Mount Lawley

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

Mount Lawley's population is estimated at around 12,904 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,576 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,328 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 12,647 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 85 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,973 persons per square kilometer, placing Mount Lawley in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 13.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 86.0% 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 post-2032 estimates, 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 national areas, with Mount Lawley expected to grow by 1,884 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 11.6% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Mount Lawley when compared nationally

Mount Lawley has seen around 49 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 247 homes. As of FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.6 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. This indicates high demand outstripping new supply, which can lead to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $740,000, reflecting a focus on premium segment properties. This financial year has seen $88.0 million in commercial development approvals, indicating strong local business investment.

In terms of building activity, 59.0% are detached houses and 41.0% medium to high-density housing, offering a mix of opportunities across price brackets. Mount Lawley's population growth is estimated at around 425 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 1,499 residents according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, suggesting steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

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

AreaSearch has identified a total of 35 projects that are expected to impact the area significantly. These projects include Alma Square at 387 Fitzgerald Street, 299 Charles Street North Perth, West Residences Mount Lawley, and ECU Mount Lawley Campus Redevelopment. The following list provides details on those projects deemed most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Mount Lawley remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Mount Lawley has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 4.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. There are 7,562 residents employed, which is 0.5% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Mount Lawley is similar to Greater Perth's at 71.6%. Based on Census responses, only 11.8% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specializes strongly in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level, while construction shows lower representation at 5.6% compared to the regional average of 9.3%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Mount Lawley's labour force decreased by 3.0%, employment declined by 4.7%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 1.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Mount Lawley's employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 indicates Mount Lawley's median income among taxpayers is $66,596 with an average of $101,682. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to Greater Perth's median of $60,748 and average of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Mount Lawley would be approximately $73,003 (median) and $111,464 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Mount Lawley rank highly nationally, between the 73rd and 87th percentiles. Income analysis reveals the largest segment comprises 27.5% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (3,548 residents), mirroring the metropolitan region where 32.0% occupy this bracket. The substantial proportion of high earners, at 35.9% above $3,000/week, indicates strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 75th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Mount Lawley displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Mount Lawley's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 52.6% houses and 47.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Lawley was at 30.3%, mirroring Perth metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.3% and rented ones at 37.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,200, exceeding the Perth metro average of $1,907. Median weekly rent in Mount Lawley was $350, aligning with Perth metro's figure. Nationally, Mount Lawley's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,200 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $350 than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 59.7% of all households, including 23.7% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 40.3%, with lone person households at 34.4% and group households comprising 5.9%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

Mount Lawley's educational attainment notably exceeds broader standards. Among residents aged 15+, 50.7% possess university qualifications, surpassing WA's 27.9% and Greater Perth's 30.1%. This educational advantage positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 33.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%).

Vocational pathways account for 23.8% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 13.3%. Educational participation is notably high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in tertiary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 6.5% pursuing primary education.

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

Mount Lawley has 49 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 36 different routes, offering a total of 6,865 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent access to transport, with an average distance of 198 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 68%, followed by buses at 16% and trains at 6%. The average vehicle ownership is 1.1 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 11.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 980 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 140 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mount Lawley's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Mount Lawley. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be very low across all age groups. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (8,717 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.8 and 7.0% of residents respectively. 71.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. Working-age residents had notably low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 17.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,258 people), higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Mount Lawley's population showed higher linguistic diversity, with 17.6% speaking a language other than English at home, compared to the majority of local markets. Born overseas, 33.3% of Mount Lawley residents were born outside Australia. Christianity was the predominant religion in Mount Lawley, accounting for 41.0% of its population.

Notably, Judaism had a higher representation in Mount Lawley, comprising 1.0% compared to Greater Perth's 0.3%. In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (26.5%), Australian (19.3%), and Other (9.9%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Polish was overrepresented at 1.3%, Welsh at 0.8%, and Italian at 7.0% compared to regional percentages.

Mount Lawley's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Mount Lawley is 38 years, close to Greater Perth's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, Mount Lawley has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (17.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.9%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 75-84 has increased from 4.4% to 5.7%, while the 45-54 age group has decreased from 12.5% to 11.6%. By 2041, Mount Lawley's age composition is expected to change significantly, with the 75-84 age group projected to grow by 68% (an increase of 500 people, reaching 1,236 from 735). The population aged 65 and above is expected to comprise 60% of this growth. Conversely, declines are projected for the 5-14 and 35-44 age cohorts.