South Perth

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

The population of the South Perth statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 14,105 as of Nov 2025, based on analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated by AreaSearch. This reflects an increase of 1,509 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,596 people in the area. The change is inferred from the resident population of 13,867 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), along with an additional 434 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,738 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The South Perth (SA2) area's 12.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.7%), driven primarily by overseas migration contributing approximately 91.0% 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 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). Population projections indicate an above median growth for statistical areas across the nation, with the South Perth (SA2) area expected to increase by 2,001 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 13.2% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions South Perth among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, South Perth has recorded around 120 residential properties granted approval per year. Approximately 602 homes were approved over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, with an additional 17 approved so far in FY-26. On average, 1.8 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five financial years. However, this figure has increased to 5.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, reflecting South Perth's growing popularity and potential supply constraints.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $1,419,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $39.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Perth, South Perth has slightly more development activity, at 42.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. However, construction activity has eased recently.

New building activity shows a trend toward denser development, with 17.0% detached houses and 83.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 203 people per dwelling approval, South Perth exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to gain 1,869 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

South Perth has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified a total of 21 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Lumiere South Perth, Riva Como, The Pearl, and 8 Parker Street Luxury Apartments. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

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

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South Perth ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

South Perth has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.1% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.1% over the past year.

This is based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. In South Perth, 8,717 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.9% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.

Notably, professional & technical services had employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average, while construction showed lower representation at 6.1% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 2.1% and labour force grew by 2.1%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable in South Perth. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment rise by 2.9% and unemployment rise marginally. State-level data from WA as of 25-Nov showed employment contracted by 0.27% with an unemployment rate of 4.6%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Perth's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, South Perth had a median income among taxpayers of $65,940 with an average level of $107,831. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to median and average incomes of $60,748 and $80,248 across Greater Perth respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for South Perth would be approximately $72,283 (median) and $118,204 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, individual earnings in South Perth stand at the 88th percentile nationally with weekly earnings of $1,147. Income distribution shows that 29.3% of locals (4,132 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the broader area where 32.0% occupy this range. Economic strength is evident with 33.5% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.7% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 71st percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

South Perth's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 33.9% houses and 66.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Perth metro's figures of 49.3% houses and 50.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Perth was at 34.1%, similar to Perth metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.4% and rented ones at 43.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Perth was $2,200, aligning with the Perth metro average, while the median weekly rent was $375 compared to Perth metro's $360. Nationally, South Perth's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863, but rents were comparable at $375.

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

Family households account for 58.0% of all households, including 20.3% couples with children, 30.1% couples without children, and 6.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 42.0%, with lone person households at 36.7% and group households comprising 5.3%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.2.

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

South Perth's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 51.0% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 29.9% in the South Australian Statistical Division (SA4). This educational advantage positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 32.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%).

Vocational pathways account for 23.7% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 12.6%. Educational participation is notably high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.3% in tertiary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing primary education.

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

South Perth has 78 active public transport stops operating currently. These include a mix of ferry and bus services. There are 9 different routes in total serving these stops, collectively facilitating 3,151 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents located an average of 128 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 450 trips daily across all routes, which equates to approximately 40 weekly trips per individual stop.

South Perth's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout South Perth with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 70% of the total population (9,873 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 6.5 and 6.4% of residents respectively, while 73.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Perth. As of 2018, 22.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,230 people), which is higher than the 20.5% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

South Perth 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 Perth has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 21.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 39.8% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in South Perth at 46.1%. Judaism is overrepresented here compared to Greater Perth, making up 0.5% versus 0.2%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (27.6%), Australian (18.9%), and Other (11.2%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: South African (0.9% vs regional 0.8%), French (0.7% vs 0.7%), and Croatian (0.9% vs 0.8%) are notably present in South Perth.

South Perth's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in South Perth is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 12.6% of the population in South Perth, compared to a lower prevalence of the 5-14 cohort at 7.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 6.2% to 8.1%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.3% to 11.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for South Perth. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 75%, reaching 1,998 people from the current 1,142. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 76% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.