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

Analysis of ABS population updates for the wider region, alongside new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, indicates that the suburb of South Perth has an estimated population of approximately 14,424 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 1,828 people (14.5%) from the 2021 Census, which documented a population of 12,596 people. The shift is calculated from a resident population of 14,421, which AreaSearch estimated after evaluating the ABS's June 2025 release of ERP data and confirming an extra 437 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population count translates to a density ratio of 2,800 persons per square kilometer, placing the locality in the top quartile of domestic locations evaluated by AreaSearch. The suburb of South Perth's 14.5% growth rate since the 2021 census was higher than the national average (9.3%) and also surpassed the SA3 area, establishing it as a regional growth leader. Population expansion in the locality was mostly propelled by overseas migration, which accounted for roughly 91.0% of all population increases during recent periods.

AreaSearch incorporates ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, which were published in 2024 using 2022 as the baseline year. For SA2 areas lacking this information, and to calculate growth across all areas after 2032, AreaSearch applies the growth rates by age group published by the ABS in its 2023 Greater Capital Region projections (based on 2022 data). Factoring in the anticipated demographic transitions, the suburb of South Perth is projected to experience population growth above the national median, with the location expected to add 1,996 residents by 2041 based on compiled SA2-level projections, representing a total increase of 13.8% across the 16 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 averages approximately 127 approved new homes annually, with a total of about 636 homes approved over the last 5 financial years. In FY-26 to date, 102 approvals have been documented. An average of 2.1 people per year moved to the area for every new home built over the last 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), pointing to healthy demand that should support property values. New homes carry an average construction cost of $1,419,000, showing that developers are focusing on the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Furthermore, $39.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, showing strong commercial development momentum.

In comparison to Greater Perth, South Perth registers 50.0% more development activity per person, which should offer buyers plenty of options, even though building activity has slowed down in recent years. New building activity consists of 17.0% detached houses and 83.0% medium and high-density housing. This emphasis on higher-density living offers more affordable entry options and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a clear shift from the area's existing housing, which is currently 34.0% houses, showing decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With approximately 169 people per approval, South Perth displays the characteristics of a developing area.

Projections indicate South Perth will add 1,993 residents by 2041, according to the latest quarterly estimate from AreaSearch. At current development rates, the supply of new housing should easily satisfy demand, creating favorable 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

Few factors influence local performance as much as changes to infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, AreaSearch has identified 21 projects that are likely to impact the area. Key developments include Lumiere South Perth, Riva Como, The Pearl, and 8 Parker Street Luxury Apartments, with the following list detailing the projects most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in South Perth rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

South Perth has a highly educated workforce with a strong presence of professional services, an unemployment rate of only 1.9%, and an estimated employment growth of 2.3% over the past year, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of March 2026, 9,053 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 2.3% below the Greater Perth rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is generally similar to Greater Perth's 70.2%. Based on Census responses, a low 13.1% of residents worked from home, though the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns should be taken into account.

The main employment sectors for residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area displays a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share that is 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, construction is under-represented, employing only 6.1% of South Perth's workforce compared to 9.3% in Greater Perth. The mostly residential area seems to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the comparison between the Census working population and the resident population.

