Swanbourne

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

Swanbourne's population is estimated at roughly 4,919 as of May 2026, according to AreaSearch's evaluation of ABS population updates and address validations post-Census. Compared to the 2021 Census, which recorded 4,592 people, this represents an addition of 327 residents (7.1%). This estimate of 4,919 residents was determined by AreaSearch using the ABS June 2025 release of ERP data combined with address checking since the Census. With this population level, the density ratio is 935 persons per square kilometer, matching typical averages for assessed locations. Swanbourne has maintained consistent growth over the prior ten years with a 1.6% compound annual rate, which is higher than the SA3 area. The population gains in recent times were mostly driven by overseas migration, which made up approximately 80.0% of the overall increase.

Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia released in 2024 (using 2022 as the base) are applied to each SA2. For areas lacking this data, and for projections beyond 2032, growth rates by age bracket from the 2023 Greater Capital Region projections (based on 2022 data) are used. Demographic outlooks point to a population rise slightly below the median of similar areas. Swanbourne is expected to add 505 residents by 2041, which corresponds to a 10.3% total expansion over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Swanbourne according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Based on analysis of ABS building approvals across statistical boundaries, Swanbourne has registered almost no residential development lately, with approximately 4 dwellings approved over the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and only 1 approval recorded during FY-26. With an average of 60.8 new residents added for every constructed residence during the 5 financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, local supply remains far behind demand, typically resulting in tighter buyer competition and upward pressure on prices. Furthermore, newly built properties carry an average value of $1,347,000, which highlights a developer focus on high-end, premium housing.

Compared to the broader Greater Perth area, Swanbourne displays a very low level of building activity. This lack of new development generally supports demand and prices for established houses, even though building tasks have quickened of late. This rate of development sits below the national average, reflecting the established status of the neighborhood and potential zoning restrictions. In addition, new projects have consisted entirely of standalone houses, preserving the classic low-density feel that attracts buyers wanting larger properties. Interestingly, builders are focusing on detached homes more than the existing housing profile indicates (81.0% at the Census), showing persistent demand for single-family residences despite densification trends. The ratio of 3270 residents for every single approved dwelling underscores the quiet nature of construction in the suburb.

Swanbourne has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 27thth percentile nationally

Local performance is strongly driven by changes to regional infrastructure, key construction projects, and zoning updates. AreaSearch has identified a total of 10 projects that are expected to influence the suburb. Main projects include Claremont on the Park Stage 2 (The Crescent), Swanbourne Station TOD, The Grove Residences, and the 22 St Quentin Avenue Mixed-Use Development, with details of the most significant works listed below.

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

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The exceptional employment performance in Swanbourne places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

A highly qualified workforce characterizes Swanbourne, with professional sectors well represented, an unemployment rate sitting at 1.4%, and an annual job growth rate of 1.3% based on localized statistics. As of March 2026, there are 2,627 employed residents, and the jobless rate is 2.8% lower than the 4.2% average of Greater Perth. Participation in the workforce is slightly lower than the regional baseline, at 67.5% compared to Greater Perth's 70.2%. Census figures indicate that a modest 14.6% of the workforce operated from home, though this may have been influenced by pandemic measures.

Health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training stand as the main employment sectors for local citizens. Professional and technical services show a strong concentration, with a share that is 1.9 times the regional average. Conversely, construction jobs are less prominent, making up 5.0% compared to the regional figure of 9.3%. Comparing the resident workforce to local jobs from Census data suggests that the immediate area provides few employment opportunities.

Local data from AreaSearch, using SALM and ABS sources, shows that during the year ending March 2026, the count of employed residents rose by 1.3% and the total workforce grew by 1.4%, which led to a 0.2 percentage point rise in the jobless rate. In comparison, Greater Perth experienced a 2.0% increase in employment, a 2.5% expansion of the labor force, and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Long-term employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia dated May-25 offer additional perspective on future local demand. These five-year and ten-year forecasts have been applied to the local workforce structure to model future patterns. Nationally, employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but individual sectors show varying growth paths. Applying these sector trends to the local employment mix suggests a 7.2% expansion in Swanbourne over five years and a 14.8% increase over ten years, representing a basic weighting model for illustration rather than a localized population forecast.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

According to the financial year 2023 ATO tax data released at the postcode level, taxpayers in Swanbourne earn a median income of $79,986, with a mean income of $161,440. This represents an exceptionally high level nationally, compared to the Greater Perth median of $60,748 and average of $80,248. Adjusted for the Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, current estimates for March 2026 stand at roughly $88,728 for the median and $179,085 for the average. In the 2021 Census, local household, family, and individual incomes fell within the 96th to 99th percentiles nationwide. In terms of brackets, the $4000+ category contains the largest share at 43.5% of residents (2,139 people), unlike the wider region where the $1,500 - 2,999 range is most common at 32.0%. Financial strength is evident, with 56.2% of households earning weekly incomes above $3,000, which supports consumer demand. After accounting for housing payments, households keep 88.9% of their income, demonstrating significant discretionary funds, and the area is placed in the 10th decile of the SEIFA index.

