Lower King

Lower King has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Recent figures compiled by AreaSearch utilizing ABS data and verified addresses indicate that the suburb of Lower King has an estimated population of 1,971 as of May 2026. This indicates a growth of 81 individuals (4.3%) relative to the 1,890 residents counted during the 2021 Census. The calculation is based on the 1,969 residents estimated by AreaSearch through examining the ABS ERP dataset from June 2025 alongside 16 new addresses verified post-Census. With this population level, the density stands at 217 persons per square kilometer, which indicates low density and potential for future housing projects. Interstate relocations represented the main contributor to growth, accounting for approximately 52.0% of the overall population rise, though birth rates and overseas arrivals also made positive contributions.

Projections sourced from ABS and Geoscience Australia released in 2024 (using 2022 as a starting point) have been implemented by AreaSearch for each SA2 region. For localities missing from this dataset, as well as projections beyond 2032, growth calculations rely on age cohort growth rates from the 2023 ABS Capital Region projections (utilizing 2022 data). Based on these aggregated SA2 estimates, the suburb of Lower King is expected to experience expansion that exceeds the median for regional Australia, adding 259 residents by 2041, which represents an overall growth rate of 13.0% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Lower King, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Residential construction in Lower King is very quiet, averaging 3 new home approvals each year, totaling 16 approvals over a five-year period. This minimal development is typical of rural communities where new building is driven by local household requirements rather than speculative market activity. Because the total volume of approvals is so small, annual percentage shifts and relative growth can fluctuate significantly depending on individual projects.

Building activity in Lower King is substantially lower than in the Rest of WA, and also lags well behind national building trends. Recent construction consists solely of detached houses, which preserves the rural character and spaciousness of the neighborhood. The ratio of 782 people for every single residential approval highlights the exceptionally quiet and low-volume building climate of the area.

Projections indicate that Lower King will add 257 residents by 2041, starting from the most recent quarterly estimate by AreaSearch. If current building rates persist, the local housing market may struggle to supply enough homes for this growing population, which could intensify competition among buyers and put upward pressure on property prices.

Lower King has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 7thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major developments, and council planning schemes are critical drivers of local performance. AreaSearch has identified no new projects expected to influence this locality. Some of the notable regional projects include Oyster Harbour Estate, Bayview Heights Estate, South Coast Highway Improvements: Albany To Esperance, and South West Interconnected System Transformation, with key details provided below.

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

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The employment landscape in Lower King presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 2.9%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Data consolidated by AreaSearch shows that Lower King has a highly skilled labor force and a strong presence in essential service sectors, resulting in a low unemployment rate of 2.9%. In March 2026, there were 982 employed residents, yielding an unemployment rate 0.6% lower than the 3.5% recorded across Regional WA. However, workforce participation was slightly lower at 60.8% compared to 65.6% for Regional WA. Census responses indicated that a minor 4.5% of the workforce worked from home, though this figure may be influenced by COVID-19 restrictions.

The top sectors employing local residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Health care & social assistance shows a strong local concentration, employing 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, mining accounts for only 2.7% of local employment, compared to 11.7% in Regional WA. A comparison between the local workforce counted in the Census and the resident population suggests that local employment opportunities within the area are relatively scarce.

Analysis of SALM and ABS data, aggregated from broader statistical areas, indicates that over the 12 months to March 2026, the labour force decreased by 6.5% while employment fell by 7.8%, which caused the unemployment rate to rise by 1.4 percentage points. In contrast, Regional WA experienced a 0.1% decline in employment and 0.3% growth in the labour force, with unemployment increasing by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide additional context for anticipating future demand in Lower King. These projections, which span five and ten-year intervals, were aligned with the local employment profile to estimate growth trends. Although national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, sectoral growth rates vary considerably. When these industry-specific forecasts are applied to Lower King's employment composition, local employment is expected to rise by 6.5% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this represents a straightforward weighting extrapolation for illustrative use and does not incorporate localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Taxpayer statistics compiled by AreaSearch from the 2023 ATO financial year data show that Lower King had a median taxpayer income of $49,082 and an average income of $61,863. These figures are below the national average and compare to a median of $59,973 and average of $74,392 across Regional WA. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since the 2023 financial year, current estimates as of March 2026 would be approximately $54,447 for median income and $68,625 for average income. The 2021 Census data indicates that personal, family, and household incomes in Lower King are modest, falling between the 32nd and 34th percentiles. The largest income group consists of the 29.7% of taxpayers (585 residents) earning between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, mirroring the wider region where 31.1% of residents fall into this bracket. While residents retain 86.7% of their income after housing costs, overall disposable income is below average at the 36th percentile, and the SEIFA index places the area in the 5th decile for income.

