Woodvale (WA)

An assessment of population growth drivers in Woodvale reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's evaluation of ABS demographic updates for the surrounding region alongside address validation updates since the Census, the population of the suburb of Woodvale (WA) is estimated to be approximately 10,315 in May 2026. This represents a growth of 736 individuals (7.7%) compared to the 2021 Census count of 9,579. The calculation is based on an estimated resident population of 10,293 determined by AreaSearch from the ABS June 2025 ERP release, combined with an additional 28 validated addresses since the Census. This population level corresponds to a density of 1,401 residents per square kilometer, exceeding the average across locations reviewed nationwide by AreaSearch. The 7.7% expansion rate of the suburb of Woodvale (WA) since the census is within 1.6 percentage points of the 9.3% national benchmark, indicating healthy local demand. This growth was largely supported by overseas arrivals, who accounted for roughly 76.0% of the total population gains in recent times.

Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline are applied by AreaSearch for each SA2 area. Where such data is unavailable, or to model trends beyond 2032, growth rates segmented by age bracket from the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region projections (utilising 2022 figures) are utilised. Moving forward, the suburb of Woodvale (WA) is projected to experience population expansion slightly below the median of Australian areas, with aggregated SA2 models indicating a gain of 1,148 people by 2041, representing a total increase of 10.9% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Woodvale recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch's analysis of building approvals from the ABS, mapped from broader statistical boundaries, indicates that Woodvale averages approximately 27 home approvals annually, with an estimated total of 139 new dwellings approved over the last 5 financial years. During FY-26 so far, 4 applications have been approved. An average of 3.7 individuals moved to the locality for every new home built between FY-21 and FY-25, showing that demand is outpacing supply, a trend that typically drives upward price pressure and heightens buyer rivalry. The average value of these approved dwellings is $376,000, which is higher than the typical regional baseline and points to premium construction. Furthermore, commercial approvals in this financial year stand at $1.5 million, representing a very low level of commercial building activity.

Per capita construction activity in Woodvale is 11.0% lower than in Greater Perth, ranking in the 21st percentile nationwide. This results in a relatively limited selection of homes on the market, which supports demand for established properties. This rate is also below the national average, reflecting a mature market and potential development constraints. New residential additions have consisted entirely of standalone houses, preserving the traditional low-density character of the area and appealing to families looking for space. With roughly 790 residents for every approved dwelling, the local housing market is highly mature.

Looking forward, Woodvale's population is projected to increase by 1,126 residents by 2041 based on the most recent quarterly estimates from AreaSearch. If current building volumes persist, the supply of new housing may fail to match population growth, potentially intensifying competition among buyers and encouraging stronger capital growth.

Woodvale has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure, major developments, and planning policies play a major role in shaping local performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 15 projects that are expected to influence the area. Prominent developments include Allara Estate Stage 20-24, Mixed-use Commercial Centre Development, Woodvale, Mixed-use Commercial Centre Development, Woodvale, and Heathridge Park Masterplan, with key details of the most relevant projects outlined below.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Woodvale performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

The local workforce is highly skilled, with a strong presence in key service industries, an unemployment rate of only 1.6%, and estimated annual employment growth of 3.8% based on aggregated statistical area statistics. In March 2026, 6,208 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate sat 2.6% below the 4.2% figure recorded for Greater Perth, while participation was relatively typical at 73.6% compared to 70.2% regionally. Census records show that a low 9.8% of the workforce worked from home, though this was during a period affected by pandemic restrictions.

The primary sectors employing local residents are healthcare & social assistance, education & training, and construction. The area has a notable concentration in education & training, with employment levels 1.3 times higher than the regional average. Conversely, mining is under-represented, employing only 5.4% of the local workforce compared to 7.0% across Greater Perth. The comparison of working population against resident population suggests that this predominantly residential suburb offers limited local employment opportunities.

An analysis of SALM and ABS statistics for the 12 months leading to March 2026 shows that both employment and the labour force expanded by 3.8%, which kept the unemployment rate steady. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment rise by 2.0% and the labour force grow by 2.5%, resulting in a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. National forecasts released by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 provide context for future workforce demand. These five and ten-year projections have been applied to the local workforce structure to model potential changes. Nationally, employment is expected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though individual industries vary. Applying these projections to the local industry mix suggests that employment among residents will grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, representing a basic weighted projection that does not factor in local population growth models.

