South Lake

South Lake is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area around South Lake, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb's estimated population is around 6,242 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 411 people (7.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,831 people in South Lake. The change was inferred from the resident population of 6,172, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS on Jun 2024, and an additional 7 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,938 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. South Lake's 7.0% growth since census positions it within 2.9 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 64.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising the 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 of statistical areas across the nation is projected, with South Lake expected to increase by 971 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 17.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis, South Lake experienced approximately 14 dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), around 70 homes were approved, with an additional 77 approved in FY-26. Each new dwelling is estimated to bring about 6 new residents annually.

This significant demand outpaces supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition, while new properties are constructed at an average cost of $347,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totaled $1.8 million, indicating South Lake's residential focus. Compared to Greater Perth, South Lake has 76.0% fewer dwelling approvals per capita, suggesting stronger demand and values for established homes due to limited new supply. Nationally, this activity is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Currently, 60.0% of new building activity involves standalone homes, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments (40.0%), offering options across different price points. This shift from the current housing mix (93.0% houses) indicates reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands.

South Lake has around 700 people per dwelling approval, indicating a highly mature market. By 2041, South Lake is projected to grow by 1,110 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

South Lake has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Seven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These include Glen Iris Local Shopping Centre at Glen Iris Estate, Yangebup Primary School Expansion and Modernisation, Cockburn Central East Structure Plan & Armadale Road and North Lake Road Bridge Interchange Project, and Cockburn Central West. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in South Lake has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

South Lake has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 6.1% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.8%. As of September 2025, 3,637 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.1% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is fairly standard at 75.4%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, a low 5.2% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area has particular employment specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, mining shows lower representation at 5.2% versus the regional average of 7.0%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 2.8% while labour force grew by 4.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.2 percentage points. 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 suggest that South Lake's employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

South Lake's income level is above the national average according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The suburb's median income among taxpayers is $57,061 and the average income stands at $69,370, compared to Greater Perth's figures of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $62,550 (median) and $76,043 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in South Lake rank modestly, between the 48th and 49th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 37.6% of locals (2,346 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the broader area where 32.0% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income, leaving disposable income at the 50th percentile.

South Lake is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

South Lake's dwellings, as per the latest Census evaluation, comprised 92.8% houses and 7.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Lake stood at 25.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 48.2% and rented ones at 26.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,600, below Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent in South Lake was $350, matching Perth metro's figure but lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, South Lake's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

South Lake features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 72.2% of all households, including 31.6% couples with children, 24.8% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.8%, with lone person households at 22.7% and group households making up 5.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Perth average.

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

South Lake Trail region has 21.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding them - advanced diplomas at 9.3% and certificates at 26.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.1% currently enrolled in formal education: 9.6% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 4.8% in tertiary education.

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

South Lake has 35 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by four routes that collectively provide 709 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 213 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 84%, while 8% use trains. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 5.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 101 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in South Lake is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

South Lake faces notable health challenges as assessed by AreaSearch, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 55% (~3,416 people) have private health cover, compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 9.1 and 8.8% of residents respectively. Around 68.1% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Working-age residents have an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 16.2% (1,011 people) of residents aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly inline with the general population.

South Lake was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

South Lake has a higher linguistic diversity than most local markets, with 22.9% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home. As of the 2016 Census, 34.2% of South Lake's population was born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in South Lake, accounting for 43.0% of the population.

However, Islam has a higher representation in South Lake compared to Greater Perth, making up 2.3% versus 3.2%. The top three ancestry groups in South Lake are English (25.6%), Australian (23.3%), and Other (13.1%). Notably, Serbian (0.7%) is overrepresented in South Lake compared to the regional average of 0.3%. Similarly, Croatian has a higher representation at 1.0% versus 0.8%, and South African also shows an increase from 1.0% regionally to 0.8% in South Lake.

South Lake's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

South Lake's median age is nearly 36 years, close to Greater Perth's average of approximately 37 years, which is slightly below Australia's median of about 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, South Lake has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74, at 9.8%, but fewer residents aged 75-84, at 4.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 65-74 age group has increased from 8.1% to 9.8%, while the 75-84 cohort has risen from 3.2% to 4.6%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 13.8% to 12.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling indicates significant changes in South Lake's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 89%, adding 254 residents to reach 542. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort is expected to grow by a modest 2%, an increase of 11 people.