South Boulder

An assessment of population growth drivers in South Boulder reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for South Boulder, its population is estimated at around 1,622 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 116 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,506 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,618 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 207 persons per square kilometer in South Boulder. The suburb's growth of 7.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 7.6%. Natural growth contributed approximately 55.00000000000001% of overall population gains during recent periods in South Boulder.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends suggest a median increase for locations outside capital cities. South Boulder is expected to grow by 129 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 7.8% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in South Boulder according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

South Boulder had less than one new dwelling approved annually between 2017 and 2021, with a total of two dwellings approved over this five-year period. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs are typically specific to local requirements rather than broader market demand. It is important to note that due to the small sample size, individual projects can significantly influence annual growth and relative statistics.

South Boulder's development activity is naturally lower compared to the rest of Western Australia, with its development pattern well below national averages.

South Boulder has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 7thth percentile nationally

The performance of a region is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified two projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Lynas Rare Earths Processing Facility, Workers Lifestyle Village, Goldfields Pipeline Renewal (Stage 1), and Kalgoorlie-Boulder Water Bank Project. The following details those likely to have the most relevance.

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

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Employment drivers in South Boulder are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

South Boulder has a balanced workforce across white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominent. Its unemployment rate is 5.3%, as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of June 2025726 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is higher by 2.2% compared to Rest of WA's 3.2%. Workforce participation in South Boulder is lower at 46.8%, against Rest of WA's 59.4%. Key industries for residents are mining, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing. The area specializes in mining, with an employment share 2.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.0%, compared to Rest of WA's 9.3%. There is one worker per resident, indicating it serves as an employment hub attracting workers from nearby areas. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.9% and employment fell by 2.7%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Rest of WA saw employment growth of 1.1% and a fall in unemployment by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for Australia. Applying these projections to South Boulder's industry mix suggests local employment could grow by 4.7% in five years and 11.1% in ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for the financial year ending June 2022 shows that South Boulder had a median income of $59,227 and an average income of $70,199. This is higher than the national averages of $57,323 (median) and $71,163 (average) for Rest of WA. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% from July 2022 to September 2025, estimated median income in South Boulder would be approximately $67,637, with average income around $80,167. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, incomes in South Boulder cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 36.3% of residents (588 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range. After housing costs, residents retain 88.7% of their income.

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

The latest Census evaluated South Boulder's dwelling structure as 91.5% houses and 8.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro WA's 82.9% houses and 17.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Boulder was at 28.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.5% and rented ones at 29.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,250, below Non-Metro WA's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure in South Boulder was $300, compared to Non-Metro WA's $280. Nationally, South Boulder's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

South Boulder features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 63.4% of all households, consisting of 22.5% couples with children, 23.7% couples without children, and 15.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 36.6%, with lone person households at 33.4% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

The educational profile of South Boulder exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 5.3%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 3.3%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (0.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 4.5% and certificates for 33.5%. Educational participation is high at 46.9%, with 19.9% in primary education, 12.5% in secondary education, and 1.1% pursuing tertiary education.

Schools appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

Transport analysis shows nine active public transport stops in South Boulder, served by a mix of bus routes. There are two individual routes operating collectively, providing 126 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 269 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 18 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 14 weekly trips per stop.

Health outcomes in South Boulder are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

South Boulder's health indicators show lower-than-average results with common health conditions slightly more prevalent across both younger and older age groups compared to the average. Private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (around 893 people), which is higher than the Rest of WA's rate of 62.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 9.0% and 8.6% of residents respectively. Around 68.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.9% across Rest of WA. The area has 8.3% of residents aged 65 and over (134 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

South Boulder ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

South Boulder's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 58.0% of its population being citizens, 82.7% born in Australia, and 93.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 39.3% of South Boulder's population. The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which made up 0.8% compared to 1.2% across Rest of WA.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (28.2%), English (26.2%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.6%). There were notable divergences in certain ethnic groups: Maori was overrepresented at 3.2% (vs regional 3.3%), New Zealand at 1.2% (vs 1.5%), and South African at 0.8% (vs 0.9%).

South Boulder's population is younger than the national pattern

South Boulder has a median age of 34, which is younger than the Rest of WA's figure of 40 and Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 18.8% of South Boulder's population, compared to the Rest of WA, while the 65-74 cohort represents 5.6%. Between 2021 and now, the median age has decreased by 1.1 years from 35 to 34, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. During this period, the 15-24 age group grew from 14.7% to 16.7%, and the 25-34 cohort increased from 17.1% to 18.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 15.7% to 13.1%. By 2041, South Boulder's age profile is expected to change significantly. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 43%, reaching 435 people from the current 304. In contrast, both the 85+ and 75-84 age groups are expected to decrease in number.