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

Based on aggregated ATO postcode data from the financial year 2023 release, Woodvale taxpayers recorded a median income of $60,501 and an average income of $77,872. These figures are high on a national scale and compare to median and average values of $60,748 and $80,248 across Greater Perth. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, current estimates for March 2026 are approximately $67,114 for the median and $86,383 for the average. In the 2021 Census, household incomes ranked in the 85th percentile, with a weekly median of $2,339. The largest income bracket includes 30.4% of the population (3,135 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, matching the broader region where 32.0% fall into this range. Affluence is high, with 36.6% of households earning more than $3,000 weekly, which supports local premium retail and service businesses. After housing expenses are met, residents retain 88.0% of their income, indicating high disposable income, and the SEIFA index ranks the area in the 8th decile for income.

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

At the time of the latest Census, the housing mix in Woodvale consisted of 92.5% standalone houses and 7.4% other dwellings like townhouses and apartments, compared to 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings across the Perth metropolitan area. Home ownership was significantly higher than the metropolitan average at 43.3%, with 47.0% of homes under mortgage and 9.7% rented. The median monthly mortgage payment was $2,167, compared to the Perth metro average of $1,907, while median weekly rent was $480 compared to the metropolitan average of $350. Nationally, Woodvale's mortgage payments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are above the national benchmark of $375.

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

Families make up 84.0% of households, consisting of couples with children at 42.6%, couples without children at 31.1%, and single-parent households at 9.8%. The remaining 16.0% are non-family households, with single-person households at 15.0% and group houses at 1.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Woodvale shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Tertiary education rates in Woodvale stand at 28.1%, slightly below the national average of 30.4%, indicating a minor gap in qualifications. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher education qualification at 19.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 5.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.4%. Technical and trade qualifications are prominent, with 36.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.7%) and certificates (23.9%).

Participation in education is high, with 28.1% of the population currently enrolled in study. This group includes 9.8% in primary school, 9.1% in high school, and 4.9% studying at tertiary institutions.

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

Public transport services in Woodvale consist of 54 active bus stops. These stops are served by 11 routes that run a combined 1,908 weekly passenger trips. Transport access is rated as excellent, with residents living an average of 199 meters from the nearest stop. Being primarily a residential suburb, most workers commute out of the area, with private cars being the main transport mode at 80%, followed by trains at 14%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 cars per household, which is above the regional average. A low 9.8% of residents worked from home according to the 2021 Census, which may have been influenced by pandemic conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 272 trips per day, which translates to approximately 35 weekly trips per bus stop.

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

Health indicators in Woodvale are highly positive, based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality data and the low prevalence of chronic illnesses across all age groups, while private health insurance coverage is high at approximately 58% of the population (~5,994 people).

The most prevalent chronic conditions in the locality are arthritis, affecting 7.8% of residents, and mental health conditions, affecting 6.9%. Meanwhile, 72.4% of the population reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The working-age cohort is healthy with low illness rates. Residents aged 65 and older make up 23.2% of the population (2,393 people), which is higher than the 16.1% average across Greater Perth. Health outcomes for this older cohort are strong, with national rankings matching those of the general population.

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

Woodvale displays greater cultural diversity than most local areas, with 11.4% of residents speaking a non-English language at home and 38.3% born outside Australia. Christianity is the main religion, representing 49.9% of the population. The most prominent religious overrepresentation is Judaism, which accounts for 0.1% of residents compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

Regarding parental birthplace, the primary ancestries represented are English at 34.1% of the population, which is higher than the regional average of 28.0%, Australian at 21.7%, and Irish at 9.0%. There are also notable differences in other groups, with South Australian ancestry representing 1.9% of the population (compared to 1.0% regionally), Welsh at 1.0% (compared to 0.7%), and Polish at 1.0% (compared to 0.7%).

Woodvale hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age of 43 in Woodvale is higher than the Greater Perth average of 37 and the national average of 38. The age distribution shows a high proportion of people aged 65 - 74 (13.3%), while the 25 - 34 age bracket is smaller (7.2%) than the metropolitan average. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 4.4% to 7.2% of the population, and the 65 to 74 group has grown from 11.5% to 13.3%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 group decreased from 16.9% to 13.7%, and the 5 to 14 group fell from 13.8% to 12.7%. Looking towards 2041, demographic projections point to changes in the age profile, with the 75 to 84 cohort expected to grow by 687 people (93%) from 742 to 1,430. The 65+ age brackets are projected to account for 85% of total population growth, highlighting the aging trend, while the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 groups are projected to contract.