City Beach
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in City Beach reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

City Beach's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was approximately 7,287 by August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 482 individuals, marking a 7.1% rise since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,805. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 7,279 in June 2024 and four validated new addresses added post-Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 742 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages observed across locations evaluated by AreaSearch. City Beach's growth rate since the Census, at 7.1%, is within 1.5 percentage points of the national average of 8.6%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver for population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and employs ABS's latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for areas not covered by the former. Considering projected demographic shifts, City Beach is expected to grow by approximately 582 persons by 2041, reflecting a total growth of around 7.9% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees City Beach recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

City Beach recorded approximately 23 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 118 homes approved over the past five financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, and one recorded so far in FY-26. On average, 2.5 new residents were associated with each dwelling annually over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $2,731,000, reflecting a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY-26, $977,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, City Beach has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 48th percentile of areas assessed nationally, suggesting limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. This is also below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. All new construction in City Beach has consisted solely of standalone homes, maintaining its traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

With approximately 357 people estimated per dwelling approval, it reflects a quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections indicate City Beach adding 574 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

City Beach has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 19thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include City Beach Car Park Upgrades, Bold Park Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Ocean Gardens Multi-Generational Living, and Floreat Beach Masterplan. The following details those most relevant.

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

The labour market strength in City Beach positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

City Beach has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation and a low unemployment rate of 0.8%. As of June 2025, 3,828 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate 3.0% below Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%, but workforce participation lags at 60.1%.

Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Professional & technical employment is particularly high, at 2.0 times the regional level. Construction employs only 5.5% locally, below Greater Perth's 9.3%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as Census data shows fewer working residents than expected based on population.

From Jun-24 to Jul-25, labour force decreased by 1.4% and employment by 1.6%, increasing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment grow by 3.7%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.82%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national rate of 4.5% and growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia projects national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to City Beach's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch data from financial year 2022 shows City Beach had a median taxpayer income of $80,918 and an average of $176,423. Nationally, these figures rank in the top percentile. In Greater Perth, median and average incomes were $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. By March 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $90,313 and $196,906 based on an 11.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census places City Beach household, family, and personal incomes between the 92nd and 100th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 48.2% of residents earn over $4000 weekly (3,512 individuals), contrasting with surrounding regions where earnings between $1,500 - $2,999 lead at 32.0%. High earners make up 57.1% of the community, indicating strong economic capacity. After housing costs, residents retain 89.0% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

In City Beach, dwellings were predominantly houses at 87.6%, with other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other') making up the remaining 12.4%. This is in contrast to Perth metro's dwelling structure of 68.6% houses and 31.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in City Beach was higher at 53.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 11.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $4,000, significantly higher than Perth metro's average of $3,293. The median weekly rent figure for City Beach was $750, compared to Perth metro's $450. Nationally, City Beach's median monthly mortgage repayment is well above the Australian average of $1,863, and its median weekly rent is substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 80.4% of all households, including 43.2% couples with children, 30.5% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 19.6%, with lone person households at 17.8% and group households making up 1.5%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in City Beach places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in City Beach is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 55.2% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 30.1% in the Greater Perth area. This educational advantage positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 35.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.9% and graduate diplomas at 4.9%.

Vocational pathways account for 17.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.4% and certificates 7.9%. Educational participation is high, with 33.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.3% in secondary education, 9.7% in primary education, and 8.1% pursuing tertiary education. As of the latest data, City Beach's four schools have a combined enrollment of 792 students. The area demonstrates exceptional educational performance with an ICSEA score of 1151, placing local schools among the most advantaged nationally. The educational mix includes three primary schools and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents stand at 10.9, below the regional average of 18.1, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

City Beach has 56 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are served by four distinct routes that together facilitate 1,061 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in the city is deemed excellent, with residents generally located just 197 meters from their nearest transport stop.

On average, there are 151 daily trips across all routes, translating to approximately 18 weekly trips per individual bus stop.

City Beach's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout City Beach. Prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups is very low. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 91% of the total population (6,645 people), compared to 87.5% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.0 and 5.3% of residents respectively. 74.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.2% across Greater Perth. The area has 24.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,759 people), which is higher than the 21.5% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

City Beach 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

City Beach's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 13.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 30.9% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in City Beach, accounting for 55.5% of its residents. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, comprising 0.6% versus 0.5%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (29.0%), Australian (22.6%), and Irish (8.6%). Certain ethnic groups showed significant differences in representation: South African at 1.4% (versus regional 1.1%), Croatian at 1.1% (versus 0.8%), and Macedonian at 0.6% (versus 0.2%) were notably overrepresented in City Beach.

City Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in City Beach is 46 years, notably exceeding Greater Perth's average of 37 years and well above the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Perth average, the 15-24 cohort is notably over-represented at 17.1% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 5.3%. Since the Census in 2021, the 15-24 age group has grown from 14.3% to 17.1%, and the 85+ cohort has increased from 4.7% to 5.8%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 14.7% to 13.3%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 16.5% to 15.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for City Beach, with the 85+ age cohort projected to grow significantly by 421 people (100%), from 421 to 843. The aging population dynamic is clear, as those aged 65 and above comprise 89% of projected growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.