Middle Swan

An assessment of population growth drivers in Middle Swan reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the suburb of Middle Swan's population is estimated at around 3,304 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 452 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,852 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3,179 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 98 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 246 persons per square kilometer. Middle Swan's growth rate of 15.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (9.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 48.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, 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 project an above median growth for Australian statistical areas, with Middle Swan expected to increase by 509 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 12.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Middle Swan among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Middle Swan has received approximately 25 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 127 homes were approved, with an additional 20 approved in FY-26 so far. Each new dwelling built has resulted in an average of 2.8 new residents per year over these five years.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $367,000. This financial year, Middle Swan has seen $46.9 million in commercial approvals. Compared to Greater Perth, Middle Swan records about 64% of the building activity per person and ranks among the 87th percentile nationally, with building activity accelerating recently.

Of new building activity, 93.0% are standalone homes and 7.0% are townhouses or apartments. The area has approximately 97 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Future projections estimate Middle Swan to add 412 residents by 2041, with current development rates expected to comfortably meet demand.

Middle Swan has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified seven projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones are Bushmead Residential Estate, Midland Health Campus Redevelopment (St John of God Midland Public & Private Hospitals Expansion), Midland Redevelopment Scheme - Central Precinct (Stage 2), and METRONET High Wycombe Station & Transit Oriented Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch assessment indicates Middle Swan faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Middle Swan has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent. The unemployment rate is 7.2%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.3% in the past year (AreaSearch data).

As of September 2025, 1,630 residents are employed, but the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Perth's at 3.2%. Workforce participation is lower at 65.4%. Only 5.7% of residents work from home (Census data). Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Transport, postal & warehousing has a strong presence with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level. However, education & training has limited presence at 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work (Census data). Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.3% while labour force grew by 2.2%, with unemployment remaining stable (AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data). National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Middle Swan's employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Middle Swan had a median income among taxpayers of $48,315. The average income stood at $58,906. This was lower than the national average of $60,748 and also below Greater Perth's average of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates for Middle Swan would be approximately $52,963 (median) and $64,573 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows household incomes in Middle Swan fall between the 21st and 22nd percentiles nationally. Family incomes also fall within this range, as do personal incomes. Income distribution reveals that 31.0% of residents (1,024 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, mirroring regional levels where 32.0% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Middle Swan, with only 82.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 20th percentile nationally.

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

Middle Swan's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.9% houses and 15.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Middle Swan stood at 31.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.8% and rented ones at 29.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, below the Perth metro average of $1,907. The median weekly rent was $310, compared to Perth's $350. Nationally, Middle Swan's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Middle Swan features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 66.0% of all households, including 25.7% couples with children, 22.4% couples without children, and 15.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.0%, with lone person households at 30.8% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Middle Swan faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 14.4%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 40.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 30.3%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Middle Swan has 48 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 17 different routes that together facilitate 964 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 188 meters from the nearest stop. Being predominantly residential, most Middle Swan residents commute outwards using cars, which remain the dominant mode of transport at 83%. Only 6% use trains for their commutes. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling in the area.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 5.7% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 137 trips per day, equating to roughly 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Middle Swan is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Middle Swan faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (around 1,671 people), compared to Greater Perth's 59.0% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues (affecting 9.2% of residents) and arthritis (7.7%), while 66.5% claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%. The working-age population experiences notable health challenges with higher chronic condition rates. Middle Swan has a larger proportion of residents aged 65 and over, at 19.5% (644 people), than Greater Perth's 16.3%, and national rankings are even higher for this age group.

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

Middle Swan's population showed high cultural diversity, with 30.6% born overseas and 23.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 51.3%. The 'Other' religious category was overrepresented in Middle Swan at 1.9%, compared to 1.4% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (27.1%), Australian (22.7%), and Other (7.2%). Notably, Croatian (2.8%) Filipino (4.4%) and New Zealand (1.1%) ethnicities had higher representations in Middle Swan compared to regional averages.

Middle Swan's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Middle Swan is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Middle Swan has a notably higher proportion of people aged 65-74 (10.4% locally) but a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (12.5%). Post-2021 Census data shows the population aged 15-24 grew from 12.0% to 13.9%, while the 35-44 age group increased from 12.9% to 14.7%. Conversely, the 0-4 age group declined from 5.7% to 4.2%, and the 25-34 age group dropped from 13.9% to 12.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Middle Swan, with the 75-84 age group expected to grow by 56% (114 people), reaching 319 from 204. This growth is led by residents aged 65 and older, who represent 70% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to experience population declines.