Gwelup

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Gwelup is around 5,851, reflecting an increase of 460 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 5,391 people in Gwelup. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,712 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS on June 2024, along with an additional 27 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 1,990 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Gwelup has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, outpacing the SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 67.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb of Gwelup, with an expected increase of 1,111 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 18.5% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Gwelup according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Gwelup has seen around 9 dwelling approvals per year over the past 5 financial years, totalling approximately 46 homes. As of FY26, 6 approvals have been recorded. On average, each new dwelling brings in about 10.3 residents annually between FY21 and FY25. This supply is significantly lagging demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

Developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments, as shown by an average construction value of $697,000 per dwelling. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $6.8 million, reflecting Gwelup's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Gwelup has 63.0% lower building activity per person. Recent construction comprises 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% medium and high-density housing, offering a range of price options from spacious family homes to compact dwellings. This shift reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. With around 891 people per dwelling approval, Gwelup indicates a highly mature market.

By 2041, the area is expected to grow by approximately 1,080 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Gwelup has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Two projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely impacting the area. These are key projects: Bold Park Community Facilities Upgrade, Stirling City Centre Redevelopment, Osborne Park Hospital Women and Newborn Services Expansion, and Stephenson Avenue Extension.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Gwelup performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Gwelup has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 0.6% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.9%.

As of that date, 3,261 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.3%, below Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Gwelup was on par with Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, a low 12.4% of residents worked from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

Notably, employment in professional & technical services was at 1.5 times the regional average, while transport, postal & warehousing employed just 2.6% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 4.7%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 3.9% and labour force by 3.7%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, suggest potential future demand within Gwelup. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Gwelup's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The suburb of Gwelup has a median taxpayer income of $65,783 and an average income of $93,993 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, this is extremely high, contrasting with Greater Perth's median income of $60,748 and average income of $80,248. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $72,111 (median) and $103,035 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, household incomes rank exceptionally at the 93rd percentile ($2,658 weekly). Income analysis reveals that 30.0% of locals (1,755 people) are in the $4000+ category, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.0%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 44.3% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 87.1% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Gwelup, as per the latest Census, 85.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 14.8% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. In contrast, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gwelup stood at 42.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.0% and rented ones at 10.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, higher than Perth metro's $1,907. Median weekly rent in Gwelup was $600, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Gwelup's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 79.0% of all households, including 45.3% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 5.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 21.0%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Gwelup exceeds broader benchmarks significantly. As of the latest data, 39.7% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications compared to 27.9% in WA and 29.0% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.7% while certificates make up 16.5%.

Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.4% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 5.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Gwelup has 33 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These are covered by four routes, offering a total of 571 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically living 205 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuters travel outward due to Gwelup's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 80%, with trains used by 12%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 12.4% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 81 trips per day, equating to about 17 weekly trips per stop.

Gwelup'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

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Gwelup residents. AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and health conditions shows results broadly in line with national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low among the general population but higher than the nation's average across older, at-risk cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (3,774 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.0 and 6.1% of residents respectively, while 71.4% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The area has 23.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,380 people), which is higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Gwelup was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Gwelup's population showed higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 13.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 28.5% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Gwelup, accounting for 55.2%. Notably, Judaism was equally represented in Gwelup (0.3%) as in Greater Perth.

The top three ancestral groups were English (29.4%), Australian (23.3%), and Scottish (7.3%). Some ethnic groups showed significant variations: South African (1.2% vs regional 1.0%), Croatian (1.2% vs 0.8%), and Italian (7.1% vs 4.2%) were notably more prevalent in Gwelup than in the Greater Perth region.

Gwelup's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Gwelup is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's national median of 38 years. The percentage of people aged 85 and above in Gwelup is 6.3%, compared to the Greater Perth average. Conversely, the 25-34 age group makes up 7.2% of the population in Gwelup, which is less prevalent than in Greater Perth. According to data from the 2021 Census, the percentage of people aged 15-24 has increased from 9.8% to 11.8%, while the 75-84 age group has risen from 7.6% to 9.3%. However, the 0-4 age group has decreased from 6.7% to 5.4%, and the 35-44 age group has dropped from 14.6% to 13.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Gwelup. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 128%, reaching 839 people from the current figure of 368. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 65% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.