11.5% of the population (221 people), which is lower than the Regional WA average of 19.2%. Health indicators for these older residents are especially favorable, ranking higher nationally than the general local population.

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

Drummond Cove has a lower level of cultural diversity compared to average figures, with citizens making up 89.8% of the population, 87.6% of residents born in Australia, and 94.4% using only English at home. Christianity is the primary religion, followed by 43.9% of the population. The most visible overrepresentation relative to the wider region is for Islam, which accounts for 0.9% of the population compared to 0.8% across Regional WA.

The most common ancestries reported in Drummond Cove are English at 32.2% of the population, Australian at 32.1%, and Scottish at 7.6%. Some smaller groups show notable differences in representation, with French ancestry accounting for 0.8% of the population (compared to 0.4% regionally), Macedonian at 0.6% (compared to 0.1% regionally), and Maori at 0.8% (compared to 1.0% regionally).

Drummond Cove's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

The median age of 32 years in Drummond Cove is significantly lower than the Regional WA average of 40 and the national median of 38. The 25 to 34 age bracket is highly represented at 16.5% compared to Regional WA, while the 65 to 74 group is less common at 7.6%. Since 2021, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 has risen from 13.1% to 14.9%, and the 25 to 34 group has grown from 15.3% to 16.5%. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 cohort fell from 14.5% to 11.8%, and the 5 to 14 group decreased from 16.6% to 15.2%. Long-term projections to 2041 indicate notable demographic shifts, with the 25 to 34 age group expected to grow by 136 people (43%) from 317 to 454, while the number of people aged 85 and over is projected to decrease by 1.