Safety Bay

Safety Bay is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Safety Bay is around 8,221 people. This figure reflects an increase of 559 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,662 people. The current resident population estimate of 8,217 by AreaSearch is based on their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional five validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,779 persons per square kilometer, which exceeds the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Safety Bay's 7.3% growth since the census is within 1.6 percentage points of the national average (8.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 63.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the suburb.

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 and to estimate post-2032 growth, AreaSearch uses growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Considering projected demographic shifts, Safety Bay is expected to grow by 395 persons to reach a total population of approximately 8,616 by 2041, reflecting an increase of around 6.7% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Safety Bay when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data indicates Safety Bay experienced approximately 19 dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 99 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved in FY-26 to date. This results in an average of 6.8 people moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past five financial years.

Supply is substantially lagging demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $418,000. In FY-26, $2.5 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Safety Bay shows substantially reduced construction activity, with 72.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

The area is also under the national average, indicating its established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. New development consists predominantly of detached houses (94.0%) and a smaller proportion of attached dwellings (6.0%), sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With around 426 people per approval, Safety Bay indicates a mature market. Future projections show Safety Bay adding approximately 553 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Present construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include The Strand at Safety Bay, Oceanside Promenade, Safety Bay/Waikiki Foreshore Lighting Replacement Works, and the proposed Safety Bay Road & Penguin Road Mixed-Use Precinct. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment conditions in Safety Bay remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Safety Bay has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 4.4%, and 5.2% employment growth in the year ending June 2025. As of that date, 4,217 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.6% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation is lower at 56.5%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries for Safety Bay residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area has a notable employment specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services employ only 4.8% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 8.2%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the difference between working population and resident population counts. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.2%, labour force grew by 6.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth saw employment growth of 3.7%, labour force growth of 3.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand trends for Safety Bay. National employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industries. Applying these projections to Safety Bay's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that in Safety Bay, median income is $54,077 and average income stands at $67,639. This contrasts with Greater Perth's median income of $58,380 and average income of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Safety Bay would be approximately $61,756 (median) and $77,244 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data ranks household, family, and personal incomes in Safety Bay between the 29th and 32nd percentiles. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 29.6% of residents (2,433 people), aligning with the broader area where this cohort represents 32.0%. After housing expenses, 85.4% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Safety Bay's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.7% houses and 6.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 90.5% houses and 9.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Safety Bay was at 41.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.2% and rented ones at 20.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,679, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Safety Bay was recorded at $310, compared to Perth metro's $330. Nationally, Safety Bay's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

Safety Bay has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 71.0% of all households, including 28.4% couples with children, 31.5% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.0%, with lone person households at 27.0% and group households making up 1.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Safety Bay fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has university qualification rates of 16.2%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 44.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (11.5%) and certificates (32.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 25.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 3.1% pursuing tertiary education. Safety Bay's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 1,850 students, while the area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 981) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 1 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (22.5 places per 100 residents vs 17.0 regionally), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Transport analysis shows 55 active stops operating within Safety Bay, serving mixed bus routes. These stops are covered by six routes, offering a total of 1,594 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with residents typically located 180 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 227 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 28 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Safety Bay is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Safety Bay faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Approximately 54% of its total population (~4,443 people) have private health cover. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (9.9%) and mental health issues (8.3%). Conversely, 64.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 68.5% across Greater Perth. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.4% (1,923 people), compared to the 15.6% in Greater Perth. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are above average and perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Safety Bay's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 5.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 30.5% born overseas. Christianity was the main religion in Safety Bay, comprising 44.9% of people. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Safety Bay, making up 0.1% of the population compared to 0.0% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (37.8%), Australian (25.5%), and Scottish (8.3%). There were also notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Welsh was overrepresented at 1.0% compared to 0.9% regionally, New Zealand at 1.1% versus 1.2%, and Maori at 1.1% against a regional average of 2.0%.

Safety Bay hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Safety Bay's median age stands at 44, surpassing Greater Perth's figure of 37 and significantly exceeding the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group constitutes a strong 12.6% of Safety Bay's population compared to Greater Perth, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 11.0%. Post the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 9.4% to 10.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Safety Bay's age profile. Leading this shift, the 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 42%, reaching 957 people from 674. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 83% of projected growth. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.