South Bunbury

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

South Bunbury's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 9,061 people. This figure reflects an increase of 251 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,810. AreaSearch validated this estimate using resident population data from June 2024 and additional addresses found since the Census date. The current population density is 1,402 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth in South Bunbury.

AreaSearch uses 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 employs ABS Greater Capital Region projections from 2023 based on 2022 data. By 2041, South Bunbury is projected to grow by 1,411 persons, reflecting a total increase of 17.9% over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, South Bunbury has experienced around 27 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 137 homes. So far in FY-26, 16 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling has added approximately 2.6 new residents per year between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating solid demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $445,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $45.6 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Rest of WA, South Bunbury has around half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person while it places among the 37th percentile of areas assessed nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. This level is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 96.0% detached dwellings and 4.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (74.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. The location has approximately 450 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area. Looking ahead, South Bunbury is expected to grow by 1,620 residents through to 2041 according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

South Bunbury has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Bunbury Regional Hospital Redevelopment, Bunbury Ocean Pool, SWAMS Health Hub and Community Centre, Hands Oval Redevelopment. The following list details those likely to be most 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.

AreaSearch analysis places South Bunbury well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

South Bunbury has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 6.8%.

As of September 2025, 5,099 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 0.4% lower than Rest of WA's 3.3%. Workforce participation is at par with Rest of WA's 59.4%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area has a notable concentration in health care & social assistance, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.3% of South Bunbury's workforce compared to Rest of WA's 9.3%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. In the past year, employment increased by 6.8%, and labour force increased by 5.7%, causing a 1.0 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within South Bunbury. These projections suggest local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on industry-specific growth rates applied to South Bunbury's employment mix.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, South Bunbury's median income among taxpayers is $55,714. The average income is $71,617. This is higher than the national average. In comparison, Rest of WA has a median income of $59,973 and an average of $74,392. Based on Wage Price Index growth from June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $61,074 and average income would be around $78,507. As per the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 47th percentile with weekly earnings of $791. Household income ranks at the 31st percentile. Income distribution shows that 28.6% of locals (2,591 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, which is consistent with broader regional trends showing 31.1% in the same category. After housing expenses, 85.1% of income remains for other expenses. South Bunbury's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

In South Bunbury, as per the latest Census evaluation, 73.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 26.1% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Non-Metro WA's dwelling structure, which was 88.1% houses and 11.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Bunbury stood at 36.2%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 32.2% and rented dwellings making up 31.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, lower than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,616. Weekly rent in South Bunbury was recorded at $300, matching Non-Metro WA's figure but significantly lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, South Bunbury's mortgage repayments were notably lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households account for 62.0% of all households, including 22.3% couples with children, 28.4% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.0%, with lone person households at 35.0% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in South Bunbury fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

South Bunbury's residents aged 15+ have 22.6% holding university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 15.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.7% holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 30.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.5% currently enrolled in formal education: 9.5% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education.

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

South Bunbury has 82 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by eight different routes that together facilitate 696 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent access to transportation, with an average distance of 165 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency is high, with an average of 99 trips per day across all routes, equating to about eight weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in South Bunbury is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

South Bunbury faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~5,040 people). The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 10.5% and 8.6% of residents respectively. Conversely, 65.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 66.4% across Rest of WA. The area has 21.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,911 people), higher than the 17.6% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

South Bunbury was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 79.5% of its population born in Australia, 88.2% being citizens, and 91.8% speaking English only at home. The main religion in South Bunbury is Christianity, which makes up 49.1% of people in the area. However, Judaism is overrepresented, comprising 0.1% of the population compared to 0.0% across the rest of WA.

The top three ancestry groups are English (33.8%), Australian (26.3%), and Irish (8.2%). Notably, Welsh (0.9%) and Polish (1.1%) are overrepresented in South Bunbury compared to regional averages of 0.6% and 0.7%, respectively, while Italian representation is slightly higher at 5.4%.

South Bunbury hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in South Bunbury is 43 years, which is slightly higher than Rest of WA's average of 40 years and well above the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of WA average, the 25-34 age cohort is notably over-represented at 14.9% in South Bunbury, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 10.9%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 11.4% to 14.9%, while the 85+ cohort has declined from 4.2% to 2.8% and the 65 to 74 group has dropped from 12.2% to 10.9%. Population forecasts for South Bunbury in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to grow substantially by 760 people (56%), from 1,350 to 2,111. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.