Bicton - Palmyra

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

As of November 2025, Bicton - Palmyra's population is approximately 16,132. This figure represents a growth of 1,354 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,778. The increase was inferred from ABS estimates and additional validated addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. This results in a population density of 2,552 persons per square kilometer, placing it among the higher quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bicton - Palmyra's growth rate of 9.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.5% of overall population gains during this period.

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 estimates, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort from the ABS's Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Based on demographic trends, Bicton - Palmyra is projected to grow by 2,557 persons to reach a total population of approximately 18,689 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 15.8% over the 17-year period.

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, 12 approvals have been recorded. On average, around 10.1 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating significant demand outpacing supply. The average construction value of new homes is $471,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY-26, $4.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Bicton-Palmyra has 71.0% lower building activity per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The area also has a lower than national average building activity, suggesting maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity comprises 95.0% standalone homes and 5.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes.

There are approximately 644 people per dwelling approval in Bicton-Palmyra, indicating an established market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the location is forecasted to 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 emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 12 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Blackwall Reach Precinct Redevelopment, The Point Palmyra, The Point Attadale, and Point Walter Recreation and Conference Centre Redevelopment. Below is a list of 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 an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate stood at 2.2% as of September 2025, below Greater Perth's 4.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.1%. As of September 2025, 9,598 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.7% and workforce participation similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries included health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Education & training had notably high representation, at 1.5 times the regional average, while retail trade showed lower representation at 8.0% compared to the regional average of 9.3%.

The area's employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data comparison. From September 2024 to September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1%, labour force grew by 4.3%, resulting in a slight unemployment rise of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%. Statewide, WA's employment contracted by 0.27% between November 2024 and November 2025, with the state unemployment rate at 4.6%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bicton-Palmyra's employment mix indicates local employment could grow by 6.7% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch reports that based on its aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending 30 June 2022, Bicton - Palmyra SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $62,939 and an average income of $88,081. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the median income of $58,380 and average income of $78,020 across Greater Perth. Considering Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year ending 30 June 2022, current estimates project a median income of approximately $71,876 and an average income of around $100,589 as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 78th percentile with weekly earnings of $994, while household income sits at the 55th percentile. Income distribution shows that 27.7% of the population (4,468 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is similar to regional levels where 32.0% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 15.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 57th percentile. 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 data, 61.4% of dwellings were houses while 38.6% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In contrast, Perth metropolitan area had 76.5% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bicton-Palmyra stood at 36.0%, with mortgaged properties at 39.0% and rented ones at 25.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,115, lower than Perth metro's average of $2,200. Median weekly rent in Bicton-Palmyra was $350, compared to $400 in Perth metro. Nationally, Bicton-Palmyra's median monthly mortgage repayment exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rent was lower than 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% of the total. 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 40.2% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications compared to 27.9% in Western Australia and 28.6% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 27.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%).

Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 30.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (18.9%). Educational participation is notably high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.9% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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 in Bicton - Palmyra area, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are serviced by 9 individual routes, providing a total of 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 experiencing low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 64% of its total population of 10,292 has private health cover, higher than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical issues are mental health concerns affecting 8.3% of residents and arthritis impacting 7.5%. About 70.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.5% in Greater Perth. Around 21.6%, or 3,479 people, are aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population's health metrics.

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

Bicton-Palmyra, as per the 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity index of 9.6%, with 25.6% of its population born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 48.0%. Judaism, at 0.1%, was slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Perth's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.4%), Australian (24.0%), and Irish (9.5%). Notable divergences included Croatian (1.3% vs regional 1.1%), Welsh (0.8% vs 0.7%), and Italian (5.6% vs 4.9%).

Bicton - Palmyra's population is slightly older than 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 group 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 grew from 6.0% to 7.4% of the population, while the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 13.7% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic projections suggest significant changes in Bicton-Palmyra's age profile. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 77%, adding 914 residents to reach 2,102. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 68% of the population growth, while declines are anticipated for the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups.