South Fremantle

Population growth drivers in South Fremantle are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated since the 2021 Census, South Fremantle's population is estimated at around 3,791 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 393 people (11.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,398 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 3,763 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional one validated new address since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,477 persons per square kilometer, placing South Fremantle in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. South Fremantle's growth of 11.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 9.7%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 75.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, an above median population growth is projected for statistical areas across the nation, with South Fremantle expected to grow by 598 persons to reach a total of 4,389 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 14.4% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within South Fremantle when compared nationally

South Fremantle recorded around 5 residential properties granted approval annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Approximately 28 homes were approved between financial years FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26.

On average, each home built over the past five financial years accommodated around 12.2 new residents annually. This supply lagged demand significantly, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. Developers focused on the premium market, constructing new properties at an average expected construction cost of $557,000. Compared to Greater Perth, South Fremantle had significantly less development activity, 71.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthened demand and prices for existing properties, though building activity has accelerated in recent years. Nationally, development activity was also lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints.

New building activity consisted of 50.0% detached houses and 50.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend towards denser development to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. South Fremantle had approximately 352 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established area. Population forecasts estimated that South Fremantle would gain around 546 residents by 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

South Fremantle has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects that could potentially impact this region. Notable ones are Stockland Nara, Cockburn Coast Redevelopment, Knutsford East Village, and Monument East. The following details projects expected to have the most relevance:.

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.

The employment landscape in South Fremantle shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

South Fremantle has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.7% as of the past year, with employment growth estimated at 3.9%.

As of September 2025, 2,178 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 4.7%, 0.7% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was lower at 62.1% compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Leading employment industries included health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services, with the latter showing strong specialization at 1.5 times the regional level. Retail trade had lower representation at 5.6% versus the regional average of 9.3%.

Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the past year, employment increased by 3.9% alongside labour force growth of 4.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.4 percentage points. Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.9% and a marginal increase in unemployment. State-level data as of 25-Nov showed WA employment contracted by 0.27% with an unemployment rate of 4.6%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Fremantle's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows South Fremantle's median income among taxpayers is $63,782. The average income in the suburb is $88,810. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Greater Perth's median of $60,748 and average of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for South Fremantle would be approximately $69,918 (median) and $97,354 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in South Fremantle cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that 24.0% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (909 people), reflecting regional patterns where 32.0% fall within this range. Notably, 32.9% of South Fremantle residents exceed $3,000 weekly earnings, indicating strong purchasing power in the community. After housing expenses, 86.4% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

South Fremantle displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

South Fremantle's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 57.7% houses and 42.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Perth metro had 61.2% houses and 38.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Fremantle stood at 46.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.6% and rented ones at 28.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,249, higher than Perth metro's $2,167, while the median weekly rent was $450 compared to Perth metro's $379. Nationally, South Fremantle's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 61.2% of all households, including 21.6% couples with children, 31.3% couples without children, and 7.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 38.8%, with lone person households at 33.1% and group households comprising 5.8%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.3.

South Fremantle demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

South Fremantle's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 50.3% possess university qualifications, exceeding WA's 27.9% and the SA4 region's 28.6%. The area has a significant educational advantage with bachelor degrees leading at 31.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.6%) and graduate diplomas (5.2%). Vocational pathways account for 24.6% of qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (13.7%).

A substantial 23.3% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, with 7.1% in tertiary, 5.9% in primary, and 5.9% in secondary education.

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

South Fremantle has 18 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are served by 12 different routes that together facilitate 2,485 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed excellent, with residents on average located just 142 meters from their nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 355 trips across all routes, which amounts to roughly 138 weekly trips per individual stop.

South Fremantle's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

South Fremantle residents show positive health outcomes, with common conditions similar across age groups. Private health cover stands at 62%, compared to Greater Perth's 67.1% and the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues affect 9.2% and arthritis impacts 8.6% of residents.

68.1% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Perth's 69.6%. The area has 24.1% residents aged 65 and over (913 people), higher than Greater Perth's 20.7%. Seniors' health outcomes are strong, outperforming the general population in metrics.

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

South Fremantle, surveyed in June 2021, had a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 10.9% of residents speaking languages other than English at home. Born overseas, 35.9% of South Fremantle's population was recorded in the same survey. Christianity dominated religious affiliations, comprising 32.1%.

Judaism, at 0.4%, was slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Perth's 0.3%. The top ancestral groups were English (32.8%), Australian (18.2%), and Irish (10.5%). Notably, Welsh (1.1%) and French (1.1%) residents were proportionally higher than the regional averages of 1.0% each. Croatian ancestry was also slightly overrepresented at 1.5%, compared to Greater Perth's 1.4%.

South Fremantle hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

South Fremantle's median age is 48 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that the 65-74 year-old group is particularly prominent at 14.5%, while the 5-14 year-old group is smaller at 8.1% compared to Greater Perth. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 8.4% to 9.4% of the population. Conversely, the 0-4 age group has declined from 4.7% to 3.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in South Fremantle. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 56%, adding 161 residents to reach 450. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 57% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts.