Ferndale (WA)

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

Ferndale's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 4961 people. This reflects an increase of 504 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4457 people in the Ferndale (WA) statistical area (Lv2). The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 4759 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release (June 2024), along with an additional 82 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 1555 persons per square kilometer, above the national average observed by AreaSearch. Ferndale's growth rate of 11.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.7%), positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate post-2032 growth, 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). Future population trends indicate a median increase for national statistical areas, with Ferndale expected to increase by 546 persons to reach 5507 by 2041. This reflects an overall increase of 8.6% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Ferndale has averaged approximately 16 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 84 homes. As of FY26, 11 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.4 people have moved to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating significant demand exceeding new supply. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $343,000.

This financial year has seen $1.4 million in commercial approvals, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Perth, Ferndale records around 69% of building activity per person and ranks among the 65th percentile nationally for development activity. However, recent periods have shown increased activity. The area's maturity and possible planning constraints contribute to its below-average national ranking in development activity.

New building activity comprises 95.0% detached dwellings and 5.0% attached dwellings, preserving Ferndale's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with an average of 217 people per approval. Future projections estimate Ferndale adding 426 residents by 2041, aligning with existing development levels to maintain stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Ferndale has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Ten projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. Key projects include Riverton Rise Estate, Canning City Centre Regeneration Program, Kent Street Weir Precinct Redevelopment, and Canning City Centre Activity Centre Plan - Private Residential Precincts. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Ferndale has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Ferndale has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.0% as of September 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.4%. The area's employment rate aligns with Greater Perth's but has lower workforce participation, at 59.5% compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries for Ferndale residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Construction shows lower representation than the regional average, at 7.8% versus 9.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.4%, while labour force grew by 2.0%, reducing unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth had higher employment growth at 2.9%. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.27% with an unemployment rate of 4.6%. National forecasts project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ferndale's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation not accounting for localized population changes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Ferndale suburb has a median taxpayer income of $51,051 and an average income of $65,397 based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is lower than national averages; Greater Perth's median income is $60,748 with an average of $80,248. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 9.62%, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,962 (median) and $71,688 (average). Census data indicates Ferndale's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 37th and 37th percentiles. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 31.2% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, with 1,547 residents in this category, consistent with broader regional trends of 32.0%. After housing costs, 84.9% of income remains for other expenses. Ferndale's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Ferndale's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.3% houses and 17.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Perth metro's 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Ferndale was higher at 36.4%, with the rest being mortgaged (41.5%) or rented (22.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ferndale was $1,700, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,820. The median weekly rent figure in Ferndale was recorded at $314, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Ferndale's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Ferndale has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 68.9% of all households, including 28.7% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.1%, with lone person households at 28.1% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.7.

Ferndale performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 28.2%, significantly lower than the SA3 area average of 38.6%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 36.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (25.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.6% in primary, 6.5% in secondary, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Ferndale has 38 active public transport stops. These are served by five different bus routes. Together, these routes facilitate 1,470 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 156 meters. On average, there are 210 daily trips across all routes, which translates to approximately 38 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Ferndale's health indicators show below-average results, with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is present at approximately 53% of the total population (~2,637 people), which is slightly higher than the average SA2 area rate. The most common medical conditions in Ferndale are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.3% and 8.0% of residents respectively. However, 67.5% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 76.0% across Greater Perth. Ferndale has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.8% (1,180 people), compared to the 15.9% in Greater Perth. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Ferndale are above average and perform better than the general population in health metrics.

Ferndale was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Ferndale's population, as of the latest data, showed 22.3% speaking a language other than English at home, with 38.0% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 42.2%. However, Buddhism was notably overrepresented at 3.5%, compared to Greater Perth's 6.7%.

In terms of ancestry, English (28.4%) and Australian (21.6%) were substantially higher than regional averages of 20.2% and 15.3%, respectively. Other ancestry made up 12.0%, lower than the regional average of 18.7%. Dutch (2.5%), Welsh (0.7%), and South African (0.6%) ethnic groups were notably overrepresented in Ferndale compared to regional averages.

Ferndale's median age exceeds the national pattern

Ferndale's median age is 41 years, which is higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Comparing Ferndale with Greater Perth, those aged 65-74 are notably overrepresented at 12.1%, while those aged 25-34 are underrepresented at 12.4%. Post-2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.9% to 7.8%, and the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 11.4% to 9.8%. By 2041, Ferndale's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 120%, adding 231 residents to reach 425. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 70% of the population growth, while declines are projected for those aged 25-34 and 0-4 years.