Karrinyup

Population growth drivers in Karrinyup are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Karrinyup is around 11,226. This reflects a growth of 1,340 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,886. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 11,001 based on latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024) and an additional 124 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,735 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Karrinyup's growth rate of 13.6% since 2021 exceeds both national average (9.9%) and SA3 area averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 67.0% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with base year 2022, and ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for areas not covered by the first dataset. Future population trends project above median growth, with Karrinyup expected to expand by 1,607 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 9.4% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Karrinyup among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Karrinyup experienced around 56 dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 284 homes were approved, with a further 26 approved in FY-26. This averages out to about 2.7 new residents per year for each dwelling over the past five financial years, indicating solid demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $697,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, there have been approximately $47.5 million in commercial approvals, implying robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Perth, Karrinyup has slightly more development, at 26.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, offering reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand.

However, building activity has slowed in recent years. Recent construction comprises 77.0% detached houses and 23.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Karrinyup's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 256 people per approval, Karrinyup reflects a transitioning market. Looking ahead, AreaSearch estimates Karrinyup will grow by 1,051 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include West Village, Karrinyup Bus Depot Transformation, Stirling City Centre Sports Precinct, and Bold Park Community Facilities Upgrade. 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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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Karrinyup performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Karrinyup has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 1.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.5%. As of September 2025, there were 5,791 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.3%, below Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation was at 66.1% compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, only 13.0% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area had a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Manufacturing employed just 2.8% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 5.5%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.5%, while labour force grew by 3.2%, causing a fall in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Karrinyup's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

The suburb of Karrinyup has a high national income level according to AreaSearch aggregated ATO data for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Karrinyup is $65,850 and the average income stands at $94,089. This compares with Greater Perth's figures of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Karrinyup would be approximately $72,185 (median) and $103,140 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Karrinyup rank highly nationally, between the 77th and 89th percentiles. Income distribution reveals that 28.0% of locals fall into the $4000+ category, unlike broader area trends where 32.0% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A substantial proportion of high earners (41.7% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the district. Housing accounts for 13.4% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 90th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Karrinyup, as per the latest Census evaluation, 86.9% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 13.1% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Karrinyup stood at 40.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.9% and rented ones at 18.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,588, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent in Karrinyup was $450, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Karrinyup's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,588 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 77.0% of all households, including 41.5% that are couples with children, 26.2% that are couples without children, and 8.3% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.0%, with lone person households at 20.2% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Karrinyup places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Karrinyup is notably high, with 41.7% of residents aged 15 years or above holding university qualifications, compared to the broader state average of 27.9%. This figure also surpasses that of the SA4 region at 29.0%. The area's strong educational attainment positions it favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 28.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%).

Trade and technical skills are also prominent, with 27.2% of residents aged 15 years or above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (16.0%). Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in secondary education, 9.8% in primary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Karrinyup has 70 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by seven routes, offering a total of 815 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 211 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 81%, while trains account for 12%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 13% of residents work from home, which might be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 116 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 11 weekly trips per individual stop.

Karrinyup's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Karrinyup. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be low, particularly among younger cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (7,246 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 7.0 and 6.9% of residents respectively. A total of 72.1% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The area has 20.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,346 people), which is higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Karrinyup, surveyed in 2016, had 13.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home. In the same year, 28.8% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 50.1%.

Judaism, however, was more prevalent in Karrinyup compared to Greater Perth, making up 0.3% versus 0.3%. The top three parental ancestry groups were English (28.7%), Australian (24.1%), and Irish (8.9%). Notably, South African (1.3%) Welsh (0.8%) and Croatian (1.2%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.0%, 0.7% and 0.8% respectively.

Karrinyup's median age exceeds the national pattern

Karrinyup's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 and somewhat older than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, Karrinyup has a notably over-represented 75-84 cohort (8.9% locally) and an under-represented 25-34 age group (8.2%). As per the 2021 Census, Karrinyup's 15 to 24 age group grew from 11.3% to 13.3%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 7.3% to 8.9%. Conversely, the 0 to 4 cohort declined from 6.4% to 5.2%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 9.6% to 8.4%. Demographic modeling suggests that Karrinyup's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041, with the 85+ cohort projected to grow by 112%, adding 452 residents to reach 857. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 62% of this growth, while population declines are anticipated for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups.