Bentley - Wilson - St James

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bentley - Wilson - St James's population is around 24,696 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 4,084 people (19.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,612 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,893 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 73 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,214 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bentley - Wilson - St James's 19.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of 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). Moving forward with demographic trends, an above-median population growth of national statistical areas is projected, with the area expected to expand by 3,368 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 10.4% in total over the 17 years.

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 around 98 new homes approved annually, totalling 491 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 59 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of 5.7 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is substantially lagging demand, which generally means heightened buyer competition, leading to pricing pressures, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $309,000. Additionally, $347.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

Relative to Greater Perth, Bentley - Wilson - St James records 14.0% less building activity (per person) while it places among the 67th percentile of areas assessed nationally. Recent construction comprises 66.0% detached dwellings and 34.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points, from family homes to more affordable compact living. The location has approximately 233 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for growth.

Population forecasts indicate Bentley - Wilson - St James will gain 2,565 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Bentley - Wilson - St James has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 34 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Sam Kerr Football Centre and Queens Park Regional Open Space, Kent Street Weir Precinct Redevelopment, Australian Hockey Centre, and Curtin University Net Zero Precinct Digital Twin, 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.

Employment performance in Bentley - Wilson - St James has been broadly consistent with national averages

Bentley - Wilson - St James possesses a highly educated workforce with diverse sector representation, an unemployment rate of 4.1%, and 2.1% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 14,000 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is in line with Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (69.5% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 6.0% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. In contrast, construction employs just 6.7% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 9.3%. The ratio of 0.6 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1% and the labour force increased by 2.0%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. 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 Bentley - Wilson - St James. 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 Bentley - Wilson - St James's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Bentley - Wilson - St James SA2's median income among taxpayers is $48,510, with an average of $58,415. This is lower than average on a national basis, and compares to Greater Perth's median of $60,748 and average of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $53,177 (median) and $64,035 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Bentley - Wilson - St James, between the 30th and 34th percentiles. Looking at income distribution, the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 30.3% of the community (7,482 individuals), reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 32.0% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 31st percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Bentley - Wilson - St James, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 64.6% houses and 35.4% 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 Bentley - Wilson - St James was lagging that of Perth metro, at 21.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (26.8%) or rented (51.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Perth metro average at $1,733, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $330, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Bentley - Wilson - St James's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure 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 dominate at 54.7% of all households, comprising 21.1% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 45.3%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households comprising 12.3% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 39.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.9% in WA and 29.9% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 26.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 28.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.3%) and certificates (16.8%).

Educational participation is notably 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.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 160 active transport stops operating within Bentley - Wilson - St James, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 46 individual routes, collectively providing 7,851 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 161 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 77%, with 12% by bus and 6% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 6.0% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,121 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 49 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Bentley - Wilson - St James is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Bentley - Wilson - St James, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~11,903 people). This compares 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 arthritis, impacting 7.7% and 6.2% of residents, respectively, while 73.7% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (3,840 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general 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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 40.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 51.2% born overseas. The main religion in Bentley - Wilson - St James is Christianity, which makes up 38.6% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 7.7% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Perth average of 2.7%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Bentley - Wilson - St James are English, comprising 21.0% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 28.0%, Other, comprising 20.1% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 11.2%, and Australian, comprising 16.5% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Korean is notably overrepresented at 1.1% of Bentley - Wilson - St James (vs 0.3% regionally), Chinese at 10.9% (vs 4.0%) and Indian at 4.0% (vs 2.6%).

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

At 32 years, Bentley - Wilson - St James's median age is materially younger than the Greater Perth average of 37 and also significantly lower than the 38-year national average. Relative to Greater Perth, Bentley - Wilson - St James has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (23.1%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (7.8%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 17.7% to 19.5% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.0% to 14.1%. Conversely, the 85+ cohort has declined from 4.6% to 3.3%. Demographic modeling suggests Bentley - Wilson - St James's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 48%, adding 713 residents to reach 2,188. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 55% of anticipated growth. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 35 to 44 cohorts.