Glendalough

Population growth drivers in Glendalough are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of the suburb of Glendalough is around 3,042 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 414 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,628 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,992 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 90 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,225 persons per square kilometer, which places Glendalough in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 15.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods for Glendalough.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth post-2032, 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 slight increase below the median of Australian statistical areas for Glendalough, with an expected growth of 308 persons to reach 3,350 by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 7.2% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Glendalough recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Glendalough has experienced around 4 dwellings receiving development approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 23 homes. So far in FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 12.1 people moving to the area for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, supply has substantially lagged demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $598,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Relative to Greater Perth, Glendalough has significantly less development activity (79.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, though recent periods have seen increased development activity. However, this activity remains below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, maintaining Glendalough's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (8.0% at Census), suggesting strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. At around 365 people per approval, Glendalough indicates a mature market. Population forecasts indicate Glendalough will gain 219 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Glendalough has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region. Key projects include The Coolbinia Residential Development, Herdsman Glendalough Local Development Plan (LDP), 40km/h Speed Zone Project - Wembley and West Leederville, Scarborough Beach Road Streetscape Upgrade. Below is a list of those 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.

The employment environment in Glendalough shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Glendalough has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.4%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 1,883 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 0.6% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation stands at 74.4%, slightly higher than Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, only 4.0% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, administrative & support services, and retail trade. Notably, administrative & support services have employment levels four times the regional average.

However, construction has limited presence with just 3.9%, compared to the regional average of 9.3%. The predominantly residential area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.6% while employment declined by 3.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Perth where employment rose by 2.9%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glendalough's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Glendalough suburb's income level is extremely high nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Median income among taxpayers in Glendalough is $55,399 and average income stands at $86,839. These figures compare to Greater Perth's median of $60,748 and average of $80,248 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $60,728 (median) and $95,193 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals personal income ranks at the 58th percentile ($848 weekly), while household income sits at the 39th percentile. Income distribution shows 37.4% of population (1,137 individuals) fall within $1,500 - 2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across surrounding region showing 32.0% in same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 40th percentile. Glendalough's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Glendalough features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Glendalough's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 7.6% houses and 92.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glendalough stood at 13.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.5% and rented ones at 65.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Perth metro's average of $1,907. Median weekly rent in Glendalough was $280, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Glendalough's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were lower at $280 compared to the national figure of $375.

Glendalough features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 55.0% of all households, including 21.6% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 6.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 45.0%, with lone person households at 37.6% and group households comprising 7.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Glendalough demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

In Glendalough, 49.3% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, exceeding WA's 27.9% and Greater Perth's 30.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 29.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are held by 26.0% of residents, with advanced diplomas at 12.9% and certificates at 13.1%. Educational participation is high, with 31.1% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.1% in tertiary education, 7.8% in primary education, and 4.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Glendalough has eight active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 873 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically situated just 139 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most inhabitants commute outward using various modes of transportation: cars (63%), trains (20%), and buses (10%). According to the 2021 Census, each dwelling owns an average of 0.7 vehicles, which is below the regional norm. Only 4% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency across all routes averages 124 trips per day, equating to roughly 109 weekly trips per individual stop.

Glendalough's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Glendalough residents have relatively positive health outcomes according to data analysis by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and health conditions are broadly in line with national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (1,876 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.9 and 5.1% of residents respectively. A total of 78.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The area has 13.7% of residents aged 65 and over (416 people), which is lower than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

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

Glendalough has high cultural diversity with 54.7% speaking languages other than English at home and 65.2% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 25.1%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 24.3%, compared to Greater Perth's average of 2.7%.

The top ancestry groups are Other (34.9%), English (17.1%), and Australian (11.3%). Indian (9.6%) and Serbian (0.8%) are notably overrepresented, while Macedonian is slightly underrepresented at 0.3%.

Glendalough hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Glendalough's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Glendalough has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (27.5%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (4.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the percentage of Glendalough's population aged 75 to 84 has increased from 2.9% to 4.4%, while the percentage of residents aged 15 to 24 has risen from 10.6% to 11.7%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 28.4% to 27.5%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Glendalough. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 71%, adding 95 residents to reach a total of 229. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 57% of the population growth, reflecting broader demographic aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups.