Oakford

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

Oakford has a projected population of approximately 3,323 as of May 2026, calculated from ABS demographic updates for the wider region and new address verifications by AreaSearch since the Census. Compared to the 2,803 residents recorded in the 2021 Census, this shows a gain of 520 individuals (18.6%). This growth is calculated using a resident population base of 3,131, which AreaSearch estimated from the ABS June 2025 ERP release, combined with 78 validated new addresses registered since the Census. With this population level, the density stands at 70 persons per square kilometer, offering generous space per resident and capacity for prospective development. Expanding by 18.6% since the 2021 Census, the suburb of Oakford outpaced the state as well as the national growth rate of 9.3%, positioning it as a regional growth leader. The primary driver of this population expansion was interstate migration, which accounted for roughly 52.0% of the total demographic gains in recent times, though natural growth and overseas migration also registered positive trends.

AreaSearch incorporates projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia for individual SA2 regions, using 2022 as a base year and published in 2024. For locations without these specific projections, and to project trends beyond 2032, growth rates by age cohort from the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region projections (using 2022 data) are applied. Future projections point to an expansion rate above the national median, with the suburb of Oakford expected to add 371 residents by 2041 according to compiled SA2 projections, representing an overall increase of 5.4% over the 16 years.

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

AreaSearch evaluations of ABS building approvals assigned from statistical areas show that Oakford has averaged approximately 11 new residential approvals annually, with a total of 59 homes approved during the 5 financial years spanning FY-21 to FY-25, and 82 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. Because an average of 4 residents moved to the locality for each completed home during those 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), the housing supply is lagging behind demand, which typically intensifies buyer competition and exerts upward pressure on prices. Additionally, the average valuation for new builds is $423,000, indicating that builders are targeting the higher-end residential market. Commercial projects approved this financial year total $1.7 million, emphasizing the residential character of the locality.

In comparison to Greater Perth, construction activity in Oakford is very low, tracking at 71.0% below the regional per capita average. This limited volume of new housing typically supports prices and demand for pre-existing properties, even though building volumes have risen recently. Furthermore, all recent residential starts have consisted of standalone houses, maintaining the low-density footprint of the locality and appealing to buyers seeking extra space. Reflecting its status as a developing region, Oakford averages about 182 people per approved dwelling.

Long-term forecasts suggest the suburb of Oakford will add 179 residents by 2041, based on the latest quarterly calculations by AreaSearch. If the current pace of building continues, the volume of new homes should easily satisfy demand, creating favorable buyer conditions and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current demographic forecasts.

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

Local infrastructure projects, planning choices, and new developments are critical drivers of local performance. AreaSearch has tracked a total of 9 key projects expected to influence this locality. Important projects include the Provision Of Regional-Level Sporting Facilities In Growth Areas Perth And Peel, Wungong Urban, The Glades Estate, and Ranford Road Station, with the most relevant details provided below.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Oakford performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Oakford has a diverse workforce composed of both blue-collar and white-collar workers, with a notable concentration in the building sector. The unemployment rate sits at only 1.9%, and the area registered an estimated 0.9% job growth over the prior year, based on compiled statistical area data from AreaSearch. In March 2026, there were 1,779 employed residents, and the unemployment rate was 2.3% lower than the 4.2% rate seen in Greater Perth, while participation in the workforce was typical at 72.3% compared to 70.2% regionally. Census records show that a modest 13.5% of the workforce worked from home, though this figure may reflect pandemic-related lockdown measures.

The top industries for local workers are construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. The construction sector shows a strong local concentration, employing 1.5 times the regional proportion of workers. Conversely, the health care & social assistance sector is underrepresented, accounting for 9.2% of local workers compared to 14.8% across the region. Comparisons between the census working population and the resident population suggest that this residential locality offers relatively few local jobs.

