St James (WA)

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, the estimated population of the suburb of St James (WA) as of Feb 2026 is around 5,905. This reflects an increase of 1,011 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,894. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 5,710 in Jun 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,557 persons per square kilometer, placing St James's in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The suburb's growth rate of 20.7% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (9.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate post-2032 growth, AreaSearch utilises ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends indicate an expected increase just below the median for statistical areas nationally, with St James's projected to expand by 603 persons to reach a total of 6,508 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 6.8% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions St James among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates St James averaged approximately 24 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 122 homes. As of FY-26, 13 approvals have been recorded. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an average of 5.7 people moved to the area per dwelling built, indicating demand exceeding supply. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $519,000, targeting the premium market with high-end developments.

This financial year has seen $69.1 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Perth, St James has 10.0% less new development per person but ranks among the 69th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 65.0% detached dwellings and 35.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points.

With around 189 people per approval, St James reflects a developing area. Future projections estimate St James adding 401 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

St James has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified nine projects potentially affecting this region. Notable ones are Sam Kerr Football Centre and Queens Park Regional Open Space, Elizabeth Baillie Park Redevelopment Project, Curtin University Net Zero Precinct Digital Twin, and Heartwood Bentley - Bentley Redevelopment Project. The following list details those 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 St James well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

St James has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.8%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.2% over the past year, as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of September 2025, there are 3,593 employed residents, with an unemployment rate 1.1% below Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is at 75.2%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. According to Census responses, 7.1% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and accommodation & food, with the latter showing notable concentration at 1.4 times the regional average. However, construction is under-represented, with only 7.9% of St James's workforce compared to Greater Perth's 9.3%.

The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.2%, labour force grew by 2.6%, leading to a 0.5 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment rise by 2.9% and the labour force grow by 3.0%, with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St James's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that median income in St James suburb is $60,650 and average income is $72,077. This contrasts with Greater Perth's median income of $60,748 and average income of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $66,485 (median) and $79,011 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in St James cluster around the 59th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that 34.9% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 54th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

St James is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

St James' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 70.2% houses and 29.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St James stood at 18.2%, with the rest being mortgaged (34.3%) or rented (47.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,842, lower than Perth metro's $1,907. The median weekly rent was $330, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, St James' mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $330 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 59.5% of all households, including 23.9% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 40.5%, with lone person households at 30.1% and group households comprising 10.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

The educational profile of St James exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in St James is notably high, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications. This compares to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 29.9% in the SA4 region. The area's educational advantage is evident in its distribution of degrees: bachelor degrees lead at 26.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications.

Advanced diplomas account for 10.9% and certificates for 18.3%. Educational participation is high, with 33.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.9% in tertiary education, 7.0% in primary education, and 5.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

St James has 25 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 12 routes that together facilitate 2,189 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 152 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 79%, while bus usage stands at 11%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, only 7.1% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 312 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 87 weekly trips per individual stop.

St James'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

Health data shows St James residents have relatively positive health outcomes. AreaSearch's analysis found mortality rates and health conditions were largely in line with national benchmarks, with common health issues seen across both young and old age groups.

Private health cover was high at approximately 56% of the total population (~3,296 people), compared to 59.0% in Greater Perth. The most prevalent medical conditions were mental health issues (9.4%) and asthma (6.3%), while 75.0% reported no medical ailments, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. The area has 8.0% of residents aged 65 and over (472 people), lower than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Senior health outcomes are above average, ranking broadly with the general population nationally.

St James 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

St James has a high level of cultural diversity, with 30.5% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 41.3% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in St James, accounting for 35.5% of people. However, Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, making up 5.8% of St James' population versus the regional average of 2.7%.

The top three ancestry groups in St James are English (23.2%), Australian (19.6%), and Other (16.3%), with Other being substantially higher than the regional average of 11.2%. Notably, Korean (0.9% vs 0.3%), Welsh (0.7% vs 0.7%), and New Zealand (0.9% vs 0.8%) ethnic groups are also overrepresented in St James compared to Greater Perth.

St James hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

St James's median age at 31 years is lower than both Greater Perth's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, St James has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (24.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.6%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably above the national average of 14.4%. Between 2021 and present, the population share of those aged 15 to 24 has increased from 15.8% to 17.8%, while the proportion of those aged 85 and over has decreased from 1.2% to 0.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in St James's age profile. The number of residents aged 25-34 is expected to grow by 150 people (an increase of 10%), from 1,470 to 1,621. Conversely, the populations of those aged 5-14 and 35-44 are projected to decrease.