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 16,130 by August 2025. This figure represents a growth of 1,352 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,778. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 16,132 in June 2024 and an additional 18 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 2,552 persons per square kilometer, placing Bicton-Palmyra among the upper quartile regions nationally assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 9.1% since the Census surpassed the national average of 8.6%, indicating it as a region with significant population expansion. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 68.5% of the overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth.

AreaSearch employs 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 age cohort growth rates provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Based on current demographic trends, an above-median population growth is projected for the area. By 2041, Bicton-Palmyra's population is expected to increase by 2,557 persons, representing a total rise of 15.9% over the seventeen-year period.

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

Bicton-Palmyra has recorded approximately 28 residential property approvals per year. Development approval data from the ABS shows a total of 142 approvals over the past five financial years, from FY-2021 to FY-2025, with an additional three approved in FY-2026 so far. On average, around 10.1 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built during these years. This high demand outpaces supply, typically putting upward pressure on property prices and increasing competition among buyers.

The average expected construction cost of new homes is $731,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-2026, commercial approvals totalling $4.8 million have been registered, suggesting the area's predominantly residential character. Compared to Greater Perth, Bicton-Palmyra has significantly lower building activity, 71.0% below the regional average per capita. This constrained new construction often reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The area also falls below national averages in terms of building activity, reflecting its maturity and potentially indicating planning constraints.

New building activity in Bicton-Palmyra comprises 95.0% standalone homes and 5.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. This trend favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (61.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes. The location has approximately 644 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Population forecasts project Bicton-Palmyra will gain 2,559 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects expected to impact the region: Kwinana Freeway Upgrade Program (Fremantle to Murdoch and Cockburn Central Transport Capacity) and Kardinya District Centre Activity Centre Plan. Additionally, the New Women and Babes Hospital project is underway.

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

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

Bicton-Palmyra has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% as of June 2024, with estimated employment growth of 5.3% over the preceding year.

As of June 2025, 9,729 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate stood at 1.7%, lower than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries included health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, employment in education & training was at 1.5 times the regional average, while retail trade showed lower representation at 8.0% compared to the regional average of 9.3%.

Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.3%, labour force grew by 5.8%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 3.7% with a 0.1 percentage point increase in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 showed WA employment contracted by 0.82%, losing 14,590 jobs, and the state unemployment rate was at 4.3%. Nationally, employment grew by 0.26% with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 projected a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for the nation as a whole. Applying these projections to Bicton-Palmyra's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, assuming no changes in population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Bicton - Palmyra had a median income among taxpayers of $62,939. The average income stood at $88,081. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to levels of $58,380 and $78,020 across Greater Perth respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $70,246 (median) and $98,307 (average) as of March 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 78th percentile ($994 weekly), while household income sits at the 56th percentile. Distribution data shows that 27.7% of the population (4,468 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen regionally where 32.0% similarly occupy 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 with the remaining 38.6% being semi-detached, apartments, and other types. In contrast, Perth metro had 76.5% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bicton-Palmyra stood at 36.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.0% and rented ones at 25.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,115, lower than Perth metro's $2,200. Weekly rent in Bicton-Palmyra averaged $350 compared to Perth metro's $400. Nationally, Bicton-Palmyra's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,115 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $350 against 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, with couples having children making up 27.6%, couples without children at 25.1%, and single parent families comprising 9.6%. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.5%, with lone person households being 33.7% and group households at 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 exceeds broader benchmarks, with 40.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 28.6% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.0% and graduate diplomas at 4.7%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.5% of residents aged 15 and above 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, including 8.9% in primary, 7.2% in secondary, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education.

The three schools in Bicton-Palmyra have a combined enrollment of 1,236 students. The area 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. Local school capacity is limited at 7.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 19.6, leading many families to 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 stops operating within Bicton - Palmyra area, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are serviced by 9 individual routes, collectively providing 1,925 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as 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 higher-than-average health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence rates for common health conditions. Around 64% of its total population (10,290 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical issues in the area are mental health concerns affecting 8.3% of residents and arthritis impacting 7.5%, while 70.9% report being free from any medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Perth's 72.5%. The population aged 65 and over stands at 21.6% (3,479 people). Health outcomes among seniors are notably good, 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 index above average with 9.6% of its population speaking languages other than English at home and 25.6% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 48.0%. Notably, Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to Perth's overall 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.4%), Australian (24.0%), and Irish (9.5%). Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Croatian (1.3% vs regional 1.1%), Welsh (0.8% vs 0.7%), and Italian (5.6% vs 4.9%) were overrepresented in Bicton-Palmyra compared to Greater Perth.

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 somewhat older than Australia's median age of 38. The 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented in Bicton - Palmyra at 10.9%, compared to the Greater Perth average. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group is under-represented locally at 12.4%. According to 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 declined from 13.7% to 12.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Bicton - Palmyra's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 77%, adding 914 residents to reach a total of 2,102. This growth is primarily driven by demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older representing 68% of the anticipated population increase. However, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups.