East Bunbury

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

Based on research into ABS population updates for the broader region and new locations validated by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of East Bunbury has a population estimated at around 4,576 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 557 people (13.9%) relative to the 2021 Census, which registered a population of 4,019 people. The difference is calculated from the resident population of 4,575, estimated by AreaSearch using the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2025) and an additional 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level translates to a density ratio of 1,300 persons per square kilometer, which is higher than the average observed across national locations evaluated by AreaSearch. The suburb of East Bunbury's 13.9% growth since the 2021 census outpaced the national average (9.3%), as well as the SA3 area, making it a regional growth leader. Population growth in the area was mostly fueled by overseas migration, which made up roughly 39.0% of total population increases over recent periods, though all factors including natural growth and interstate migration were positive contributors.

AreaSearch implements ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, which were published in 2024 with 2022 as the baseline year. For any SA2 areas missing from this dataset, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch employs the growth rates by age cohort supplied by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (published in 2023, utilizing 2022 data). Looking forward at demographic trends, projections show an above median population growth of national non-metropolitan areas, with the suburb of East Bunbury expected to grow by 721 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, which represents a total gain of 15.7% over the 16 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within East Bunbury when compared nationally

According to AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, distributed from statistical area data, East Bunbury has recorded approximately 7 residential properties granted approval per year, with an estimated 39 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 15 so far in FY-26. With an average of 12.9 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand is notably running ahead of supply, which generally puts upward pressure on prices and intensifies competition among buyers, while new properties are built at an average value of $453,000, showing a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In addition, $637,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, showing minimal commercial development activity.

Relative to Rest of WA, East Bunbury has substantially less development activity (70.0% below regional average per person). This lack of new properties typically supports demand and prices for existing properties, although development activity has risen in recent periods. This is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and indicating potential planning restrictions. Recent construction consists of 90.0% detached houses and 10.0% townhouses or apartments, keeping the area's suburban character with a focus on detached housing that attracts space-seeking buyers. At around 291 people per approval, East Bunbury shows a transitioning market.

Population forecasts suggest East Bunbury will gain 720 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

East Bunbury has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects and planning initiatives. In total 9 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Glen Iris Village, Frank Buswell Foreshore Redevelopment, Withers Renewal Program, and Parade Hotel Carpark Development, with the below list detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 performance in East Bunbury has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

East Bunbury has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 4.1%, and 1.0% in estimated employment growth over the past year, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of March 2026, 2,323 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.6% above Regional WA's rate of 3.5%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (61.2% compared to Regional WA's 65.6%). Based on Census responses, a low 4.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.8% versus the regional average of 9.3%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, aggregated from broader statistical areas, during the year to March 2026, employment levels increased by 1.0% and labour force increased by 1.4%, resulting in unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional WA, where employment contracted by 0.1%, the labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within East Bunbury. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to East Bunbury's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The suburb of East Bunbury's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The suburb of East Bunbury's median income among taxpayers is $47,826 and the average income stands at $61,477, which compares to figures for Regional WA's of $59,973 and $74,392 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $53,053 (median) and $68,196 (average) as of March 2026. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in East Bunbury all fall between the 12th and 24th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate the $400 - 799 bracket dominates with 28.7% of residents (1,313 people), diverging from regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 31.1%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile.

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

Dwelling structure within East Bunbury, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 77.6% houses and 22.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional WA's 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within East Bunbury was well beyond that of Regional WA, at 37.9%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (31.4%) or rented (30.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Regional WA average at $1,470, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, compared to Regional WA's $1,560 and $265. Nationally, East Bunbury's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 61.7% of all households, comprising 19.0% couples with children, 30.0% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.3%, with lone person households at 35.0% and group households comprising 3.3% of the total. The median household size of 2.1 people is smaller than the Regional WA average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in East Bunbury fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (13.0%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 9.3%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.0%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 43.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (33.9%).

A substantial 22.6% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.9% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 30 active transport stops operating within East Bunbury comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 5 individual routes, collectively providing 333 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 208 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward - car remains the dominant mode at 90%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. A relatively low 4.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 47 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 11 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in East Bunbury are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Health indicators suggest below-average outcomes in East Bunbury, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts , and the rate of private health cover found to be relatively low at approximately 52% of the total population (~2,361 people). This compares to 56.4% across Regional WA.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 10.5 and 8.6% of residents, respectively, while 64.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.3% across Regional WA. Working-age residents show above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 25.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,176 people), which is higher than the 19.2% in Regional WA. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

East Bunbury ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

East Bunbury was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 80.1% of its population born in Australia, 88.6% being citizens, and 91.3% speaking English only at home. The main religion in East Bunbury was found to be Christianity, which makes up 48.9% of people in East Bunbury. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Other, which comprises 1.2% of the population, compared to 0.7% across Regional WA.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in East Bunbury are English, comprising 32.1% of the population, Australian, comprising 28.2% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 7.2% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Italian is notably overrepresented at 6.7% of East Bunbury (vs 3.0% regionally), Maori at 1.0% (vs 1.0%) and Polish at 0.9% (vs 0.5%).

East Bunbury hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

With a median age of 46, East Bunbury is materially older than the Regional WA figure of 40 and also well above the 38-year national average. The age profile shows 75 - 84 year-olds are particularly prominent (8.9%), while the 5 - 14 group is comparatively smaller (8.6%) than in Regional WA. Since the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 11.8% to 13.4% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 10.9% to 12.1%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.7% to 11.3% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 9.7% to 8.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in East Bunbury's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 25 to 34 group will grow by 39% (238 people), reaching 852 from 613. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 75 to 84 cohorts.