Busselton - West

Population growth drivers in Busselton - West are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Busselton - West's population is around 21,646 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,354 people (12.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,292 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 21,249 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 1,268 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 189 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Busselton - West's 12.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the Rest of WA, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 82.5% 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). Anticipating future population dynamics, an above-median population growth for locations outside of capital cities is projected, with the area expected to expand by 3,561 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 14.6% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Busselton - West among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Busselton - West has averaged around 182 new dwelling approvals per year, with 912 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 150 so far in FY-26. With an average of 2.2 people moving to the area per new home constructed 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 $278,000. Additionally, $6.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, complementing the area's residential character.

Compared to the rest of WA, Busselton - West shows approximately 68% of the construction activity per person and ranks in the 76th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New development consists of 97.0% standalone homes and 3.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 156 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Looking ahead, Busselton - West is expected to grow by 3,164 residents through to 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Busselton - West has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 18 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Busselton Water Supply Improvement, Halcyon Vasse, Vasse Estate, and Vasse Estate, 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 places Busselton - West well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Busselton - West features a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of just 2.5%, and 5.3% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 11,061 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.0% below Regional WA's rate of 3.5%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (65.0% compared to Regional WA's 67.4%). Based on Census responses, a low 7.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 3.2% versus the regional average of 9.3%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 5.3% while labour force increased by 5.1%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. This compares to Regional WA, where employment grew by 1.0%, labour force expanded by 1.4%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Busselton - West. 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 Busselton - West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Busselton - West SA2's median income among taxpayers is $50,709, with an average of $68,232. This is approximately average nationally, and compares to Regional WA's median of $59,973 and average of $74,392. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $55,587 (median) and $74,796 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Busselton - West, between the 24th and 28th percentiles. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 28.5% of residents (6,169 people), aligning with the region where this cohort likewise represents 31.1%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 22nd percentile.

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

Dwelling structure within Busselton - West, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 86.5% houses and 13.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional WA's 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Busselton - West was higher than that of Regional WA, at 36.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (37.3%) or rented (25.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional WA average at $1,733, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $350, compared to Regional WA's $1,560 and $265. Nationally, Busselton - West's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 70.2% of all households, comprising 27.3% couples with children, 32.0% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.8%, with lone person households at 27.3% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people is smaller than the Regional WA average of 2.5.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (16.7%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 12.2%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.4%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.1%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (31.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 1.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 147 active transport stops operating within Busselton - West comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 3 individual routes, collectively providing 170 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 356 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 91%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling, below the regional average. A relatively low 7.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 24 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 1 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health outcomes in Busselton - West are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Health indicators suggest below-average outcomes in Busselton - West, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover just leads that of the average SA2 area at approximately 53% of the total population (~11,537 people). This compares to 56.4% across Regional WA.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 10.2 and 8.6% of residents, respectively, while 65.0% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.3% across Regional WA. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 21.4% of residents aged 65 and over (4,634 people), which is higher than the 19.2% in Regional WA, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Busselton - West ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Busselton - West was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 80.8% of its population born in Australia, 89.4% being citizens, and 94.8% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Busselton - West is Christianity, which makes up 44.6% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Buddhism, which comprises 1.0% of the population, compared to 1.0% across Regional WA.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Busselton - West are English, comprising 36.0% of the population, Australian, comprising 29.6% of the population, and Irish, comprising 7.6% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Dutch is notably overrepresented at 1.7% of Busselton - West (vs 1.5% regionally), Welsh at 0.7% (vs 0.6%), and New Zealand at 0.9% (vs 0.9%).

Busselton - West hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

At 44 years, Busselton - West's median age is considerably higher than the Regional WA average of 40 and substantially exceeds the 38-year national average. The 15 - 24 age group shows strong representation at 11.4% compared to Regional WA, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.6%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 9.5% to 11.4% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 12.4% to 14.0%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 13.3% to 11.9% and the 85+ group dropped from 3.7% to 2.5%. Demographic modeling suggests Busselton - West's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 42%, adding 968 residents to reach 3,256. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 85+ and 75 to 84 cohorts.