Shelley (WA)

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Shelley (WA) is around 5,677. This figure reflects an increase of 882 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,795. The growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 5,296 residents following examination of ABS' ERP data release in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,665 persons per square kilometer, placing Shelley in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 18.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is using 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 uses ABS' Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population projections indicate an above median growth for the suburb, with an expected increase of 768 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 4.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Shelley among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Shelley has experienced around 26 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Over the past 5 financial years (between FY21 and FY25), approximately 134 homes were approved, with an additional 16 approved so far in FY26. This results in an average of 3.1 new residents arriving per dwelling constructed over these years, indicating significant demand exceeding supply.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $610,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Additionally, $1.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. When compared to Greater Perth, Shelley maintains similar development levels per person, reflecting consistent market balance with the broader area.

New development consists of 94.0% detached houses and 6.0% attached dwellings, preserving Shelley's traditional suburban character focused on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (78.0% at Census), reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes amidst densification trends. With around 180 people per approval, Shelley reflects a developing area. Looking ahead, Shelley is expected to grow by approximately 271 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Shelley has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

"Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified two projects likely affecting this region: Willetton Youth Centre Renovation and Southlands Boulevarde Shopping Centre Redevelopment. Other notable projects include Wilson Riverfront Masterplan (Canning River Precinct Redevelopment) and Willetton Sports Precinct Transformation.".

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

Shelley has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.4% and it experienced a 2.3% employment growth over the year ending September 2025, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of this date, 2,801 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.5% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Shelley is at 64.3%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. Census responses indicate that only 9.8% of residents work from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have affected this figure. The dominant employment sectors among Shelley residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Shelley has a particularly strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 6.6% of Shelley's workforce compared to Greater Perth's 9.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 2.3% and labour force grew by 2.1%, leading to a 0.2 percentage point decrease in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within Shelley. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Shelley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Shelley is among the highest in Australia. The median assessed income is $61,110 while the average income stands at $90,119. This contrasts with Greater Perth's figures of a median income of $60,748 and an average income of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Shelley would be approximately $66,989 (median) and $98,788 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Shelley cluster around the 71st percentile nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 27.8% of locals (1,578 people) with incomes between $1,500 - 2,999, consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 32.0% in the same category. Economic strength is evident through 36.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

In Shelley, as per the latest Census evaluation, 78.5% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 21.4% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is compared to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Shelley's home ownership rate was 41.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.4% and rented ones at 25.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Shelley was $2,275, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent in Shelley was $380, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Shelley's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 78.5% of all households, including 40.9% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.5%, with lone person households at 19.3% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

Shelley's educational attainment exceeds broader standards, with 45.9% of its residents aged 15+ having university qualifications compared to WA's 27.9% and the SA4 region's 29.9%. This high level of educational attainment positions Shelley favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 28.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational pathways account for 24.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.7% and certificates at 13.9%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in primary education, 9.5% in secondary education, and 7.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Shelley has 23 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 11 different routes that collectively facilitate 1,428 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 181 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Shelley's primarily residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 80%, followed by train at 11% and bus at 6%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 9.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 204 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 62 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Shelley's health outcomes data shows remarkable results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (3,575 people), compared to Greater Perth's 59.0%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in Shelley are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 6.4% and 5.7% of residents respectively, while 74.7% report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%. As of the assessment date, 20.3% of Shelley's population is aged 65 and over (1,152 people), higher than Greater Perth's 16.3%. Health outcomes among seniors in Shelley are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly aligned with those of the general population.

Shelley is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Shelley has a high level of cultural diversity, with 34.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 48.5% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Shelley, making up 44.0% of the population. Buddhism is notably overrepresented in Shelley compared to Greater Perth, comprising 6.6% versus 2.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (24.8%), Australian (14.4%, lower than the regional average of 21.2%), and Other (14.2%). Sri Lankan, Korean, and Chinese ethnicities are notably overrepresented in Shelley compared to Greater Perth: Sri Lankan at 1.2% versus 0.2%, Korean at 1.3% versus 0.3%, and Chinese at 12.9% versus 4.0%.

Shelley's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Shelley is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years. This figure is also considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 15-24 age group makes up a strong 15.4% of Shelley's population compared to Greater Perth, while the 25-34 cohort represents only 8.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the percentage of people aged 15-24 has increased from 13.6% to 15.4%, and the 75-84 age group has grown from 6.3% to 7.5%. However, the 0-4 age group has decreased from 4.4% to 3.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Shelley. Leading this shift is the 75-84 age group, which is expected to grow by 35%, reaching 575 people from its current figure of 425. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 63% of total population growth, reflecting Shelley's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.