Swanbourne is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The local housing stock at the time of the last Census consisted of 81.4% standalone houses and 18.6% alternative structures (including apartments, townhouses, and other formats), compared to 77.8% houses and 22.1% alternative structures across the Perth metropolitan area. Home ownership was notably higher in Swanbourne than the metro average at 42.2%, with the remaining properties being purchased under a mortgage (31.9%) or rented (26.0%). The median mortgage payment of $3,504 per month was significantly higher than the Perth metro median of $1,907, while the median weekly rent was $470 compared to $350 across the metro area. On a national level, monthly mortgage outlays in Swanbourne are much higher than the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents exceed the national benchmark of $375.

Swanbourne features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Families make up 79.7% of all local households, consisting of 43.1% couples with children, 28.0% couples without children, and 8.3% single parents. The remaining 20.3% are non-family households, with lone person households representing 17.7% and group housing accounting for 2.4%. The median household occupancy of 2.8 persons is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Swanbourne demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Attainment levels for education in Swanbourne are well above typical benchmarks, with 58.0% of individuals aged 15+ holding a university degree, compared to 27.9% across WA and 30.1% in Greater Perth. This educational profile leaves the suburb well positioned for professional opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 37.3%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 15.7% and graduate diplomas at 5.0%. Vocational paths account for 16.9% of qualifications among those aged 15+, consisting of advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (8.1%).

Participation rates in education are high, with 36.1% of the population currently engaged in study. This group includes 12.9% in secondary schools, 10.8% in primary schools, and 8.8% enrolled in higher education.

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

An analysis of public transport reveals 26 active transit stops in Swanbourne, consisting of train stations and bus stops. These stops connect to 5 distinct routes, which support 1,375 passenger journeys each week. Access to transport is rated highly, with average resident distance to the nearest stop standing at 209 meters. As the suburb is mostly residential, most workers commute out of the area; private cars are the main transit mode at 79%, while train travel makes up 6% and walking accounts for 5%. Vehicle ownership stands at 1.7 cars per household, exceeding the regional average. Census data from 2021 showed that 14.6% of residents worked from home, which may reflect temporary pandemic restrictions.

Across all transit lines, services run at an average of 196 trips daily, representing roughly 52 weekly trips for each stop location.

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

Health profiles for Swanbourne show excellent outcomes, marked by low rates of chronic illnesses and mortality across all demographics, alongside a very high rate of private health insurance, which covers roughly 91% of the population (4,490 people). This rate is much higher than the Greater Perth level of 59.0% and the national baseline of 55.7%.

The most frequent health issues reported by residents were arthritis and asthma, which affect 6.8 and 6.8% of the population, respectively. Meanwhile, 75.3% of the community reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Residents aged 65 and over make up 18.7% of the suburb (919 people), which exceeds the Greater Perth share of 16.1%. Senior citizens in the area enjoy strong health, with national standing matching the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Swanbourne records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Swanbourne aligns closely with regional averages for cultural metrics, with 74.9% of the population born in Australia, 91.0% holding citizenship, and 92.2% using only English at home. Christianity is the main religious affiliation, representing 47.8% of the community. However, the most distinct religious difference is in Judaism, which makes up 0.8% of the local population compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

Regarding parent birthplaces, the largest ancestry groups in Swanbourne are English at 33.4% of the population (above the regional average of 28.0%), Australian at 25.1%, and Scottish at 9.4%. Other ethnic representations show differences from the region, with South Australian backgrounds at 1.2% (compared to 1.0% regionally), Welsh backgrounds at 0.7% (compared to 0.7%), and Dutch backgrounds at 1.7% (compared to 1.5%).

Swanbourne's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age of 38 years in Swanbourne is similar to Greater Perth's average of 37 and matches the national figure of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, the suburb has a higher share of children aged 5 - 14 (14.9%) but a smaller proportion of young adults aged 25 - 34 (10.5%). Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 cohort grew from 5.1% to 6.8% of the population, and the 15 to 24 cohort rose from 13.9% to 15.3%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort fell from 14.5% to 12.8%, while the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 16.4% to 14.9%. By 2041, significant changes in the age structure are anticipated. The 85+ group is projected to expand by 119% (170 people), rising from 142 to 313. This aging trend is prominent, with residents aged 65+ accounting for 57% of total growth, while the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are expected to decrease.