Carramar
Statistical Area - sa2

Carramar lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Carramar's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 21,638. This figure represents an increase of 2,997 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,641. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 21,455 in June 2024 and an additional 284 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 721 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Carramar's growth rate of 16.1% since the 2021 census exceeds both the national average (8.6%) and that of its SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 39.2% to overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and interstate migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch's projections for each SA2 area are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends indicate an above median growth for statistical areas analyzed by AreaSearch, with Carramar projected to expand by 4,881 persons to 2041, resulting in a total increase of 21.7% over the 17 years.

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

Carramar has received approximately 142 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, totalling 713 approvals from FY-21 to FY-25 and 32 so far in FY-26. Over the past five years, an average of 4.1 new residents per dwelling has been observed. This outpaces supply, potentially influencing prices and competition among buyers.

The average construction cost for new dwellings is $420,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals reached $18.3 million. Compared to Greater Perth, Carramar has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks in the 49th percentile nationally, indicating relatively limited buyer choice.

Development activity is predominantly detached houses (99.0%) with few attached dwellings (1.0%), maintaining low-density housing. The area's population per dwelling approval is estimated at 346 people. By 2041, Carramar is projected to gain 4,698 residents. Current construction levels are expected to meet demand adequately, favouring buyers and potentially exceeding current population forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 21 projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones include Banksia Grove West Primary School, Neerabup Industrial Area Development Project, East Wanneroo District Structure Plan, and Banksia Grove Village Shopping Centre Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Carramar exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Carramar's workforce comprises skilled individuals with prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 4.0%, reflecting a 4.2% employment growth over the preceding year.

As of that date, 12,705 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.9% above Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. The workforce participation rate in Carramar was 75.4%, surpassing Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade, with construction notably higher at 1.2 times the regional average. Professional & technical services have a limited presence, accounting for 5.5% of employment compared to the regional average of 8.2%.

Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 4.2%, while labour force grew by 4.0%, causing unemployment to drop by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth saw employment growth of 3.7% and a slight increase in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows WA's employment contracted by 0.82%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Carramar's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Carramar had a median taxpayer income of $57,480 and an average of $68,293 according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This is higher than national averages, contrasting with Greater Perth's median income of $58,380 and average income of $78,020 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2022 to March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $64,153 (median) and $76,222 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Carramar cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 40.7% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with a total of 8,806 residents falling into this category, mirroring the surrounding region where 32.0% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 17.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 71st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

Carramar is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Carramar, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 9 August 2016, consisted of 96.6% houses and 3.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Perth metropolitan area's 92.2% houses and 7.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Carramar was at 13.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (67.1%) or rented (19.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,907, above Perth metro's average of $1,898. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $380, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Carramar's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Carramar features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 83.2% of all households, including 46.7% couples with children, 21.1% couples without children, and 14.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 16.8%, with lone person households at 14.7% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.8.

Educational attainment in Carramar aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 20.1%, substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 15.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 42.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.0%) and certificates (30.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 33.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 13.0% in primary, 9.4% in secondary, and 4.8% in tertiary education. A network of six schools operates within Carramar, educating approximately 3,392 students. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 993) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with five primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. 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

Carramar has 63 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by three different routes that together facilitate 1,141 weekly passenger trips. The transport system in Carramar is rated as good, with residents on average living 237 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 163 trips across all routes, which translates to about 18 weekly trips per individual stop.

Carramar's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Carramar's health outcomes show excellent results, notably for younger age groups with low prevalence of common conditions.

Approximately 54% (~11,619 people) have private health cover, higher than the Greater Perth average. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions at 8.1 and 7.6%, respectively. Around 75.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 73.0% in Greater Perth. The area has 8.2% (1,763 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Perth's 13.6%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors require more attention due to being above average.

Carramar 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

Carramar's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 17.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 43.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Carramar, making up 43.4% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprises 1.4%, slightly higher than Greater Perth's 1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (32.2%), Australian (20.9%), and Other (10.4%). Some ethnic groups show notable variations: South African (2.1% vs regional 1.8%), Welsh (0.9% vs 0.9%), and Maori (1.5% vs 1.3%) are relatively more represented in Carramar compared to the Greater Perth region.

Carramar hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Carramar's median age is 32 years, which is notably younger than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Carramar has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (5.5%). According to post-2021 Census data, the age group of 55-64 has increased from 8.8% to 9.9%, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 17.0% to 15.8% and the 0-4 group has dropped from 8.2% to 7.0%. Demographic projections indicate significant changes in Carramar's age profile by 2041, with the strongest growth expected in the 45-54 cohort (34%), adding 975 residents to reach a total of 3,849. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 35-44 cohorts.