Bicton - Palmyra
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Bicton - Palmyra are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bicton-Palmyra's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was approximately 16,132 by November 2025. This figure represents a rise of 1,354 individuals (9.2%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,778. The increase is inferred from the ABS's estimated resident population of 16,132 in June 2024 and an additional 19 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 2,552 persons per square kilometer, placing Bicton-Palmyra in the upper quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 9.2% since the 2021 Census surpassed the national average of 8.9%, indicating it as a growth leader regionally. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the area.

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 post-2032 growth, 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 demographic trends project above median population growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. Bicton-Palmyra is expected to grow by 2,557 persons to 2041, with an overall increase of 15.8% over the 17-year period based on latest population numbers.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Bicton - Palmyra when compared nationally

Bicton-Palmyra has granted approximately 28 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 142 homes. As of FY-26, nine approvals have been recorded. On average, 10.1 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating high demand outpacing supply, which typically drives up prices and intensifies competition among buyers. New homes are constructed at an average expected cost of $471,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $4.8 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Bicton-Palmyra records significantly lower building activity, 71.0% below the regional average per person, which usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This is also below national averages, suggesting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity consists of 95.0% standalone homes and 5.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 644 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

Population forecasts project Bicton-Palmyra will gain 2,557 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified twelve projects that could impact the region. Notable ones are Blackwall Reach Precinct Redevelopment, The Point Palmyra, The Point Attadale, and Palmyra Local Centre Structure Plan (Area 2). The following list details those most relevant.

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.

The labour market strength in Bicton - Palmyra positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Bicton - Palmyra has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.2% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.3%. In June 2025, 9,729 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.7% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries of employment among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

Notably, education & training had employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, retail trade showed lower representation at 8.0% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. According to AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data during the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.3% while labour force increased by 5.8%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.5 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 3.7%, labour force growth of 3.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Bicton - Palmyra. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Bicton - Palmyra's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, although these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. Bicton - Palmyra had a median taxpayer income of $62,939 and an average income of $88,081. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Greater Perth's median of $58,380 and average of $78,020. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median would be approximately $71,876 and the average $100,589, accounting for a 14.2% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 78th percentile ($994 weekly), with household income at the 56th percentile. Income distribution shows 27.7% of the population (4,468 individuals) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to regional patterns where 32.0% fall within this range. After housing costs, 84.9% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Bicton - Palmyra displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Bicton - Palmyra, as per the latest Census, 61.4% of dwellings were houses while 38.6% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others. This contrasts with Perth metro's figures of 76.5% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bicton - Palmyra stood at 36.0%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 39.0% and rented dwellings making up 25.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,115, lower than Perth metro's average of $2,200. Weekly rent in Bicton - Palmyra was recorded at $350, compared to Perth metro's $400. Nationally, Bicton - Palmyra's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,115 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $350 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 63.5% of all households, including 27.6% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.5%, with lone person households at 33.7% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Bicton - Palmyra is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 40.2% hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in WA and 28.6% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 27.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.6% and certificates at 18.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education. The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,236 students as of the latest data. Bicton - Palmyra demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1109. All three schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School capacity is limited locally, with only 7.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 19.6, indicating many families travel for schooling.

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

Transport analysis indicates 47 active transport stops operating within Bicton - Palmyra area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 9 individual routes. Collectively, these routes provide 1,925 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 240 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 275 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 40 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Bicton - Palmyra is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Bicton-Palmyra shows superior health outcomes with both young and elderly cohorts having low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 64% of its total population of 10,292 have private health cover, significantly higher than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (8.3%) and arthritis (7.5%), while 70.9% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Perth's 72.5%. The area has a senior population of 21.6%, or 3,479 people aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Bicton-Palmyra, as per the 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity level above average. 9.6% of its population spoke languages other than English at home, while 25.6% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Bicton-Palmyra, with 48.0%.

However, Judaism's representation stood out at 0.1%, compared to Perth's average of 0.1%. In terms of ancestry, English (31.4%), Australian (24.0%), and Irish (9.5%) were the top three groups. Notably, Croatian (1.3% vs regional 1.1%), Welsh (0.8% vs 0.7%), and Italian (5.6% vs 4.9%) were overrepresented compared to Greater Perth averages.

Bicton - Palmyra's median age exceeds the national pattern

Bicton-Palmyra's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median age of 38 years. Comparing with Greater Perth, the 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented in Bicton-Palmyra at 10.9%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 12.4%. Post the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.0% to 7.4% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age cohort has decreased from 13.7% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Bicton-Palmyra's age profile. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 77%, adding 914 residents to reach 2,102. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 68% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age cohorts.