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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
An assessment of population growth drivers in St James reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends
The population of the St James (WA) statistical area (Lv2), as estimated by AreaSearch, was around 5,903 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,009 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,894 people in the area. The growth is inferred from the resident population estimate of 5,710 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 15 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,556 persons per square kilometer for St James (WA), placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The population growth rate of 20.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.7%) and the state's growth rate, marking St James (WA) as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this population growth 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). Future population trends suggest a modest increase for St James (WA), with an expected expansion of 599 persons to reach approximately 6,502 people by 2041. This reflects an overall increase of 6.7% in total over the 17-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
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. This totals an estimated 122 homes from FY-20 to FY-25. As of FY-26, 13 approvals have been recorded. On average, around 5.7 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, suggesting demand significantly exceeds new supply.
New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $519,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. This financial year has seen $69.1 million in commercial approvals, indicative of 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 an addition of 396 residents by 2041, with current development rates indicating new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
St James has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally
AreaSearch has identified nine projects that could impact the area, with key ones being 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 likely to be most relevant.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal
Perth's first major elevated rail project involving the removal of six level crossings along the Armadale Line by raising four kilometres of rail over the road. The project includes construction of five modern elevated stations at Carlisle, Oats Street, Queens Park, Cannington, and Beckenham. The elevated rail creates approximately six hectares of new public open space known as Long Park, a seven-kilometre linear park featuring 14 community spaces including recreational areas, shared paths, playgrounds, skate parks, dog and fitness parks, youth plazas with sports courts, and a public art trail. The project improves public transport safety, reduces traffic congestion, enhances accessibility, and creates versatile community spaces. Services resumed October 13, 2025 after an 18-month shutdown. The project achieved Australia's first Gold Design Rating under the Infrastructure Sustainability Council's v2.1 scheme and Cannington Station received a 6-star Green Star rating.
Sam Kerr Football Centre and Queens Park Regional Open Space
A premier sporting precinct featuring the Sam Kerr Football Centre (State Football Centre) and the Queens Park Regional Open Space. Following the $50.8 million Stage 1 completion in 2023, a $4 million Stage 2 expansion is underway to add two full-size natural turf pitches, lighting, shade structures, and landscaping. The facility serves as the headquarters for Football West and a high-performance training base for elite teams like the Socceroos and Matildas, while also providing community cricket facilities, a pump track, and biodiversity conservation areas.
Australian Hockey Centre
A world-class $163 million redevelopment of the Perth Hockey Stadium into Australia's premier hockey destination and Home of Hockey. The project includes four international-standard outdoor pitches (two with FIH Category 1 certification), a national-first purpose-built indoor hockey centre with two courts, and a three-storey stadium with 1,000 permanent seats and capacity for 10,000 spectators. It will house the Hockey Australia Centre of Excellence and High Performance Program, serving as the base for the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos until 2042. Facilities include a high-performance gym, recovery areas, broadcast infrastructure, and administration hubs for Hockey WA and Hockey Australia.
Carlisle Station Precinct Redevelopment
Major METRONET-linked transit-oriented redevelopment around the new elevated Carlisle train station. The project, part of the Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal, is set to deliver up to 1,000 new dwellings, retail, commercial space, new public realm, and extensive community open spaces including the 'Long Park' under the viaduct.
Woolworths East Victoria Park
A $27.5-$28 million three-storey mixed-use development by Fabcot Pty Ltd (Woolworths Group) featuring a 3,755 mý Woolworths supermarket, nine specialty retail tenancies (740 mý), three food-and-beverage tenancies (256 mý), a 94-place childcare centre (675 mý internal + 645 mý external play area), and approximately 232-233 car parking bays across two basement levels and at-grade. The project targets a 5-star Green Star rating and will revitalise a prominent gateway site in East Victoria Park.
Heartwood Bentley - Bentley Redevelopment Project
Heartwood Bentley is the flagship residential precinct within the Bentley Redevelopment Area in the City of Canning, about 8 km from the Perth CBD. The State Government, through DevelopmentWA, is transforming approximately 21 hectares of former Brownlie Towers and sand quarry land into a modern, sustainable neighbourhood delivering around 800 to 1,000 new homes, including social and affordable housing. Stage 1 subdivision and remediation works are now complete and have created 41 residential lots, three development sites, new internal roads and public open spaces. Stage 1A land release offers have closed and planning for the Stage 1B release is underway. A recently approved Master Plan and Redevelopment Scheme set a 10 to 15 year delivery horizon, targeting 30 per cent tree canopy, one in seven dwellings as social housing, and high quality parks, paths and community amenities.
