West Beach (WA)

West Beach is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, West Beach's population is estimated at around 1,544 people. This reflects an increase of 61 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 1,483. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and their analysis of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024. This results in a density ratio of 67 persons per square kilometer for West Beach. Natural growth contributed approximately 54% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 estimations, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in their latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, West Beach is expected to increase its population by 170 persons to reach around 1,714 by 2041, reflecting a gain of approximately 11.3% over the 17-year period.

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

West Beach had minimal residential development activity with 3 dwelling approvals annually on average over the past five years (18 approvals total). This low level of development is characteristic of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. Note that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

All new constructions in West Beach were detached dwellings, primarily family homes suited for those seeking a rural lifestyle with space. With approximately 222 people per approval, West Beach reflects a low-density area.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, West Beach is projected to add 175 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

West Beach has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 7thth percentile nationally

No factors influence a region's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially impact this area. Notable projects include South Coast Highway Improvements: Albany To Esperance in Western Australia, Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements, WA Police Satellite Technology Upgrade, and Regional And Rural Wa Road Network Safety Improvements, with the following list detailing those most likely to be relevant.

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

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

West Beach has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 0.9% as of June 2025, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

This rate is 2.3 percentage points lower than the Rest of WA's rate of 3.2%. Workforce participation in West Beach is higher at 65.0%, compared to the Rest of WA's 59.4%. Key industries of employment among residents are education & training, health care & social assistance, and construction. Education & training has a particularly strong presence with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Mining, however, has limited presence at 2.9% compared to the regional level of 11.7%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.1% alongside a 2.3% employment decline, leaving unemployment broadly flat. By comparison, Rest of WA recorded employment growth of 1.1%, labour force growth of 0.5%, with unemployment falling by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer further insight into potential future demand within West Beach. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to West Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 on West Beach. The median income among taxpayers was $69,934 and the average was $90,818. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Rest of WA's median of $57,323 and average of $71,163. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $79,865 (median) and $103,714 (average). The 2021 Census ranked West Beach's household, family, and personal incomes between the 72nd and 78th percentiles nationally. Income distribution showed that 37.8% of locals (583 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to regional patterns where 31.1% occupied this range. After housing costs, residents retained 89.5% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking in the 7th decile.

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

West Beach's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.8% houses and 3.2% other dwellings. Non-Metro WA had 0.0% houses and 0.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Beach was at 42.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.1% and rented ones at 22.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, matching Non-Metro WA's average. The median weekly rent was $350, while Non-Metro WA had no recorded figures. Nationally, West Beach's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

West Beach features high concentrations of group households, with a median household size of 2.5 people

Family households account for 74.6% of all households, including 33.1% couples with children, 34.1% couples without children, and 6.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 25.4%, consisting of 21.2% lone person households and 4.7% group households. The median household size is 2.5 people.

Educational attainment in West Beach aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The region's educational profile is notable with university qualification rates at 27.5% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of WA average of 17.6%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.9%, followed by graduate diplomas (4.2%) and postgraduate qualifications (3.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 36.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (25.6%).

Educational participation is high at 28.3%, including secondary education (10.6%), primary education (10.1%), and tertiary education (2.0%). Esperance Anglican Community School and Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School serve a total of 354 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 999) indicating balanced educational opportunities. Educational infrastructure is strong with 22.9 school places per 100 residents, serving both local and surrounding communities.

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

West Beach has 24 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. There is only one route serving these stops, offering a total of 15 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in West Beach is rated as good, with residents typically located 286 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 2 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

West Beach demonstrates excellent health outcomes, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 63% of West Beach's total population (976 people) has private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.3% and 7.2% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 72.7%, report having no medical ailments, contrasting with the Rest of WA's 0% figure for this category. West Beach has a senior population (aged 65 and over) comprising 19.7% of its residents (304 people), with seniors exhibiting strong health outcomes that align closely with those of the general population.

West Beach ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

West Beach's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.1% of its population born in Australia, 89.5% being citizens, and 94.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in West Beach, comprising 42.3% of its population. Notably, Judaism is not present in West Beach, unlike the regional average of None%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (33.3%), Australian (29.2%), and Scottish (8.2%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Welsh are overrepresented at 0.9% compared to None% regionally, New Zealanders comprise 1.2% versus None%, and Croatians make up 0.8% compared to None%.

West Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in West Beach is 43 years, which is slightly higher than Rest of WA's average of 40 years and well above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of WA average, the 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented in West Beach at 11.8%, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 12.0%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 10.4% to 12.0% of West Beach's population, whereas the 45-54 cohort has declined from 14.6% to 13.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in West Beach. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to expand by 87 people (47%) from 186 to 274, while the 15-24 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.