Bentley - Wilson - St James
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Bentley - Wilson - St James reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Bentley-Wilson-St James's population is approximately 23,967 as of August 2025. This represents an increase of 3,355 people from the 2021 Census figure of 20,612, indicating a growth rate of 16.3%. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 23,893 in June 2024 and an additional 65 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,149 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bentley-Wilson-St James's growth rate exceeds the national average of 8.6%, making it a growth leader in its region. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for this growth.

AreaSearch uses 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 ABS's Greater Capital Region projections from 2023, based on 2022 data. Future population projections indicate above median growth for the area, with an expected increase of 3,368 persons to 2041, representing a total gain of 13.7% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Bentley - Wilson - St James was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Bentley-Wilson-St James has seen approximately 98 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 491 dwellings approved over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 13 recorded so far in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 5.7 people moved to the area for each dwelling built, indicating high demand outpacing supply, which typically influences prices upwards and intensifies competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $519,000, moderately higher than regional levels, suggesting a focus on quality construction.

In FY-26, $347.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting significant local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Perth, Bentley-Wilson-St James records 14.0% less building activity per person but places among the 68th percentile nationally when assessed areas are considered. Recent construction consists of 66.0% detached dwellings and 34.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of attached housing types catering to various price ranges.

The location has approximately 233 people per dwelling approval, suggesting potential for growth. By 2041, Bentley-Wilson-St James is projected to grow by 3,294 residents. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers can be expected as the population expands.

Bentley - Wilson - St James has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 33 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Queens Park Regional Open Space and State Football Centre, Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal, Bentley Redevelopment Project, and Curtin University B316 Sciences Building. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The labour market in Bentley - Wilson - St James demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Bentley Wilson St James has an educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 4.0% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.9%. There were 13,793 residents in work by June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 3.1%, compared to Greater Perth's 3.9%. Workforce participation was lower at 61.3% versus Greater Perth's 65.2%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade.

Accommodation & food has a strong presence with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. Construction has limited presence at 6.7%, compared to 9.3% regionally. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.6, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 3.9% while labour force grew by 3.2%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment rise by 3.7%, labour force grow by 3.8%, and unemployment increase by 0.1 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.82% (losing 14,590 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth was 0.26%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bentley Wilson St James' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Bentley - Wilson - St James's median income among taxpayers is $48,561. The average income for the area is $57,711 during this period. Both figures are below the national average. In Greater Perth, the median income is $58,380 and the average is $78,020 in financial year 2022. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since then, current estimates would be approximately $54,199 (median) and $64,411 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household incomes rank at the 30th percentile in Bentley - Wilson - St James. Family incomes are at the 32nd percentile and personal incomes at the 35th percentile in the area. The largest income segment comprises 30.3% earning $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, with 7,262 residents falling into this category. This is similar to the surrounding region where this cohort also represents 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Bentley - Wilson - St James, with only 81.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 31st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

Bentley - Wilson - St James displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Bentley-Wilson-St James, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 64.6% houses and 35.4% other dwellings. In contrast, Perth metropolitan area had 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bentley-Wilson-St James stood at 21.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.8% and rented ones at 51.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,820. The median weekly rent figure for Bentley-Wilson-St James was $330, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents were substantially below the national average of $375.

Bentley - Wilson - St James features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 54.7% of all households, consisting of 21.1% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 45.3%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households comprising 12.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.7.

The educational profile of Bentley - Wilson - St James exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Bentley-Wilson-St James is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. 39.7% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 29.9% in the SA4 region. This educational advantage positions the area well for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.0% and graduate diplomas at 2.7%.

Trade and technical skills are also prominent, with 28.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 16.8%. Educational participation is high, with 36.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 16.7% in tertiary education, 6.8% in primary education, and 5.0% pursuing secondary education. There are 7 schools operating within Bentley-Wilson-St James, educating approximately 1,244 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1031) with balanced educational opportunities, including 5 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. However, local school capacity is limited at 5.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.8, meaning many families travel to nearby areas for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Bentley-Wilson-St James has 158 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 42 individual routes, collectively facilitating 7,310 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 161 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 1,044 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 46 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Bentley - Wilson - St James is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Bentley-Wilson-St James demonstrates health outcomes that are above average but have a lower prevalence of common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages. This is despite higher rates in older, at-risk cohorts. Private health cover stands at approximately 49% of the total population (~11,719 people), lower than Greater Perth's 52.2% and the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 7.7 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A total of 73.7% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Perth's 76.0%. The area has 15.2% of residents aged 65 and over (3,647 people), with health outcomes among seniors requiring more attention than the broader population.

Bentley - Wilson - St James is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bentley-Wilson-St James has a high level of cultural diversity, with 40.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 51.2% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Bentley-Wilson-St James, making up 38.6% of the population. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented, comprising 7.7% compared to 6.7% across Greater Perth.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.0%), Other (20.1%), and Australian (16.5%). Korean (1.1%) is slightly overrepresented while Chinese (10.9%) and Indian (4.0%) are underrepresented compared to regional figures of 1.2%, 14.7%, and 6.5% respectively.

Bentley - Wilson - St James's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Bentley-Wilson-St James's median age is 32 years, which is notably younger than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Bentley-Wilson-St James has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.4%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.8%). This concentration of 25-34-year-olds is significantly above the national average of 14.5%. Post-Census data from 2021 shows that the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 17.7% to 19.4%, while those aged 35-44 have risen from 13.0% to 14.2%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 85 and above has decreased from 4.6% to 3.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Bentley-Wilson-St James's age profile will significantly change. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 58%, adding 802 residents to reach a total of 2,188. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 52% of the population growth, while declines are projected for the 35-44 and 5-14 age cohorts.