Canning City Centre Activity Centre Plan - Private Residential Precincts
Long term redevelopment of the Canning City Centre in Cannington under the Canning City Centre Activity Centre Plan and associated structure plans. The program focuses on high density residential and mixed use precincts around Cannington Station and Westfield Carousel, supported by the City of Canning City Centre Regeneration Program. The Activity Centre Plan (LP.08) was approved by the Western Australian Planning Commission in 2017 and amended in 2021, and it anticipates around 10,000 new dwellings and up to 25,000 residents delivered over 20 to 30 years, with significant public realm upgrades such as Cecil Avenue East and West, Lake Street Urban Stream, Lake Street Extension and Wharf Street Basin already completed or underway.
Wanju Welcome Bentley St James
Wanju Welcome Bentley St James is an ongoing community-led neighborhood revitalization initiative by the City of Canning that creates a welcoming environment where residents feel a sense of belonging and can actively shape their neighborhood's story. The program celebrates Whadjuk Noongar cultural heritage and the area's multicultural diversity through various initiatives including the StreetSport Program for youth aged 10-15, multicultural festivals (including the Bentley Eid Festival), family events, food drives, cultural workshops, and park activations. The initiative works alongside the Bentley redevelopment following the 2019 demolition of Brownlie Towers, fostering community connection and engagement through events, storytelling, and programs that breathe new life into the Bentley St James neighborhood.
Employment
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%, lower than Greater Perth's 4.0%.
Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.2% by AreaSearch. As of September 2025, 3,596 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.2% below Greater Perth's rate. Workforce participation is high at 70.6%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and accommodation & food.
The area has a notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels 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%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.2%, while the labour force grew by 2.6%, leading to a decrease in unemployment of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment rise by 2.9% and unemployment increase marginally. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.27%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.6%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch
St James' latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows median income at $60,650 and average income at $72,077. This compares to Greater Perth's median income of $60,748 and average income of $80,248. By September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $66,485 (median) and $79,011 (average), based on a 9.62% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. The 2021 Census indicates St James' household, family, and personal incomes cluster around the 59th percentile nationally. Income brackets show 34.9% of residents earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. This is similar to regional levels where 32.0% fall within this income range. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, leaving disposable income at the 54th percentile nationally. St James' SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
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'). Perth metro had 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in St James was at 18.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.3% and rented ones at 47.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,842, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,820. Median weekly rent in St James was $330, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, St James' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents substantially below the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
St James features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 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 account for 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, smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.7.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
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, surpassing WA's 27.9% and the SA4 region's 29.9%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent with 29.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (18.3%). Educational participation is high at 33.1%, with 12.9% in tertiary education, 7.0% in primary education, and 5.9% pursuing secondary education.
Educational participation is notably 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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Transport analysis in St James shows 25 active transport stops operating, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 12 individual routes, collectively offering 2,189 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 152 meters from the nearest stop.
Service frequency averages 312 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 87 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
St James's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts
Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout St James. Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population.
It nears the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high, approximately 56% of the total population (~3,295 people). This compares to 52.4% across Greater Perth. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.4 and 6.3% of residents respectively. 75.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 76.0% across Greater Perth. The area has 7.7% of residents aged 65 and over (454 people), which is lower than the 15.9% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, requiring more attention than the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
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. The predominant religion in St James is Christianity, comprising 35.5% of the population. However, Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, making up 5.8% versus 6.7%.
The top three ancestry groups are English (23.2%), Australian (19.6%), and Other (16.3%). Notably, Korean (0.9%) and Welsh (0.7%) populations are overrepresented compared to the regional averages of 1.2% and 0.5%, respectively, while New Zealanders are also slightly overrepresented at 0.9% versus 0.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
St James hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide
St James's median age is 31, which is lower than Greater Perth's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, St James has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (25.3%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.5%). This 25-34 concentration is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 15.8% to 17.6%, while the proportion of those aged 85+ has decreased from 1.2% to 0.2%. By 2041, demographic projections suggest significant changes in St James's age profile. The 45-54 age cohort is expected to grow steadily, increasing by 128 people (20%) from 631 to 760. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.