Tom Price

Tom Price has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

As of Nov 2025, Tom Price's population is estimated at around 3,426, reflecting an increase of 516 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS reported a population of 2,910 in 2021. AreaSearch estimates the resident population as 3,449 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and address validation since the Census date. This level equates to a density ratio of 46 persons per square kilometer. Tom Price's growth rate of 17.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Natural growth contributed approximately 59.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 post-2032 growth estimation, AreaSearch utilises ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by 216 persons, reflecting a reduction of 0.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Tom Price, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Tom Price shows around 9 new homes approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25, approximately 45 homes were approved, with 1 more approved so far in FY26. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to population change.

Average construction cost value for new homes is $845,000, indicating targeting of the premium market segment. This year, $71,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Rest of WA, Tom Price has 18.0% less building activity per person but ranks among the 61st percentile nationally. Building activity has accelerated recently despite being below national average, indicating established nature and potential planning limitations.

New development consists mostly of standalone homes (83.0%) with some medium and high-density housing (17.0%), maintaining low density character. There are around 245 people per dwelling approval in Tom Price, suggesting a developing market. With stable or declining population forecasts, housing pressure may be less, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Tom Price has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 5thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may affect this region. Key initiatives include the Tom Price Hospital Redevelopment, Greater Tom Price Operations Sustaining Capital, Tom Price Residential Development, and Tom Price Town Centre Revitalisation. The following list details those 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 Tom Price rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Tom Price has a skilled labor force with prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.0% as of June 2025, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

In this month, 1,759 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.2% lower than Rest of WA's rate of 3.2%. Workforce participation stands at 75.9%, significantly higher than Rest of WA's 59.4%. Key employment industries include mining, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Mining particularly dominates with an employment share four times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.3% of local workers compared to Rest of WA's 9.3%.

The area might offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labor force decreased by 2.7% while employment also declined by 2.7%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. This contrasts with Rest of WA where employment rose by 1.1%, labor force grew by 0.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand in Tom Price. Over five years, national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to Tom Price's employment mix indicates local employment growth of 4.2% over five years and 10.6% over ten years.

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

Tom Price had a median taxpayer income of $98,836 and an average income of $96,753 in financial year 2022, according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data. This places Tom Price among the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Rest of WA's median income of $57,323 and average income of $71,163. By September 2025, estimates suggest a median income of approximately $112,871 and an average income of $110,492, based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census ranked household, family, and personal incomes in Tom Price between the 97th and 99th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows that 37.4% of locals (1,281 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, mirroring metropolitan regions where 31.1% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident with 54.4% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 98.3% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

In Tom Price, as per the latest Census, 91.8% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 8.2% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This is compared to Non-Metro WA's figures of 81.0% houses and 19.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tom Price stood at 5.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 3.1% and rented ones at 91.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,200, below Non-Metro WA's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Tom Price was $48, significantly lower than Non-Metro WA's $220 and the national average of $375. Nationally, Tom Price's mortgage repayments were substantially lower at $1,200 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

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

Family households make up 77.6% of all households, consisting of 47.5% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 5.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 22.4%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households comprising 1.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Rest of WA average of 2.8.

Tom Price faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 18.3%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 53.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (43.0%). Educational participation is high at 38.8%, comprising 21.2% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 2.2% in tertiary education.

Tom Price's three schools have a combined enrollment of 834 students as of the given date. The area has an ICSEA score of 895, indicating varied educational conditions. Education provision is balanced with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (24.3 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 19.4), suggesting the area serves as an educational hub for surrounding regions.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Tom Price's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Tom Price's health outcomes show notable results with typical levels of common health conditions seen in both young and elderly populations. Approximately 66% of its total population of 2,247 has private health cover, compared to 72.0% in Rest of WA and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (7.5%) and mental health issues (5.8%), with 80.3% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 81.3% in Rest of WA.

The area has 2.3%, or 78 people, aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Tom Price was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Tom Price has a higher than average cultural diversity, with 21.6% of its population born overseas and 11.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Tom Price, accounting for 36.4% of the population. Notably, Buddhism is slightly overrepresented compared to the rest of WA, making up 2.0% of Tom Price's population versus 1.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (29.1%), English (26.0%), and Other (7.9%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences in representation: Maori is overrepresented at 2.7% compared to the regional average of 2.0%, New Zealand is slightly underrepresented at 1.2% versus 1.3%, and Australian Aboriginal is underrepresented at 7.8% compared to 8.5%.

Tom Price hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Tom Price's median age is 31 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of WA average of 40 years, and also younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of WA, Tom Price has a higher concentration of residents aged 35-44 (23.6%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (2.2%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.2%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of Tom Price's population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 20.8% to 23.6%, while the proportion of residents aged 45 to 54 has declined from 12.5% to 11.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Tom Price, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 age group (16%), adding 93 residents to reach a total of 679. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 75-84 and 65-74 age groups.