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

City Beach's population, as of May 2026, is approximately 7,443. This figure represents an increase of 638 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 6,805. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 7,443 as of June 2025 and an additional 5 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 758 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. City Beach's growth rate of 9.4% since the 2021 Census exceeds the national average (9.3%), indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 99.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate post-2032 growth, 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). Considering projected demographic shifts, City Beach is expected to grow by approximately 626 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 8.4% over the 16-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 has granted approximately 23 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25118 homes were approved, with a further 98 approved in FY26. On average, each dwelling accommodated around 2.5 new residents per year during these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value of new homes was $1,558,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY26, commercial approvals totaled $977,000, suggesting minimal commercial development activity in the area. Compared to Greater Perth, City Beach exhibited approximately 63% of the construction activity per person during this period. Nationally, it ranked among the 47th percentile of areas assessed for residential dwelling approvals, indicating more limited housing choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes.

This lower-than-average national activity reflects the area's maturity and potential planning constraints. Recent building activity in City Beach consisted solely of detached houses, preserving its low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 357 people, reflecting a quiet, low-activity development environment. Looking ahead, City Beach is projected to grow by 626 residents by the year 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

City Beach 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 14 projects that could impact the area. Notable ones include City Beach Car Park Upgrades, Bold Park Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Ocean Gardens Multi-Generational Living, and Amara City Beach. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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 has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. As of December 2025, its unemployment rate is 1.1%. Compared to Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, City Beach's rate is 3.0% lower.

Workforce participation in City Beach stands at 60.5%, significantly lagging behind Greater Perth's 69.7%. According to Census responses, 17.6% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, employment in professional & technical services is at 2.0 times the regional average, while construction shows lower representation at 5.5% versus the regional average of 9.3%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.8%, and employment decreased by 1.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment grow by 2.3% and labour force expand by 2.6%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to City Beach's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 7.3% over five years and 15.0% over ten years.

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 on 30 June 2023, the City Beach SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $82,556 with the average level standing at $171,083. This ranks in 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 10.93% from financial year 2023 to March 2026, current estimates would be approximately $91,579 (median) and $189,782 (average). 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 that 48.2% of the community earns over $4,000 per week, with 3,587 individuals falling into this category, contrasting with Greater Perth 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. 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

The dwelling structure in City Beach, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 87.6% houses and 12.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in City Beach stood at 53.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 11.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $4,000, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent in City Beach was $750, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, City Beach's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $4,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 comprise 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 account for the remaining 19.6%, with lone person households at 17.8% and group households comprising 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

City Beach has a notably higher level of educational attainment than broader areas, with 55.2% of its residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This figure is significantly higher than the state average of 27.9% in Western Australia and the Greater Perth average of 30.1%. The area's high proportion of university graduates positions it well for knowledge-based opportunities, with bachelor degrees being the most common at 35.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.9% and graduate diplomas at 4.9%. Vocational pathways are also pursued in City Beach, accounting for 17.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above.

Advanced diplomas make up 9.4% of these qualifications, while certificates account for 7.9%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, 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

City Beach has 53 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 1,061 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in the area is excellent, with residents typically located just 197 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents travel outward for work. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 87% of residents, while cycling accounts for 2%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.9, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.6% of City Beach residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 151 transport 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

City Beach demonstrates excellent health outcomes according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 89% of City Beach residents have private health cover, compared to 59.0% in Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.0%) and asthma (5.3%). A total of 74.9% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than the 71.9% across Greater Perth. City Beach has 24.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,850 people), greater than the 16.1% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for 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's population showed high cultural diversity, with 13.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 30.9% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 55.5%. Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, making up 0.6% of City Beach's population.

The top three ancestry groups were English (29.0%), Australian (22.6%), and Irish (8.6%). Notably, South Australian (1.4%), Croatian (1.1%), and Macedonian (0.6%) ethnicities showed higher representation than the regional averages of 1.0%, 0.8%, and 0.4% respectively.

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

The median age in City Beach is 46 years, notably higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and also above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, the 15-24 age group is over-represented in City Beach at 17.5%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 5.6%. Between the 2021 Census and present day, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 14.3% to 17.5% of City Beach's population, while the 85+ cohort has grown from 4.7% to 6.5%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 16.5% to 14.3%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 14.9% to 13.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in City Beach. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow by 441 people (92%), from 480 to 922. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 84% of this growth. Conversely, the 55-64 and 0-4 age cohorts are forecasted to experience population declines.