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

Census data reveals that housing in Lower King consists almost entirely of separate houses at 99.0%, with other housing types like apartments and semi-detached units making up just 1.0%, compared to 88.5% houses and 11.6% other options in Regional WA. Home ownership is particularly high in Lower King at 46.7%, with 40.9% of homes carrying a mortgage and 12.4% being rented. The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,619 is higher than the Regional WA average of $1,560, and the median weekly rent of $320 is also above the regional average of $265. However, compared to national benchmarks, mortgage payments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are significantly below the national median of $375.

Lower King features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Families make up 78.6% of all households in the area, consisting of couples with children (30.7%), couples without children (36.8%), and single parents (9.2%). The remaining 21.4% are non-family households, which consist of lone person households (19.8%) and group houses (1.7%). The median household size of 2.5 people is identical to the regional average.

Lower King shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Higher education completion is low in the area, with 19.6% of residents holding a university degree compared to the national average of 30.4%, pointing to opportunities for targeted educational programs. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher qualification at 14.0%, with postgraduate degrees at 3.3% and graduate diplomas at 2.3%. Vocational and technical skills are highly prevalent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15+ holding trade credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (29.1%).

A high proportion of the population is engaged in study, with 27.2% of residents enrolled in an educational program. This student population includes 10.1% in high schools, 9.6% in primary schools, and 2.3% in tertiary institutions.

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

Public transport services in Lower King include 15 active bus stops. These stops accommodate 1 distinct routes that provide a total of 20 weekly passenger services. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents living an average of 446 meters from their nearest stop. Because the area is mostly residential, 96% of residents commute using their own vehicles. Households own an average of 2.0 cars, which is higher than the regional average. A small proportion of residents (4.5%) worked from home, according to the 2021 Census, which may have been influenced by COVID-19 restrictions.

Bus services run at an average frequency of 2 trips per day across the network, which averages out to approximately 1 weekly service for each stop.

The level of general health in Lower King is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Based on AreaSearch assessments of mortality and chronic illness rates, Lower King exhibits favorable health outcomes across both youth and elderly demographics. The rate of private health insurance is relatively low, covering approximately 52% of the population (~1,020 people), which is lower than the 56.4% coverage rate across Regional WA.

The most prevalent health conditions reported by residents are arthritis (9.3%) and mental health concerns (8.3%), while 68.0% of the population reported no chronic conditions, compared to 69.3% in Regional WA. Health outcomes for working-age residents are typical. Residents aged 65 and over make up 23.8% of the population (469 people), which is higher than the regional proportion of 19.2%. Seniors in the area enjoy particularly strong health outcomes, ranking higher than national averages.

Lower King ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Lower King has lower cultural diversity compared to national benchmarks, with 80.6% of residents born in Australia, 90.2% holding citizenship, and 96.3% speaking only English at home. Christianity is the primary religion, followed by 39.6% of the population. In terms of religious representation, there was no Jewish population recorded, matching the pattern in Regional WA.

Looking at ancestral backgrounds, the three most common heritages in Lower King are English at 37.1% (well above the regional average of 31.3%), Australian at 30.0%, and Scottish at 8.5%. Certain other ethnic backgrounds show unique concentrations, with South Australian backgrounds representing 1.3% of the community (compared to 0.6% regionally), Dutch at 1.6% (compared to 1.5%), and New Zealand at 0.8% (compared to 0.9%).

Lower King hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Lower King is 48 years, which is older than the Regional WA average of 40 and the national median of 38. The 65 - 74 age group is highly represented at 13.8% of the population, whereas young adults aged 25 - 34 are underrepresented at 9.3%. Since 2021, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 8.0% to 9.3%, while the 5 to 14 age group has shrunk from 12.3% to 10.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, the age profile will change, with the 25 to 34 group projected to grow by 82 people (45%) from 183 to 266, while declines are expected among residents aged 85+ and those aged 15 to 24.