Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood
Statistical Area - sa2

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Aug 2025, Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood's population is approximately 25,634. This figure represents an increase of 1,955 people from the 2021 Census count of 23,679. The growth was inferred from ABS estimates of 25,639 as of June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 2,555 persons per square kilometer, placing Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood in the upper quartile nationally. The area's growth rate of 8.3% since the census is close to the national average of 8.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.8% of overall population gains recently.

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 provided by the ABS in its Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future trends project above median population growth nationally, with Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood expected to expand by 3,477 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 13.6% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Butler-Marriwa-Ridgewood averaged approximately 25 new dwelling approvals annually over recent years. Between financial years FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 128 homes were approved, with an additional 9 approved so far in FY-26. Each year, on average, around 9.7 people moved into the area per dwelling built during these five financial years.

This significant demand outpaces supply, typically exerting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $323,000, which is lower than regional levels, offering more affordable housing choices for buyers. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $15.3 million, indicating balanced commercial development activity in the area compared to Greater Perth. However, construction levels are substantially reduced by 91.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, although building activity has accelerated in recent years.

The majority of new developments consist of detached houses (95.0%), with a small proportion being townhouses or apartments (5.0%). This preserves the area's suburban nature and attracts space-seeking buyers. With around 788 people per dwelling approval, Butler-Marriwa-Ridgewood reflects a highly mature market. Looking ahead, population growth projections indicate an increase of approximately 3,482 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth in the area.

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 30 projects likely to impact the region. Notable initiatives include Banksia Grove District Centre, Brighton Estate Master Planned Community, Butler District Planning Scheme Amendment No. 212, and Butler Boulevard Medical Centre. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

As of June 2025, unemployment stands at 6.9%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.8% over the past year. There are 13,310 residents in work, but the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Perth's 3.9%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Construction has a particularly high representation, at 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 4.5% compared to the regional average of 8.2%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Over the past year, employment increased by 4.8%, and labour force grew by 4.0%, causing a drop in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 3.7% and labour force growth of 3.8%, with a slight rise in unemployment rate. State-level data to Sep-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.82%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1%% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

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

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood's median taxpayer income was $56,191 and average income was $70,557 in financial year 2022. This is higher than the national average of $58,380 for median income and $78,020 for average income in Greater Perth. By March 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth suggest median income will be approximately $62,715 and average income will be around $78,749. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood rank modestly, between the 34th and 38th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The largest income segment comprises 34.4% of residents earning $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, aligning with regional trends where this cohort represents 32%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in the area, with only 79.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 33rd percentile.

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood, as assessed at the latest Census, consisted of 91.0% houses and 9.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Perth metro had 92.2% houses and 7.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood was at 14.6%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (52.6%) or rented (32.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,898 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $340, compared to Perth metro's $350 and the national figure of $375.

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.4% of all households, including 33.5% couples with children, 22.7% couples without children, and 16.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.6%, with lone person households at 23.2% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.8 people.

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 14.8%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.5%) and certificates (30.5%). Educational participation is high at 32.6%, comprising 11.9% in primary, 9.8% in secondary, and 4.1% in tertiary education.

The Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood area has a network of 10 schools educating approximately 4,177 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 993) and balanced educational opportunities. This includes 6 primary, 3 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

The Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood area has 104 active public transport stops. These include both train and bus services. Eleven individual routes operate in the region, collectively serving 3,387 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 197 meters. On average, there are 483 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 32 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Health indicators suggest below-average outcomes for Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood.

Common health conditions are somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts. Private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (~14,098 people). The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.4 and 8.1% of residents respectively. 68.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 73.0% across Greater Perth. As of August 2021, the area has 15.4% of residents aged 65 and over (3,955 people), which is higher than the 13.6% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood 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

Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 14.6% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 42.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood, accounting for 44.2%. However, Islam is more prevalent here than in Greater Perth, making up 1.5% compared to 3.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (34.4%), Australian (21.2%), and Other (9.9%). Notably, South African, Maori, and Welsh ethnicities have higher representations in Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood than regionally: South Africans at 1.8% vs 1.8%, Maoris at 2.4% vs 1.3%, and Welsh at 0.9% vs 0.9%.

Butler - Merriwa - Ridgewood hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (14.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.0%). Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the population share of those aged 55-64 increased from 8.6% to 10.2%, while the shares of those aged 5-14 decreased from 15.4% to 14.0% and those aged 45-54 dropped from 13.7% to 12.6%. By 2041, Butler-Merriwa-Ridgewood's population is forecasted to see substantial demographic changes. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 76%, adding 1,083 residents to reach a total of 2,511. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 62% of population growth, indicating prominent demographic aging trends. Conversely, the population in the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts is projected to decline.