Booragoon

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Booragoon's population is around 17,634 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,158 people (13.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,476 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,247 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 330 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,597 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Booragoon's 13.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 77.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including interstate migration and natural growth, were positive factors.

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 utilising the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Regarding demographic trends, an above-median population growth relative to national areas is projected, with the area expected to grow by 3,053 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 15.1% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Booragoon among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Booragoon has seen around 143 new homes approved each year, with 715 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 30 so far in FY-26. With an average of 2.4 new residents per year gained for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating healthy demand that should support property values, new homes are being built at an average construction cost of $462,000, showing that developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. Additionally, $13.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity.

When measured against Greater Perth, Booragoon has slightly more development (40.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), balancing buyer choice with support for current property values, though building activity has slowed in recent years. New building activity consists of 49.0% detached houses and 51.0% medium and high-density housing. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 68.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 217 people per dwelling approval, Booragoon shows a developing market.

Population forecasts indicate Booragoon will gain 2,666 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Booragoon has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 35 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Mount Pleasant Primary School Redevelopment, Townhouse Fund Applecross Development, Applecross Village Redevelopment (Stage 2), and Karoonda Reserve Sports Changeroom Upgrade, 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.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Booragoon significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Booragoon features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 2.4%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 9,711 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.7% below Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (68.8% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 12.5% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in the professional & technical sector, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 7.3% versus the regional average of 9.3%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.5% while the labour force increased by 0.9%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. 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 Booragoon. 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 Booragoon's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Booragoon SA2's median income among taxpayers is $64,744, with an average of $104,435. This is exceptionally high nationally, 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 $70,972 (median) and $114,482 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Booragoon cluster around the 74th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals the largest segment comprises 26.0% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,584 residents), mirroring the metropolitan region where 32.0% occupy this bracket. The substantial proportion of high earners (36.5% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout this suburb. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 77th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Booragoon, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 68.5% houses and 31.5% 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 Booragoon was well beyond that of Perth metro, at 42.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (33.1%) or rented (24.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Perth metro average at $2,600, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $420, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Booragoon's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Booragoon has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 71.5% of all households, comprising 34.7% couples with children, 27.0% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.5%, with lone person households at 25.9% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Booragoon places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Booragoon significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 46.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.9% in WA and 28.6% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 30.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational pathways account for 24.4% of qualifications among those aged 15+ - advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (13.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.0% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 7.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 89 active transport stops operating within Booragoon comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 20 individual routes, collectively providing 3,995 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 178 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward - the car remains the dominant mode at 80%, with 8% by train and 8% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. A relatively low 12.5% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 570 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 44 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Booragoon, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (12,890 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth, while the national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 6.7% and 6.3% of residents, respectively, while 74.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The area has 24.1% of residents aged 65 and over (4,246 people), which is higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Booragoon was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Booragoon is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 23.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 38.9% born overseas. The main religion in Booragoon is Christianity, which makes up 50.4% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 3.1% of the population, compared to 2.7% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Booragoon are English, comprising 26.1% of the population, Australian, comprising 19.4% of the population, and Chinese, comprising 11.2% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 4.0%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: South Australian is notably overrepresented at 1.0% of Booragoon (vs 1.0% regionally), Croatian at 1.0% (vs 0.8%) and Korean at 0.8% (vs 0.3%).

Booragoon's median age exceeds the national pattern

The 42-year median age in Booragoon is significantly above Greater Perth's average of 37 and similarly considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The 65 - 74 age group shows strong representation at 12.0% compared to Greater Perth, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 9.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.3% to 8.4% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.6% to 12.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Booragoon. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 64% (941 people), reaching 2,419 from 1,477. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 76% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.