Based on AreaSearch compilations of SALM and ABS statistics for the broader region, the year ending March 2026 saw employment levels rise by 0.9% and the labor force expand by 1.3%, resulting in a 0.4 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. Over the same period, Greater Perth saw jobs grow by 2.0% and the labor force expand by 2.5%, also with a 0.4 percentage point increase. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia published in May-25 provide context for future local demand. These five and ten-year projections have been applied to the local industry mix to estimate future trends. While national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, trends vary widely by sector. Applying these sectoral trends to the local workforce mix suggests employment for residents could grow by 5.6% over five years and 12.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighted projection and does not incorporate local population forecasts.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The latest postcode-level tax data from the ATO for the 2023 financial year indicates that incomes in the suburb of Oakford exceed the national benchmark, with a median of $57,232 and an average of $72,157. For comparison, the median and average figures for Greater Perth were $60,748 and $80,248. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since the 2023 financial year, current estimates for March 2026 are approximately $63,487 for the median and $80,044 for the average. Census data reveals that weekly household incomes are highly ranked at the 89th percentile ($2,451 weekly), whereas individual incomes place lower at the 55th percentile. Income distribution details show that the largest segment of residents, 29.7%, earns between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (986 residents), which is similar to the wider metropolitan area where 32.0% of the population falls into this category. High-earning households receiving over $3,000 weekly make up 38.9% of the local total, indicating strong local purchasing power. Housing costs absorb 15.0% of household income, and high earnings place the area at the 89th percentile for disposable income, with a SEIFA income decile ranking of 7.

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

The local housing stock at the time of the latest Census consisted of 98.5% standalone houses and 1.5% alternative dwellings like apartments, townhouses, and other formats, compared to 77.8% houses and 22.1% alternative dwellings across metropolitan Perth. Home ownership in Oakford was significantly higher than the metropolitan rate, standing at 34.6%, while the remaining properties were held under a mortgage (60.2%) or rented (5.1%). The median mortgage payment of $2,500 per month was notably higher than the metropolitan Perth average of $1,907, and the median rent was $400 per week compared to the metropolitan median of $350. Nationally, mortgage costs in Oakford are well above the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents also exceed the national benchmark of $375.

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

Families make up 88.8% of all households, consisting of couples with children at 49.6%, couples without children at 30.9%, and single-parent homes at 7.4%. The remaining 11.2% are non-family households, which include lone persons at 10.0% and group households at 1.8%. The median household occupancy is 3.2 individuals, which is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

The locality shows lower rates of tertiary education, with 15.9% of residents holding a university qualification compared to the national average of 30.4%. This gap highlights a clear opportunity for targeted educational support. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher education qualification at 11.4%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 2.4% and graduate diplomas at 2.1%. Practical and vocational training is highly prevalent, with 43.0% of residents aged 15 and over possessing vocational qualifications, including 10.3% with advanced diplomas and 32.7% holding certificates.

Enrolment in education is strong, with 29.3% of the population actively participating in academic programs. This group consists of 10.6% of residents attending secondary school, 9.6% in primary school, and 3.5% enrolled in higher education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

The level of general health in Oakford is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Based on AreaSearch assessments of mortality rates and chronic illness, residents enjoy favorable health outcomes. The rate of common chronic conditions is low overall and aligns close to national averages in older, vulnerable cohorts. Private health insurance coverage is high, with approximately 56% of the population (~1,855 people) having cover, compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth.

The most frequent health issues reported by residents are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.8% and 7.8% of the population respectively. Meanwhile, 70.3% of residents reported having no long-term medical conditions, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Residents under the age of 65 experience better health outcomes than average. Seniors aged 65 and older represent 14.6% of the population (485 people), below the Greater Perth average of 16.1%. While older residents show above-average health outcomes, they rank lower on a national scale compared to the younger local demographic.

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

The population shows low cultural diversity, with 78.6% of residents born in Australia, 92.5% holding citizenship, and 93.5% speaking only English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion, practiced by 49.5% of the population, compared to 45.0% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestral backgrounds, the top three groups identified are English at 33.0% of the population (exceeding the regional average of 28.0%), Australian at 29.5% (exceeding the regional average of 21.2%), and Scottish at 6.1%. Other notable variations include a high representation of Dutch heritage at 3.4% (compared to 1.5% across the region), South Australian ancestry at 1.1% (compared to 1.0%), and French heritage at 0.7% (compared to 0.5%).

Oakford's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age of 42 years in the suburb of Oakford is higher than the Greater Perth average of 37 and the national average of 38 years. The 55 to 64 age bracket is highly represented at 17.0% compared to Greater Perth, while the 25 to 34 age group is less common at 7.1%. This concentration of residents aged 55 to 64 is significantly higher than the national rate of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data reveals the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 3.7% to 4.9% of the population, whereas the 45 to 54 group dropped from 15.9% to 14.1%. Population projections for 2041 point to significant changes, led by a 57% increase in the 75 to 84 cohort (an increase of 93 people, rising from 162 to 256). In total, residents aged 65 and over will drive 65% of all population growth, highlighting the aging profile of the area. Conversely, the cohorts aged 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 are projected to contract.