Subiaco

Population growth drivers in Subiaco are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of Nov 2025, the estimated population of Subiaco is around 12,008. This reflects an increase of 2,068 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,940. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 11,474 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 519 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,836 persons per square kilometer, placing Subiaco in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 20.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (8.9%) and state average. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 84.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

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, 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 project an above median growth for national statistical areas, with Subiaco expected to increase by 1,874 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 9.4% over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Subiaco has seen around 249 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1,247 homes. So far in FY-26, 68 approvals have been recorded. The average number of people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these years is 0.9 per year. This supply meets or surpasses demand, providing greater buyer choice and supporting potential population growth above projections.

New dwellings are developed at an average value of $516,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In this financial year, $118.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Perth, Subiaco has 215.0% more construction activity per person, offering buyers ample choice despite recent slowdowns. This level is well above average nationally, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New development consists of 19.0% detached dwellings and 81.0% attached dwellings, focusing on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition of 39.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. With around 74 people per dwelling approval, Subiaco shows characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts indicate Subiaco will gain 1,134 residents through to 2041 based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Subiaco has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 39 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include St John of God Subiaco Hospital Redevelopment, Arco Subiaco, Incontro Apartments, and Salvado Road Medical Precinct. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Subiaco well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Subiaco has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 2.3%.

As of June 2025, there are 6,928 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation stands at 67.5%, slightly higher than Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, employment in professional & technical services is at 2.2 times the regional average, while construction has limited presence with 4.3% employment compared to 9.3% regionally.

The area hosts more jobs than residents, with a worker-to-resident ratio of 1.0. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.6%, and employment decreased by 2.3%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment growth of 3.7% and labour force growth of 3.8%, with a slight rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that Subiaco's employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.3% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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 ATO data released for financial year ended June 2022, Subiaco had a median income among taxpayers of $78,651 and an average income of $126,482. Nationally, these figures place Subiaco in the top percentile. In Greater Perth, the median income was $58,380 and the average income was $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% between financial years 2022 to 2025 (as of September 2025), estimated incomes would be approximately $89,819 (median) and $144,442 (average). The 2021 Census data shows that individual earnings at the 95th percentile nationally were $1,330 weekly. In Subiaco, 28.3% of residents earned between $1,500 to $2,999 per week, with a total of 3,398 people in this income bracket. This aligns with the surrounding region where 32.0% of residents also fall into this income category. A significant portion of Subiaco's population, 38.2%, earns over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing costs consume 15.5% of income in the area. Despite high housing costs, strong earnings place disposable income at the 79th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Subiaco features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Subiaco's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 38.8% houses and 61.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Perth metro's 37.1% houses and 62.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Subiaco stood at 29.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.6% and rented dwellings at 46.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,498, higher than Perth metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Subiaco was $438, compared to Perth metro's $390. Nationally, Subiaco's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Subiaco features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 56.6% of all households, including 20.8% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 6.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 43.4%, with lone person households at 39.1% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which aligns with the Greater Perth average.

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

Educational attainment in Subiaco is notably high, with 62.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in WA and 30.1% in Greater Perth. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 38.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 18.4%, with advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (9.3%) being the main types. Educational participation is high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.2% in tertiary education, 7.5% in primary education, and 6.7% pursuing secondary education. Subiaco's three schools have a combined enrollment reaching 3,780 students. The area demonstrates exceptional educational performance, with an ICSEA score of 1175, placing local schools among the most advantaged nationally. Educational provision follows conventional lines, split between one primary and two secondary institutions. As of 2021, Subiaco functions as an education hub with 31.5 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 17.1, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Subiaco has 63 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 37 individual routes, collectively facilitating 7,698 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 143 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency across all routes averages 1,099 trips per day, equating to approximately 122 weekly trips per stop.

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

Subiaco shows excellent health outcomes with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all ages. The private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 77% (9,294 people), compared to Greater Perth's 69.8%. Nationally, it stands at 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 8.3 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A total of 73.4% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Perth's 74.5%. Subiaco has 20.5% (2,461 people) of residents aged 65 and over, higher than Greater Perth's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

Subiaco 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

Subiaco, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 19.8% of residents speaking a language other than English at home. Overseas-born individuals made up 39.2% of the population. Christianity was the dominant religion, accounting for 41.8%.

Judaism, though small in number, was overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, comprising 0.4% versus 0.6%. The top three ancestry groups were English (27.9%), Australian (17.7%), and Other (10.7%). Notable differences existed for French (1.3% vs regional 0.8%), Welsh (0.8% vs 0.7%), and Russian (0.6% vs 0.4%) ancestry groups.

Subiaco's median age exceeds the national pattern

Subiaco has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Perth's figure of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. The 25-34 age cohort is notably over-represented in Subiaco at 18.6%, compared to the Greater Perth average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 9.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 6.0% to 7.5% of the population, and the 15-24 cohort has risen from 9.6% to 10.8%. Conversely, the 0-4 age group has declined from 4.5% to 3.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Subiaco's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 61%, from 900 to 1,450 people. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 71% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.