Salter Point

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the suburb of Salter Point's estimated population is around 3,077 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 164 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,913. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3,073 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and two validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,672 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Salter Point has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.9%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and post-2032 estimates, AreaSearch utilises ABS' Greater Capital Region growth rates by age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future projections anticipate above median population growth, with the suburb expected to grow by 762 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 29.7% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Salter Point recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates that Salter Point has experienced around 3 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Approximately 16 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26.

On average, this results in about 14.7 new residents per year for every home built during these years. This supply lagging behind demand typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction value of new homes is $825,000, suggesting a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Compared to Greater Perth, Salter Point records significantly lower building activity, at 84.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. However, construction activity has intensified recently. This level is also under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations.

New building activity shows an equal split between standalone homes (50.0%) and medium to high-density housing (50.0%). This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 85.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 456 people per dwelling approval, Salter Point shows a developed market. Future projections show Salter Point adding approximately 915 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Salter Point has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified two projects that could impact the area's performance. Key projects include Westfield Booragoon Shopping Centre Expansion, City of Melville New Library Cultural Centre at Henley Rise, and LeisureFit Booragoon Pools Refurbishment. The following list details those likely to be most relevant:.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Salter Point ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Salter Point has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 2.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.8% over the past year (AreaSearch, September 2025). As of this date, 1,708 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.4% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Salter Point lags at 65.2%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, 13.7% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services, with the latter showing strong specialization at 1.6 times the regional level. Retail trade shows lower representation at 6.6% versus the regional average of 9.3%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.8%, while labour force grew by 2.5%, causing a fall in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment rise by 2.9% and unemployment increase marginally despite a labour force growth of 3.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth rates of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Salter Point's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, according to a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended 30 June 2023, median income among taxpayers in Salter Point suburb is $57,580. Average income stands at $81,985. Nationally, this is extremely 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 ended 30 June 2023, estimated median income for September 2025 would be approximately $63,119 and average income $89,872. According to Census 2021 data, household incomes rank at the 91st percentile ($2,529 weekly), while personal income ranks at the 63rd percentile. Income distribution shows that 34.6% of residents (1,064 people) fall into the $4000+ bracket, differing from surrounding regions where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 32.0%. Economic strength is evident with 44.9% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Salter Point's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.7% houses and 15.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Salter Point stood at 48.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.0% and rented ones at 13.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,860, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,907. Median weekly rent in Salter Point was $450, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Salter Point's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,860 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Salter Point features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 77.3% of all households, including 39.1% couples with children, 29.3% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.7%, with lone person households at 20.9% and group households comprising 1.4%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Perth average.

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

Salter Point's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 45.9% possess university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 29.9% in the Small Area 4 (SA4) region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 30.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.4% and graduate diplomas at 4.0%. Vocational pathways account for 23.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 12.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 34.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.4% in secondary education, 8.0% in tertiary education, and 7.5% pursuing primary education.

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

Salter Point has 18 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. Two routes operate here, collectively offering 626 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 132 meters to the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most residents travel outward for work. Cars remain the primary commuting mode at 84%, while 6% use buses. Each dwelling owns an average of 1.8 vehicles, exceeding the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 13.7% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 89 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 34 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Salter Point shows better-than-average health outcomes, as per AreaSearch's assessment using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence data.

The prevalence of common health conditions among the general population is low but exceeds national averages for older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 60% (1,838 people) have private health cover, which is exceptionally high. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.7%) and mental health issues (5.8%), while 70.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Salter Point has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 27.0% (830 people), compared to 16.3% in Greater Perth, but this is still lower than the national average for older populations.

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

Salter Point's population showed higher linguistic diversity with 15.6% speaking a language other than English at home, compared to the majority of local markets. Born overseas, 27.4% of Salter Point residents were born outside Australia, reflecting a notable difference from Greater Perth. Christianity was identified as the primary religion in Salter Point, accounting for 62.2%, which is higher than the regional average of 45.0%.

The top three ancestry groups in Salter Point were English at 27.2%, Australian at 22.5%, and Irish at 8.2%. Some ethnic groups showed significant variations: Croatian was overrepresented at 1.2% (regional average 0.8%), French at 0.8% (regional average 0.5%), and Italian at 5.7% (regional average 4.2%).

Salter Point hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Salter Point is 46 years, which is notably higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 and also exceeds the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Greater Perth average, the 15-24 age group is significantly over-represented at 18.7% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.6%. This concentration of the 15-24 age group is higher than the national average of 12.5%. According to the Census conducted in May 2021, the percentage of the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 16.1% to 18.7%, while the percentage of those aged 25 to 34 has risen from 7.1% to 8.6%. Conversely, the percentage of the population aged 5 to 14 has decreased from 12.4% to 10.7%, and the percentage of those aged 45 to 54 has dropped from 12.6% to 11.3%. Population forecasts for Salter Point indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to increase dramatically, rising from 193 to 443, an expansion of 249 people (129%). The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 60% of the projected growth. Conversely, the number of people aged 5 to 14 is projected to decline by 2.