Sorrento (WA)

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

As of Nov 2025, Sorrento's population is estimated at around 8410 people. This reflects an increase of 615 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7795 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 8406 following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of 22 new addresses since the Census date. This equates to a density ratio of approximately 2362 persons per square kilometer, placing Sorrento in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Sorrento has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.7%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 85% 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. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for Sorrento, with an expected increase of 1421 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of approximately 17.2% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Sorrento averaged approximately 34 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 173 homes. As of FY26, nine approvals have been recorded. Historically, between FY21 and FY25, an average of 3.1 new residents arrived per year per dwelling constructed. This suggests supply has lagged demand, potentially leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

Developers focus on the premium market, with new homes valued at approximately $918,000 on average. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $10.1 million, indicating balanced commercial activity compared to Greater Perth's regional average. Sorrento exhibits moderately higher building activity than the region, with 33.0% more approvals per person over the past five years. This balances buyer choice while supporting current property values.

New building activity comprises 61.0% standalone homes and 39.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 81.0% houses). This suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more diverse housing options. With approximately 181 people per dwelling approval, Sorrento exhibits growth area characteristics. AreaSearch projects Sorrento will grow by 1,446 residents through to 2041. If current construction levels persist, supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Sorrento has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 42ndth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Harbour Rise Masterplanned Community (in its final stages), Sorrento Quay Mixed-Use Development, Ora Sorrento, and Seacrest Village Redevelopment. The following list highlights those most likely to be relevant.

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 Sorrento rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Sorrento has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 0.7% in June 2025, lower than Greater Perth's 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.4%. The area had 4,752 residents employed as of June 2025, with a workforce participation rate of 62.8%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Sorrento had particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Manufacturing had limited presence, with 3.3% employment compared to the regional 5.5%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, labour force by 4.1%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points in Sorrento. Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 3.7% with a slight rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sorrento's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 2022 shows that Sorrento has one of the highest incomes nationally. The median income is $62,747 and the average income stands at $98,895. In contrast, Greater Perth has a median income of $58,380 and an average income of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Sorrento would be approximately $71,657 (median) and $112,938 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Sorrento rank highly nationally, between the 75th and 90th percentiles. Distribution data shows that 31.1% of the population (2,615 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.0%. The substantial proportion of high earners (43.6% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Sorrento. After housing costs, residents retain 88.4% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Sorrento, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 80.8% houses and 19.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 80.7% houses and 19.3% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Sorrento was higher than that of Perth metro at 49.9%, with the rest being mortgaged (38.8%) or rented (11.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $480, substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 81.2% of all households, including 41.0% couples with children, 32.8% couples without children, and 6.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.8%, with lone person households at 18.0% and group households making up 0.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, aligning with the Greater Perth average.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates of 37.9% among residents aged 15+ exceeding the Western Australia average of 27.9% and the SA4 region average of 29.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent with 30.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 12.9% and certificates at 18.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 5.9% pursuing tertiary education. The area's educational provision includes Sorrento Primary School and Sacred Heart College, serving a total of 1,926 students. It demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1108. Educational provision follows conventional lines, split between one primary and one secondary institution.

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

Sorrento has 59 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 1,003 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 173 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 143 daily trips across all routes, which translates to approximately 17 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sorrento's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Sorrento. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (5,589 people), compared to 59.3% across Greater Perth.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.0 and 6.5% of residents respectively. 71.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.5% across Greater Perth. As of June 2021, 27.3% of Sorrento's residents are aged 65 and over (2,295 people), higher than the 20.1% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Sorrento had a cultural diversity index above the average, with 9.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 30.0% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Sorrento, making up 57.9% of its population, compared to 49.6% across Greater Perth. The top three ancestry groups were English (30.8%), Australian (24.6%), and Irish (9.5%).

Notably, Welsh (1.0%) was overrepresented in Sorrento compared to the regional average of 1.1%, as were South African (1.4% vs 1.8%) and Polish (1.2% vs 0.9%).

Sorrento hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Sorrento's median age is 47 years, higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and exceeding the national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 14.1% of Sorrento's population, compared to Greater Perth's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 age group makes up only 6.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75-84 age group grew from 7.2% to 10.2%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 12.2% to 13.3%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort declined from 14.5% to 12.9%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 14.4% to 13.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Sorrento's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 68%, adding 583 residents to reach 1,441. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 72% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are projected to decline in population.