City Beach

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, City Beach's population is around 7,537 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 732 people (10.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,805 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,279 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 4 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 768 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. City Beach's 10.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of 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). Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected, with the area expected to grow by 582 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 4.3% in total over the 17 years.

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 has recorded around 23 residential properties granted approval annually, with 118 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 9 so far in FY-26. At an average of 2.5 new residents per year for each dwelling over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), reflecting robust demand that underpins property values, new homes are being built at an average construction value of $1,558,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. There have also been $977,000 in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating minimal commercial development activity.

When measured against Greater Perth, City Beach shows approximately 63% of the construction activity per person and places in the 47th percentile of areas assessed nationally, meaning more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. Further, recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 357 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low-activity development environment.

Looking ahead, City Beach is expected to grow by 324 residents through to 2041 (from 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.

City Beach has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 14thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 14 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include City Beach Car Park Upgrades, Bold Park Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Ocean Gardens Multi-Generational Living, and Amara City Beach, 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 of employment trends sees City Beach performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

City Beach features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation and an unemployment rate of just 1.1%. As of December 2025, 3,755 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 3.0% below Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation lags significantly (62.0% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 17.6% 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, professional & technical, and education & training. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.5% versus the regional average of 9.3%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.8% combined with employment decreasing by 1.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. This compares to Greater Perth, where employment grew by 2.3%, labour force expanded by 2.6%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within City Beach. 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 City Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 15.0% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the City Beach SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $82,556 with the average level standing at $171,083. This is among the top percentile nationally and compares to levels of $60,748 and $80,248 across Greater Perth respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $90,498 (median) and $187,541 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in City Beach, between the 92nd and 99th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals the $4000+ earnings band captures 48.2% of the community (3,632 individuals), contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.0%. The district demonstrates considerable affluence with 57.1% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retain 89.0% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and 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

Dwelling structure within City Beach, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 87.6% houses and 12.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within City Beach was well beyond that of Perth metro, at 53.9%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (34.7%) or rented (11.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Perth metro average at $4,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $750, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, City Beach's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 80.4% of all households, comprising 43.2% couples with children, 30.5% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 19.6%, with lone person households at 17.8% and group households comprising 1.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.8 people is 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 55.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.9% in WA and 30.1% in Greater Perth. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 35.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 17.3% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (7.9%).

Educational participation is notably 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.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 53 active transport stops operating within City Beach, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 4 individual routes, collectively providing 1,061 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 197 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 87%, with 2% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 17.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 151 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

City Beach's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across City Beach, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 89% of the total population (6,723 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.0 and 5.3% of residents, respectively, while 74.9% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The area has 24.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,872 people), which is higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in City Beach was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

City Beach is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 13.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 30.9% born overseas. The main religion in City Beach is Christianity, which makes up 55.5% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.6% of the population, compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in City Beach are English, comprising 29.0% of the population, Australian, comprising 22.6% of the population, and Irish, comprising 8.6% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: South Australian is notably overrepresented at 1.4% of City Beach (vs 1.0% regionally), Croatian at 1.1% (vs 0.8%) and Macedonian at 0.6% (vs 0.4%).

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

The 46-year median age in City Beach is notably higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 and similarly well above the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Greater Perth average, the 15 - 24 cohort is notably over-represented (17.5% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (5.0%). This 15 - 24 concentration is well above the national 12.5%. Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 14.3% to 17.5% of the population, while the 85+ cohort increased from 4.7% to 6.0%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 14.7% to 13.1% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 16.5% to 14.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for City Beach. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 387 people (85%) from 455 to 843. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 89% of projected growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 55 to 64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.