Scarborough (WA)

Scarborough lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, Scarborough's population is estimated at around 20,189 people. This reflects an increase of 2,584 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,605. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 20,112 residents following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release (June 2024), along with an additional 147 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 4,045 persons per square kilometer, placing Scarborough in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 14.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeds the national average (8.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for Scarborough.

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 estimations, AreaSearch utilises ABS' latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for Scarborough, with the area expected to expand by 2,827 persons to 2041. This reflects a gain of 13.6% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Scarborough was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Scarborough shows an average of around 107 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 536 homes. As of FY-26105 approvals have been recorded. This results in approximately 5 new residents arriving per year per dwelling constructed on average between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating significant demand exceeding supply. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $617,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY-26, $4.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting Scarborough's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Scarborough records elevated construction activity at 32.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years, maintaining good buyer choice and supporting existing property values. New development consists of 28.0% standalone homes and 72.0% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 124 people per dwelling approval, Scarborough exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Scarborough is projected to add 2,747 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 21 projects that could impact the region. Notable ones include White Sands Development, The Dunes Beachfront Residences, Iconic Scarborough, and Myka Residences, with the following list providing more details on those likely to be most relevant.

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

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The exceptional employment performance in Scarborough places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Scarborough has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 1.8% in June 2025, lower than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.4%. Workforce participation in Scarborough was 73.1%, higher than Greater Perth's 65.2%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and mining. Mining shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Retail trade has lower representation at 6.4% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, labour force by 4.0%, and unemployment fell by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 3.7% and a slight rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Scarborough's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Scarborough had a median income among taxpayers of $68,905. The average income stood at $93,889. This is among the highest in Australia compared to levels of $58,380 and $78,020 across Greater Perth respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $78,690 for median income and $107,221 for average income as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows individual earnings stood out at the 92nd percentile nationally with $1,231 weekly. Income analysis reveals that the predominant cohort spans 31.6% of locals (6,379 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 32.0%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 32.6% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. High housing costs consume 16.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 72nd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Scarborough displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Scarborough's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 36.3% houses and 63.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Perth metro had 59.6% houses and 40.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Scarborough was at 24.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.6% and rented ones at 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, compared to Perth metro's $1,950. The median weekly rent figure for Scarborough was $405, while Perth metro recorded $350. Nationally, Scarborough's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 58.2 percent of all households, including 21.1 percent couples with children, 27.2 percent couples without children, and 8.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 41.8 percent, with lone person households at 34.4 percent and group households comprising 7.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.4.

Educational achievement in Scarborough places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Scarborough is notably high, with 44.7% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications as of the latest data point, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 29.0% in the Small Area (SA4) region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 31.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 31.2% of residents aged 15 years and over holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 12.1% and certificates for 19.1%. Educational participation is high, with 26.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest figures.

This includes 7.6% in primary education, 7.2% in tertiary education, and 5.6% pursuing secondary education. Scarborough Primary School and St John's School collectively serve 468 students, with an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1104 as of the latest available data. Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas due to limited local school capacity (2.3 places per 100 residents compared to 14.5 regionally). Many families therefore travel to neighboring areas for schooling.

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

Scarborough has 61 active public transport stops currently operating. These are served by a mix of buses along five different routes, offering a total of 1,324 weekly passenger trips. The average distance residents live from the nearest stop is 163 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 189 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Scarborough's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Scarborough shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover rate in Scarborough is high at approximately 64% (13,015 people), compared to Greater Perth's 59.9%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 7.7% and 6.6% of residents respectively. 75.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 73.0% in Greater Perth. Scarborough has 13.9% (2,806 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Perth's 18.3%. Health outcomes among seniors align with the general population's health profile.

Scarborough was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Scarborough's population, as of the 2016 Census, had 14.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 33.7% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 39.8%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to Greater Perth's 1.4%.

For ancestry, the top groups were English (29.7%), Australian (21.7%), and Irish (9.6%). Welsh (0.9%) was notably higher than regional average of 0.6%. French stood at 1.0% versus regionally 0.6%, and South African at 1.1% compared to the regional 1.0%.

Scarborough's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Scarborough's median age in 2021 was 36 years, closely matching Greater Perth's average of 37 years, which is slightly below Australia's national median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Scarborough had a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (21.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds was significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, Scarborough's population aged 35-44 grew from 17.7% to 18.6%, while the proportion of residents aged 25-34 decreased from 23.9% to 21.7%. By 2041, demographic projections suggest significant changes in Scarborough's age profile. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 87%, adding 863 residents and reaching a total of 1,853. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 60% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are projected to experience population declines.