According to AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data aggregated from broader statistical areas, during the year ending March 2026, employment levels rose by 2.3% and the labour force grew by 2.3%, keeping unemployment stable. This stands in contrast to Greater Perth, where employment increased by 2.0%, the labour force grew by 2.5%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can provide additional context regarding future demand in South Perth. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to South Perth's employment mix suggests local employment should rise by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for local population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to the latest postcode-level ATO data released by AreaSearch for the 2023 financial year, the suburb of South Perth's median taxpayer income is $65,940, with an average of $107,831. This ranks in the top percentile nationally, comparing to a median of $60,748 and an average of $80,248 in Greater Perth. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since the 2023 financial year, current estimates would be approximately $73,147 for the median and $119,617 for the average as of March 2026. Census data shows individual earnings stand out at the 88th percentile nationally with a weekly figure of $1,147. The data indicates that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket is the most common, containing 29.3% of residents (4,226 people), which aligns with regional levels where this group represents 32.0%. High earners are highly represented, with 33.5% earning more than $3,000 weekly, pointing to strong purchasing power in the community. Housing costs make up 13.7% of income, while solid earnings place residents in the 71st percentile for disposable income, and the area's SEIFA income ranking is in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in South Perth at the time of the latest Census consisted of 33.9% houses and 66.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, and alternative housing types), compared to the Perth metro distribution of 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of outright home ownership in South Perth was higher than the Perth metro rate, standing at 34.1%, while the remaining properties were mortgaged (22.4%) or rented (43.6%). The median monthly mortgage payment in the area was significantly above the Perth metro average at $2,200, while the median weekly rent was recorded at $375, compared to Perth metro averages of $1,907 and $350. Nationally, South Perth's mortgage payments are much higher than the Australian average of $1,863, whereas rents are equal to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households make up the majority at 58.0% of all households, consisting of 20.3% couples with children, 30.1% couples without children, and 6.1% single-parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 42.0%, with single-person households at 36.7% and group households representing 5.3% of the total. The median household size of 2.1 people is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in South Perth is considerably higher than broader averages, with 51.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in WA and 29.9% in the SA4 region. This significant educational advantage places the area in a strong position for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 32.4%, followed by postgraduate degrees (14.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational pathways make up 23.7% of qualifications for those aged 15 and over, consisting of advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (12.6%).

Participation in education is remarkably high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal studies. This includes 10.3% in tertiary education, 6.5% in secondary schools, and 5.8% attending primary school.

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

Public transport analysis shows 78 active transport stops operating within South Perth, comprising a combination of ferry and bus services. These stops are serviced by 9 distinct routes, which collectively provide 3,151 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 128 meters from the nearest stop. Because this is a primarily residential area, most residents commute out of the suburb, with cars remaining the dominant mode of transport at 74%, followed by buses at 14% and cycling at 2%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 13.1% of residents work from home, based on 2021 Census data, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 450 trips per day across all routes, which corresponds to approximately 40 weekly trips per individual stop.

South Perth's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data reveals excellent results throughout South Perth, based on AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, which indicates very low rates of common health issues across all age brackets. Additionally, the rate of private health insurance is exceptionally high, covering approximately 70% of the total population (10,096 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were asthma and arthritis, affecting 6.5 and 6.4% of residents, respectively, while 73.6% of residents reported having no medical conditions, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Working-age residents are particularly healthy with low rates of chronic illness. The area has 23.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,331 people), which is higher than the 16.1% share in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are especially strong, with national rankings generally matching those of the broader population.

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 displays greater cultural diversity than most local markets, with 21.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 39.8% born overseas. The main religion in South Perth was Christianity, representing 46.1% of residents. However, the most notable overrepresentation was in Judaism, which makes up 0.5% of the population, compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (based on parents' country of birth), the top three groups represented in South Perth are English at 27.6% of the population, Australian at 18.9%, and Other at 11.2%. There are also notable differences in the representation of other ethnic groups: South Australian ancestry is overrepresented at 0.9% of South Perth (compared to 1.0% regionally), French ancestry at 0.7% (compared to 0.5%), and Croatian ancestry at 0.9% (compared to 0.8%).

South Perth's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age of 42 years in South Perth is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and is also older than the Australian median of 38 years. The 65 - 74 age group is strongly represented at 12.2% compared to Greater Perth, while the 5 - 14 group is less common at 7.0%. Data from after the 2021 Census shows the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.2% to 8.4% of the population, while the 25 to 34 group rose from 15.8% to 17.1%. On the other hand, the 45 to 54 cohort decreased from 12.3% to 10.9%, and the 0 to 4 group fell from 4.3% to 3.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic shifts for South Perth. Leading this change, the 75 to 84 cohort will expand by 65% (789 people), growing from 1,211 to 2,001. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 71% of total population growth, showing the area's aging profile. In contrast, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are projected to see population decreases.