Kalgoorlie

Kalgoorlie has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Kalgoorlie's population is estimated at around 3,979 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 268 people (7.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,711 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,852 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional four validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 984 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kalgoorlie's 7.2% growth since census positions it within 0.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (7.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 57.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, based on 2022 data. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected for the suburb of Kalgoorlie, with an expected increase of 403 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 7.3% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Kalgoorlie is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Kalgoorlie recorded around 7 residential properties granted approval each year. Over the past 5 financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 39 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline in recent years, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost of new homes is $246,000, below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options for buyers. Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $22.4 million, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Rest of WA, Kalgoorlie records elevated construction levels, at 23.0% above the regional average per person over the 5-year period, while remaining below the national average. This suggests an established area with potential planning limitations.

Recent construction comprises 67.0% standalone homes and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating an expanding range of medium-density options across various price brackets. Kalgoorlie's population density is around 594 people per approval, reflecting a mature, established area. Population forecasts indicate Kalgoorlie will gain 289 residents by 2041, with development keeping pace with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

Kalgoorlie has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones are Goldfields Pipeline Renewal (Stage 1), Kalgoorlie-Boulder Water Bank Project, KCGM's planned 800-bed workers accommodation camp, and Lot 101 Brookman Street Redevelopment. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Kalgoorlie demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Kalgoorlie has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.4% as of September 2025. Employment stability over the past year was relative, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 2,372 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.9% below Rest of WA's rate of 3.3%. Workforce participation was high at 75.0%, compared to Rest of WA's 67.2%. According to Census responses, only 2.8% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in mining, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Mining employs 2.2 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employed none of local workers, below Rest of WA's 9.3%. There were 1.1 workers per resident as at the Census. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment remained stable by 0.0% while labour force increased by 0.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kalgoorlie's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.4% over ten years.

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, the suburb of Kalgoorlie had a median income among taxpayers of $71,612 and an average income of $82,974. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to the Rest of WA's median income of $59,973 and average income of $74,392. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $78,501 and average income would be around $90,956. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, individual earnings in Kalgoorlie stood out at the 89th percentile nationally with weekly earnings of $1,175. Income analysis revealed that 38.3% of residents (1,523 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly earnings band, reflecting a pattern seen in the broader area where 31.1% similarly occupied this range. After housing costs, residents retained 87.6% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power and placing the area's SEIFA income ranking in the 4th decile.

Kalgoorlie displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Kalgoorlie's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 70.0% houses and 30.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro WA's 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kalgoorlie stood at 18.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.4% and rented ones at 47.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Non-Metro WA's average of $1,560. Median weekly rent in Kalgoorlie was $300, compared to Non-Metro WA's $265. Nationally, Kalgoorlie's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 58.4% of all households, including 25.8% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 41.6%, with lone person households at 35.8% and group households comprising 4.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

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

Kalgoorlie's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 22.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to Australia's 30.4%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (29.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 5.6% 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 shows 37 active transport stops operating in Kalgoorlie, consisting of a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 8 individual routes, collectively offering 343 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically situated 215 meters from the nearest transport stop. In this primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using cars as the dominant mode at 85%, while 8% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census data (which may reflect COVID-19 conditions), a relatively low 2.8% of residents work from home.

Service frequency averages 49 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 9 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Kalgoorlie is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Kalgoorlie faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment as of June 2021. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population, which numbered 2,392 people in this area compared to 56.4% across Rest of WA as of June 2021. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues impacting 7.1% and arthritis impacting 6.1% of residents respectively, while 74.9% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.3% across Rest of WA as of June 2021. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. As of June 2021, the area has 10.4% of residents aged 65 and over, which totals 413 people, lower than the 19.2% in Rest of WA as of June 2021. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population as of June 2021.

Kalgoorlie 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

Kalgoorlie's population, as of the 2016 Census, was found to be more culturally diverse compared to most other local markets in Australia. Specifically, 22.1% spoke a language other than English at home, and 35.0% were born overseas. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Kalgoorlie, with 45.7% of its population adhering to it.

However, there appeared to be an overrepresentation in the 'Other' religious category, which comprised 1.5% of Kalgoorlie's population compared to 0.7% across the rest of Western Australia (WA). In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were English at 25.2%, Australian at 24.4%, and Other at 10.3%. Notably, these figures differed from regional averages: English was lower than the WA average of 31.3%, while 'Other' ancestry was substantially higher than the regional average of 5.0%. Additionally, certain ethnic groups showed notable differences in representation compared to regional averages: Maori were overrepresented at 2.3% (regional average: 1.0%), Filipino at 4.1% (regional average: 1.2%), and New Zealanders at 1.2% (regional average: 0.9%).

Kalgoorlie's population is younger than the national pattern

Kalgoorlie's median age in 2021 was 34 years, which is younger than the Rest of WA figure of 40 years and below Australia's median age of 38 years. The age group of 25-34 years showed strong representation at 23.7% compared to Rest of WA, while the 65-74 year cohort was less prevalent at 5.5%. This concentration in the 25-34 age group is well above the national figure of 14.4%. Between 2021 and the present, the median age has decreased by 1.1 years from 35 to 34, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include an increase in the 25-34 age group from 20.2% to 23.7%, and the 35-44 cohort from 13.5% to 14.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 13.3% to 11.3%, and the 5-14 year group dropped from 10.0% to 8.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Kalgoorlie's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 25% (238 people), reaching 1,182 from 943. In contrast, both the 55-64 and 85+ age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.