Boulder
Statistical Area - sa2

Boulder is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Boulder's population was around 7,722 as of Nov 2025. This reflected an increase of 572 people (8.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,150 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,705 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 589 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Boulder's 8.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (7.6%), along with the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 54.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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). Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of national non-metropolitan areas was expected, with the area expected to expand by 530 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, resulting in an increase of 6.6% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Boulder according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Boulder has experienced approximately five dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 29 homes. As of FY-26, zero approvals have been recorded. On average, 10.8 new residents arrive annually for each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand significantly exceeds supply. New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $425,000, focusing on the premium market with high-end developments.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $2.0 million, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to the Rest of WA region, where Boulder has 53.0% less development activity per person. This limited new supply supports stronger demand and values for established homes, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 60.0% standalone homes and 40.0% attached dwellings, expanding medium-density options across various price brackets. This differs from the current housing mix of 85.0% houses, addressing reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands. The area has an estimated 2306 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. By 2041, Boulder is expected to grow by 513 residents.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Boulder has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects that could impact this region. Notable ones are Lynas Rare Earths Processing Facility, Goldfields Pipeline Renewal (Stage 1), Workers Lifestyle Village, and Kalgoorlie Rail Realignment. The following details those most relevant.

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

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While Boulder retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.7%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Boulder has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar employment. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented, and the unemployment rate is 3.7%.

As of June 2025, 3857 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.7%, which is 0.5% higher than Rest of WA's rate of 3.2%. Workforce participation in Boulder is similar to Rest of WA's at 59.4%. Leading employment industries among residents include mining, retail trade, and accommodation & food services. The area specializes in mining with an employment share of 2.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented with only 0.4% of Boulder's workforce compared to 9.3% in Rest of WA. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. From June 2024 to June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.5%, and employment decreased by 3.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points in Boulder. In contrast, Rest of WA saw employment rise by 1.1% and unemployment fall by 0.6 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Boulder's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.8% over five years and 11.2% over ten years, based on a 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's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 indicates that Boulder has an extremely high national median income of $66,069 and an average income of $78,308. This contrasts with Rest of WA's figures of a median income of $57,323 and an average income of $71,163. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Boulder would be approximately $75,451 (median) and $89,428 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family, and personal incomes in Boulder cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. The distribution shows that the largest segment comprises 37.4% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (2,888 residents), which is similar to the metropolitan region where 31.1% fall into this bracket. After housing costs, Boulder residents retain 88.4% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power.

Boulder is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Boulder, as per the latest Census data, 84.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 15.1% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In comparison, Non-Metro WA had 82.9% houses and 17.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Boulder stood at 22.5%, with mortgaged properties at 43.4% and rented ones at 34.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,309, lower than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,517. Weekly rent in Boulder was recorded at $300, compared to Non-Metro WA's $280. Nationally, Boulder's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Boulder features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 65.3% of all households, including 27.1% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 13.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.7%, with lone person households at 30.2% and group households comprising 4.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which matches the average for the Rest of WA.

Educational outcomes in Boulder fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 8.5%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 6.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 45.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (6.7%) and certificates (38.3%). Educational participation is high at 37.7%, including 16.7% in primary, 10.2% in secondary, and 2.0% in tertiary education.

Boulder's four schools have a combined enrollment of 545 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 971) and balanced educational opportunities. The area has three primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity is limited at 7.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.6, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: if schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Boulder has 47 active public transport stops, operated by a mix of buses. These stops are served by five routes, offering a total of 132 weekly passenger trips. The city's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 227 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 18 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

Boulder's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows Boulder residents have a relatively positive health status, with common conditions seen across both young and old age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (4,540 people), compared to 62.3% across Rest of WA.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 7.7% and 7.4% of residents respectively. A total of 71.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.9% across Rest of WA. As of 2021, 9.2% of residents are aged 65 and over (707 people). Health outcomes among seniors in Boulder are above average, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

Boulder's cultural diversity aligns with its wider region's average, with 69.3% of residents being citizens, 78.7% born in Australia, and 90.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Boulder, comprising 40.3% of the population. Buddhism shows an overrepresentation compared to the rest of WA, with 1.2% of Boulder's population identifying as Buddhist.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (27.2%), English (27.2%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.2%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences in representation: Maori is overrepresented at 3.7%, New Zealand at 1.6%, and Samoan at 0.6%.

Boulder's population is younger than the national pattern

Boulder's median age is 34, which is younger than the Rest of WA figure of 40 and Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 17.2% of Boulder's population, higher than the Rest of WA's figure. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort makes up 6.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group grew from 15.4% to 17.2%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 12.4% to 14.0%. However, the 45-54 cohort declined from 13.8% to 11.7%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts. The 25-34 group is expected to grow by 42%, reaching 1,881 people from 1,325. Meanwhile, the 75-84 and 85+ age groups are projected to decrease in number.