Bull Creek

Bull Creek has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Bull Creek's population was around 8,890 as of May 2026, reflecting an increase of 860 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 10.7% rise from the previous census figure of 8,030 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,712 in June 2025 and an additional 88 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,137 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bull Creek's growth rate exceeded the national average of 9.3%, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 growth post-2032, AreaSearch uses the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Based on projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is expected across statistical areas nationally. Bull Creek is projected to grow by 1,211 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 11.6% over the 16-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Bull Creek when compared nationally

Bull Creek has recorded approximately 35 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25178 homes were approved, with a further 17 approved so far in FY26. Each dwelling averaged 2.4 new residents per year over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $378,000, higher than regional norms, indicating quality-focused development. This financial year has seen $1.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to residential. When compared to Greater Perth, Bull Creek shows about 67% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 72nd percentile nationally for building activity, though activity has increased recently. Recent construction comprises 57.0% standalone homes and 43.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across different price points.

This shows a shift from the current housing mix, which is currently 79.0% houses, reflecting reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Bull Creek has approximately 323 people per dwelling approval, indicating potential for growth. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Bull Creek is expected to grow by 1,033 residents through to 2041. Development appears to be keeping pace with projected population growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Bull Creek has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects expected to impact the area. Notable ones include the Bull Creek Station Precinct Structure Plan (City of Melville), Bull Creek Central Redevelopment, Orthonova Orthopaedic Hospital, and New Women and Babies Hospital. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Bull Creek ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Bull Creek's workforce is highly educated with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 1.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.0%. As of December 2025, 4,243 residents were employed at a 2.5% lower unemployment rate than Greater Perth's 4.1%, but workforce participation lagged at 60.1%.

Only 11.7% worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services, with the latter being particularly notable at 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, construction showed lower representation at 6.7% versus the regional average of 9.3%. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 1.0%, labour force by 0.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points.

This contrasted with Greater Perth's 2.3% employment growth, 2.6% labour force expansion, and 0.3% unemployment rise. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bull Creek's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.8% in five years and 14.2% in ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for local population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023. Bull Creek SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $52,240 and an average income of $72,098. These figures were higher than the national averages of $60,748 and $80,248 across Greater Perth respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $57,950 (median) and $79,978 (average). The 2021 Census ranked household income at the 57th percentile ($1,880 weekly) and personal income at the 39th percentile. Income analysis showed that 26.5% of individuals earned between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, mirroring the region where 32.0% occupied this bracket. The district exhibited affluence with 30.8% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing expenses, 86.4% of income remained for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

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

In Bull Creek, as per the latest Census evaluation, 78.6% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 21.4% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is similar to Perth metro's dwelling composition of 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Bull Creek was higher at 45.9%, with mortgaged properties making up 34.2% and rented dwellings accounting for 20.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, exceeding Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent in Bull Creek was recorded at $420, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Bull Creek's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Bull Creek has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 75.7% of all households, including 39.2% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 22.4% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Bull Creek demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Bull Creek's educational attainment notably exceeds broader standards. Among residents aged 15+, 45.3% possess university qualifications, surpassing WA's 27.9% and the SA4 region's 28.6%. This significant educational edge positions Bull Creek favourably for knowledge-driven prospects. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 29.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%).

Vocational pathways comprise 24.3% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas accounting for 11.1% and certificates for 13.2%. Educational participation is notably high, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 6.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Bull Creek has 36 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 20 different routes, facilitating a total of 4,103 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically living 262 meters away from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation at 71%, followed by trains at 18% and buses at 7%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 11.7% of residents work from home, which could be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 586 trips per day, equating to around 113 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bull Creek's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Bull Creek. AreaSearch assessed mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, finding low prevalence of common health conditions in both young and old age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover was found to be high at approximately 55% of the total population (~4880 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth. The most common medical conditions were arthritis (8.1%) and mental health issues (5.7%). A total of 72.3% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 71.9% in Greater Perth. Bull Creek has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 25.1% (~2235 people), compared to 16.1% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Bull Creek is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bull Creek's cultural diversity is notable, with 35.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 46.8% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Bull Creek, making up 46.3%. However, Buddhism stands out at 5.7%, compared to Greater Perth's 2.7%.

In ancestry, English (23.4%), Chinese (19.4%) and Australian (18.1%) are the top groups, with Chinese notably higher than the regional average of 4.0%. Other ethnicities with notable differences include Korean at 1.3% (vs region's 0.3%), Sri Lankan at 0.7% (vs 0.2%), and Indian at 4.5% (vs 2.6%).

Bull Creek hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Bull Creek is 43 years, which is considerably higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 years are particularly prominent, making up 10.4% of the population, while the 25-34 age group is comparatively smaller at 8.6%. Since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.7% to 12.8%, and the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 8.5% to 10.4%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group has declined from 13.5% to 10.5%, and the 55 to 64 age group has dropped from 10.7% to 9.5%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Bull Creek's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow exceptionally, expanding by 520 people (140%) from 371 to 892. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 66% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 65 to 74 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.