Balcatta - Hamersley

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

Balcatta - Hamersley's population was around 17,916 as of November 2025, reflecting an increase of 1,891 people from the 2021 Census figure of 16,025. This growth, representing an 11.8% increase, is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 17,751 in June 2024 and an additional 153 validated new addresses since the Census date. The resulting population density was 1,729 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Balcatta - Hamersley's growth rate exceeded the national average of 8.9% between the 2021 census and June 2024, making it a growth leader in its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.6% of overall population gains during this period. AreaSearch is adopting 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 to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch uses 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 dynamics anticipate a median increase, with Balcatta - Hamersley expected to grow by 1,799 persons to reach an estimated population of 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 8.6% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Balcatta - Hamersley among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Balcatta-Hamersley has recorded approximately 76 residential property approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 383 homes were approved, with an additional 22 approved in FY26 so far. On average, each home built over these years accommodates about 4 new residents annually, indicating high demand outpacing supply, which typically influences property prices and buyer competition.

The average construction value of new properties is around $301,000. This year has seen $42.8 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting robust local commercial activity. Comparatively, Balcatta-Hamersley's development levels per capita are similar to those in Greater Perth, maintaining market balance with neighboring areas.

Recent construction consists of 81% standalone homes and 19% medium-to-high density housing, preserving the area's suburban character dominated by family homes suited for space-seeking buyers. Notably, developers are constructing more traditional houses than the current demographic mix suggests (64% at Census), implying strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. The location has approximately 211 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for population growth. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Balcatta-Hamersley is projected to grow by 1,532 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Balcatta - Hamersley has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified a total of 34 projects that could impact the area, with key ones including the Trackless Tram System along Scarborough Beach Road Activity Corridor, the City of Stirling's Local Planning Scheme No. 4 (LPS4), the East Roselea Structure Plan for Mosaic Balcatta, and the redevelopment of Balcatta Senior High School. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Balcatta - Hamersley well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Balcatta - Hamersley has a well-educated workforce with notable representation in the construction sector. The unemployment rate is 2.9%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.2% over the past year as of September 2025.

There are 9,880 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.1% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Perth at 65.2%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction is particularly specialized in Balcatta - Hamersley with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Mining is under-represented, with only 4.7% of the workforce compared to Greater Perth's 7.0%. The ratio of workers to residents indicates a higher level of local employment opportunities. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 4.2%, while labour force increased by 3.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%. State-level data to 25-Nov shows WA employment contracted by 0.27%, with an unemployment rate of 4.6% compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Balcatta - Hamersley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that median income in Balcatta - Hamersley SA2 is $58,331 and average income stands at $74,467. This contrasts with Greater Perth's figures of a median income of $58,380 and an average income of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Balcatta - Hamersley would be approximately $66,614 (median) and $85,041 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Balcatta - Hamersley rank modestly, between the 42nd and 55th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that the predominant cohort spans 33.0% of locals (5,912 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 44th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Balcatta - Hamersley displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Balcatta - Hamersley, as per the latest Census evaluation, 64.4% of dwellings were houses while 35.6% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Perth metropolitan area had 59.6% houses and 40.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Balcatta - Hamersley stood at 35.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.4% and rented ones at 27.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,863, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,950. The median weekly rent in Balcatta - Hamersley was $350, matching Perth metro's figure but lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Balcatta - Hamersley's mortgage repayments were similar to Australia's average of $1,863.

Balcatta - Hamersley features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.8% of all households, including 27.5% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.2%, with lone person households at 31.1% and group households comprising 3.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Balcatta - Hamersley exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Balcatta's educational qualifications lag behind Hamersley trail regional benchmarks, with 28.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the SA3 area's 37.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 35.0% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 11.9% and certificates make up 23.1%. Educational participation is high, with 26.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.9% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Balcatta - Hamersley has 115 active public transport stops. These are served by buses on 26 different routes, offering a total of 5,183 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 179 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency across all routes is 740 trips per day, which translates to approximately 45 weekly trips per individual stop.

Balcatta - Hamersley's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows Balcatta - Hamersley residents have positive health outcomes overall, with common conditions seen across all ages. Private health cover is high at approximately 56%, or ~10,122 people, compared to Greater Perth's 59.9%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (8.2%) and mental health issues (7.5%). About 70.9% report no medical ailments, compared to 73.0% in Greater Perth. Approximately 20.5%, or 3,667 residents, are aged 65 and over, higher than Greater Perth's 18.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, mirroring the general population's health profile.

Balcatta - Hamersley 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

Balcatta-Hamersley has a high level of cultural diversity, with 29.0% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 36.1% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Balcatta-Hamersley, comprising 54.3% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, making up 0.2% versus 1.4%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.2%), Australian (19.3%), and Italian (12.3%), with Italian being substantially higher than the regional average of 7.2%. Notable divergences exist in the representation of Macedonian (3.4% vs 1.5%), Croatian (1.8% vs 1.1%), and Serbian (0.7% vs 0.5%) ethnic groups.

Balcatta - Hamersley's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Balcatta - Hamersley is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and very close to the national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age cohort is notably over-represented at 7.8% locally compared to the Greater Perth average, while the 15-24 year-olds are under-represented at 10.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 15.3% to 16.2% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 15.5% to 14.4%, and the 65 to 74 group has dropped from 10.2% to 9.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Balcatta - Hamersley, with the 85+ group expected to grow by 85% (536 people), reaching 1,165 from 628. The demographic aging trend continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 60% of anticipated growth. Conversely, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.