Bicton - Palmyra

Population growth drivers in Bicton - Palmyra are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

According to AreaSearch, the population of Bicton - Palmyra stands at approximately 16,528 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1,750 individuals, which corresponds to 11.8%, compared to the 2021 Census count of 14,778 people. The adjustment is derived from the ABS estimated resident population of 16,510 as of June 2025, plus 24 validated new addresses recorded since the Census date. With this population level, the area achieves a density of 2,615 persons per square kilometer, positioning it within the upper quartile when compared to other national locations evaluated by AreaSearch. The 11.8% growth recorded since the 2021 census surpassed the national average of 9.3%, identifying Bicton - Palmyra as a leading growth area in its region. Overseas migration accounted for roughly 68.4% of the total population gains in recent times, while natural growth and interstate migration also contributed positively to the overall increase.

Projections from ABS and Geoscience Australia, published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline, are utilized by AreaSearch for individual SA2 boundaries. For locations where this dataset is unavailable, or to calculate growth past 2032, growth rates by age bracket from the latest ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 (using 2022 statistics) are applied. Looking ahead, population growth is expected to exceed the median of analyzed regions, with the locality projected to add 2,360 residents by 2041 based on the most recent annual ERP statistics, representing a long-term increase of 14.2% over 16 years.

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

Bicton - Palmyra has registered an average of approximately 28 new home approvals annually, including 142 residential properties approved during the last 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 24 thus far in FY-26. An average of 10.4 additional residents per year moved to the area for every finished dwelling over the past 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, showing that demand is outpacing supply, a trend that generally drives up home values and intensifies homebuyer competition. The average construction cost of these new properties is $471,000, which indicates that builders are focusing on the higher-end residential market. Furthermore, commercial building approvals have reached $4.8 million this financial year, emphasizing that the suburb remains primarily residential in nature.

In comparison to Greater Perth, the volume of building approvals in Bicton - Palmyra is exceptionally low, trailing the regional average per capita by 71.0%. This lack of new inventory typically supports values and demand for established residential properties. A similar low level of building activity is seen relative to national averages, highlighting a mature property market and potential planning limitations. The current construction breakdown is 95.0% separate houses and 5.0% semi-detached dwellings or apartments, reinforcing the traditional suburban landscape dominated by single-family dwellings. Interestingly, builders are focusing more on standalone houses than the overall existing profile of 61.0% at Census would suggest, indicating that demand for traditional family homes remains strong despite densification policies. The ratio of residents to dwelling approvals stands at about 659 people per approval, reflecting a highly consolidated housing market.

Long-term projections indicate that Bicton - Palmyra will grow by 2,342 occupants by 2041 based on the latest quarterly calculations by AreaSearch. If current building trends persist, the supply of housing will likely fall short of demographic growth, which could increase buyer competition and support elevated price growth.

Bicton - Palmyra has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Developments in public infrastructure, major construction projects, and zoning plans are key influences on local performance. In total, 11 projects have been tracked by AreaSearch as having an impact on the area. Primary developments include Blackwall Reach Precinct Redevelopment, The Point Palmyra, The Point Attadale, and Point Walter Recreation and Conference Centre Redevelopment, with details provided on those of highest relevance.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Bicton - Palmyra significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

The local workforce in Bicton - Palmyra is characterized by high levels of qualification, strong representation in key public service sectors, and a minimal unemployment rate of 2.1%. In March 2026, there were 9,415 employed residents, and the unemployment rate of 2.1% was lower than the Greater Perth benchmark of 4.2%. Participation in the labor force was overall similar to the metropolitan average of 70.2%. Data from the Census showed that only a small portion of the workforce, 10.1%, worked from home, though this may have been influenced by COVID-19 restriction measures.

Local employment is predominantly centered around the health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical sectors. The suburb displays a strong concentration in education & training, where the share of employment is 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, the retail sector is less represented, accounting for 8.0% of local jobs compared to 9.3% across the wider metropolitan region. The comparison between the working population at the Census and the resident workforce suggests that this mainly residential suburb offers limited local employment opportunities.

Based on AreaSearch assessments of SALM and ABS statistics, during the 12 months leading up to March 2026, the local labor pool contracted by 0.9% and total employment fell by 0.8%, keeping overall unemployment levels stable. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced a 2.0% rise in employment, a 2.5% increase in the labor force, and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Long-term employment projections from Jobs and Skills Australia dated May-25 offer additional perspective on prospective hiring needs in Bicton - Palmyra. These five and ten-year projections have been applied to the local workforce structure to model future growth. Nationally, jobs are expected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though individual sector growth varies. Extrapolating these industry projections to the local workforce composition suggests Bicton - Palmyra could see employment rises of 6.7% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, assuming a basic weighted calculation that does not factor in local demographic projections.

