Balga - Mirrabooka

Population growth drivers in Balga - Mirrabooka are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Balga - Mirrabooka's population is around 23,902 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,870 people (13.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,032 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,317 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 64 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,529 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Balga - Mirrabooka's 13.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 71.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilizing the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). As we examine future population trends, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 2,660 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 8.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

Balga - Mirrabooka has averaged around 93 new dwelling approvals per year, with 468 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 75 so far in FY-26. Given an average of 4.3 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand significantly exceeds new supply, which usually results in price growth and increased buyer competition, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $190,000—below the regional average—suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. Additionally, $3.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, supporting the area's residential character.

When measured against Greater Perth, Balga - Mirrabooka has similar development levels (per person), maintaining a market balance consistent with the broader area. New building activity shows 71.0% detached dwellings and 29.0% attached dwellings, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. At around 234 people per approval, Balga - Mirrabooka reflects a transitioning market.

Population forecasts indicate Balga - Mirrabooka will gain 2,075 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Balga - Mirrabooka has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 18 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Perth Active Transport Network, Mirrabooka Town Centre Redevelopment, TAFE Balga Campus Skills Hub, and Girrawheen Hub Precinct Redevelopment, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Balga - Mirrabooka faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Balga - Mirrabooka possesses a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation, an unemployment rate of 11.6%, and 5.4% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 11,008 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 7.5% above Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation lags significantly (66.7% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 3.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in transport, postal & warehousing, with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 4.5% versus the regional average of 8.2%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 5.4% while the labour force increased by 4.3%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.9 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.3%, labour force growth of 2.6%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Balga - Mirrabooka. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Balga - Mirrabooka's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The Balga - Mirrabooka SA2's income level is lower than the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Balga - Mirrabooka SA2's median income among taxpayers is $44,849 and the average income stands at $50,609, compared to Greater Perth's figures of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $49,163 (median) and $55,478 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Balga - Mirrabooka all fall between the 15th and 19th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows 31.3% of the population (7,481 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the surrounding region where 32.0% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 16th percentile.

Balga - Mirrabooka is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Balga - Mirrabooka, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 73.7% houses and 26.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Balga - Mirrabooka lagged that of Perth metro at 19.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (36.2%) or rented (44.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Perth metro average at $1,482, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $305, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Balga - Mirrabooka's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Balga - Mirrabooka features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 65.8% of all households, comprising 28.9% couples with children, 18.8% couples without children, and 16.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.2%, with lone person households at 29.0% and group households comprising 5.2% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people matches the Greater Perth average.

Educational outcomes in Balga - Mirrabooka fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (20.1%) substantially below the SA3 area average of 37.1%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 14.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 34.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (23.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 35.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 129 active transport stops operating within Balga - Mirrabooka, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 17 individual routes, collectively providing 3,507 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 178 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 85%, with 6% by bus and 5% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 3.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 501 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 27 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Balga - Mirrabooka's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Balga - Mirrabooka residents. AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and health conditions shows results broadly in line with national benchmarks, with the prevalence of common health conditions being quite low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~10,971 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.0% and 6.4% of residents, respectively, while 74.8% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 14.3% of residents aged 65 and over (3,408 people), which is lower than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Balga - Mirrabooka is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Balga - Mirrabooka is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country, with 54.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 52.4% born overseas. The main religion in Balga - Mirrabooka is Christianity, which makes up 43.2% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Islam, which comprises 16.2% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Perth average of 3.2%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Balga - Mirrabooka are Other, comprising 32.5% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 11.2%, English, comprising 16.2% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 28.0%, and Australian, comprising 14.3% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 21.2%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Vietnamese is notably overrepresented at 4.9% of Balga - Mirrabooka (vs 0.8% regionally), Macedonian at 1.9% (vs 0.4%) and Serbian at 0.7% (vs 0.3%).

Balga - Mirrabooka's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

With a median age of 33, Balga - Mirrabooka is materially younger than the Greater Perth figure of 37 and is substantially under Australia's 38 years. Relative to Greater Perth, Balga - Mirrabooka has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (17.2%) but fewer 45 - 54 year-olds (10.9%). Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 3.6% to 4.8% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 18.6% to 17.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Balga - Mirrabooka. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 61%, adding 695 residents to reach 1,833. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 61% of anticipated growth. On the other hand, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.