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

Aggregation of postcode-level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows that taxpayers in the Bicton - Palmyra SA2 had a median annual income of $66,838, and an average income of $91,244. These figures are high on a national scale and exceed the Greater Perth statistics of $60,748 and $80,248. Adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes would be around $74,143 (median) and $101,217 (average) as of March 2026. According to the Census, individual weekly income sits at the 78th percentile ($994 weekly), while household income is at the 55th percentile. Income distribution shows that the largest cohort of residents, 27.7% (4,578 people), falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly bracket, similar to the 32.0% recorded across Greater Perth. Housing expenses account for 15.1% of local income, but strong earnings place overall disposable income at the 57th percentile, with a SEIFA income ranking in the 8th decile.

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

At the time of the latest Census, the housing stock in Bicton - Palmyra was composed of 61.4% standalone houses and 38.6% alternative housing types, such as townhouses, units, and apartments, compared to 77.8% separate houses and 22.1% alternative dwellings across metropolitan Perth. Home ownership in Bicton - Palmyra was significantly higher than the metropolitan average at 36.0%, with the remaining properties being mortgaged (39.0%) or rented (25.1%). The median monthly mortgage payment was $2,115, which is higher than the Perth metropolitan median of $1,907. The median weekly rent was recorded at $350, matching the metropolitan median of $350. Nationally, local mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian median of $1,863, while weekly rents are lower than the national average of $375.

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

Families make up 63.5% of the households in the area, consisting of 27.6% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent households. The remaining 36.5% of homes are non-family households, with lone person households representing 33.7% and group households accounting for 2.8%. The average household size is 2.3 individuals, 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

The level of education in Bicton - Palmyra is considerably higher than regional averages, with 40.2% of residents aged 15 and over having earned a university degree, compared to 27.9% in WA and 28.6% in the local SA4 area. This educational profile leaves the suburb well positioned for industries driven by knowledge and technology. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 27.5%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 8.0% and graduate diplomas at 4.7%. Vocational qualifications are also well represented, with 30.5% of residents aged 15 and over holding tertiary technical certifications, consisting of advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (18.9%).

Enrolment in education is strong, with 27.8% of the local population registered in formal study. This student population includes 8.9% in primary schools, 7.2% in high schools, and 6.8% studying at the tertiary level.

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

Analysis of the local transport network shows 46 active stops in Bicton - Palmyra, consisting of bus services. These stops are served by 9 separate routes, which provide a combined 1,930 passenger trips every week. Accessibility is classified as good, with residents living an average of 240 meters from the nearest stop. Because the suburb is primarily residential, the majority of workers commute to other areas, with private vehicles remaining the main choice at 83%, followed by 7% using buses and 5% using trains. The average number of vehicles per household is 1.3, which is below the metropolitan average. A relatively low 10.1% of residents worked from home according to the 2021 Census, which may have been influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency stands at an average of 275 trips per day across all routes, which corresponds to approximately 41 weekly trips for each stop in the area.

Bicton - Palmyra's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Public health metrics indicate excellent outcomes for Bicton - Palmyra based on an assessment of mortality rates and chronic illnesses, showing a low occurrence of common diseases across all demographic groups. The rate of private health insurance coverage is exceptionally high at roughly 67% of the population (11,040 people), compared to 59.0% for Greater Perth and a national benchmark of 55.7%.

The most common medical diagnoses among residents were mental health conditions and arthritis, affecting 8.3 and 7.5% of the population, respectively. However, 70.9% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. The working-age population exhibits strong health profiles with minimal disease rates. Residents aged 65 and older represent 21.4% of the population (3,530 people), which is higher than the Greater Perth average of 16.1%. Senior health measures are solid, with national rankings aligning closely with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Bicton - Palmyra records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cultural diversity metrics for Bicton - Palmyra are above average, with 9.6% of residents speaking a non-English language at home and 25.6% born outside Australia. Christianity is the primary religious affiliation, representing 48.0% of the community. The most notable religious overrepresentation is Judaism, which accounts for 0.1% of the population, compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

Regarding ancestry (the birth country of parents), the primary groups in Bicton - Palmyra are English at 31.4%, Australian at 24.0%, and Irish at 9.5%. There are also specific ethnic groups that display unique concentrations: Croatian is overrepresented at 1.3% of the population (versus 0.8% across the metropolitan area), Welsh is at 0.8% (versus 0.7%), and Italian represents 5.6% (versus 4.2%).

Bicton - Palmyra's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age of residents in Bicton - Palmyra is 41 years, which is higher than the Greater Perth average of 37 years and the national median of 38 years. Relative to Greater Perth, there is a higher concentration of residents in the 65 - 74 age group (10.5% locally) and a lower share in the 25 - 34 bracket (12.6%). Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 6.0% to 7.4% of the population, whereas the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 12.5%. Projections suggest the age profile will change by 2041, with the 75 to 84 cohort expected to grow the fastest at 65%, adding 789 residents to total 2,013. The aging trend is reflected in the fact that residents aged 65 and over represent 66% of projected growth, while population declines are expected for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts.