Clarkson

Population growth drivers in Clarkson are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Clarkson's population was 15,932 as of May 2026, an increase of 2,028 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 13,904. This growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 15,921 in June 2025 and validated new addresses totalling 421 since the Census date. The resulting population density was 1,480 persons per square kilometer, higher than the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Clarkson's growth rate of 14.6% between the 2021 Census and May 2026 exceeded both the national average (9.3%) and its SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.2% to overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and employs ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for areas not covered by this data or post-2032 growth estimation.

Future population dynamics anticipate an increase just below the median statistical area analysed by AreaSearch, with Clarkson expected to gain 777 persons by 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 4.8% over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Clarkson was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Clarkson has received approximately 94 dwelling approvals each year over the past five financial years, totalling 470 homes. As of FY26147 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.3 people move to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating high demand exceeding new supply. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $280,000.

In FY26, there have been $12.6 million in commercial approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to Greater Perth. Clarkson shows around 57% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 85th percentile nationally, with recent intensification in construction activity. New development comprises 78.0% detached houses and 22.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Clarkson's suburban character focused on family homes.

With approximately 125 people per dwelling approval, Clarkson is considered a growth area. Population forecasts estimate Clarkson will gain 766 residents by 2041, with current development patterns expected to meet demand and potentially facilitate further population growth beyond projections.

Clarkson has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 25 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Alkimos to Wanneroo Desalination Pipeline, Catalina Plaza Neighbourhood Centre, Catalina Estate, and Wanneroo Road Corridor Improvements. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Clarkson has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Clarkson has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 5.8% in December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 4.1% over the past year. As of this date, 9,060 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 6.8%, which is 1.7% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation was 74.5%, slightly higher than Greater Perth's 69.7%. According to Census responses, only 6.9% of residents worked from home. The key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Clarkson showed particular specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services employed just 5.9% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 8.2%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1%, while labour force grew by 4.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 2.3% and labour force growth of 2.6%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggested potential future demand within Clarkson. These projections estimated national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates varied significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Clarkson's employment mix indicated local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Clarkson SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $58,405 and an average level of $73,815. These figures are higher than national averages of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively across Greater Perth. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, estimated median income is approximately $64,789 and average income is around $81,883 as of March 2026. The 2021 Census shows household, family, and personal incomes in Clarkson are at the 52nd percentile nationally. Income distribution data indicates that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 39.1% of residents (6,229 people), similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Clarkson, with only 81.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 48th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Clarkson is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Clarkson's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.3% houses and 10.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clarkson was at 15.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 52.8% and rented ones at 31.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, below Perth metro's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent figure stood at $350, equal to Perth metro's figure. Nationally, Clarkson's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Clarkson has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 74.3% of all households, including 32.9% couples with children, 22.7% couples without children, and 17.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 25.7%, with lone person households at 22.2% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, aligning with the Greater Perth average.

Educational outcomes in Clarkson fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Clarkson trail residents aged 15+ have lower university degree holders (21.0%) than Australia's average (30.4%). Bachelor degrees are most common (15.5%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.1% holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (29.0%). Educational participation is high, with 30.3% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (11.2%), secondary (7.6%), and tertiary (4.5%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.2% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 4.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Clarkson has 72 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 20 routes providing 2,783 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport access is rated good with residents typically 236 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, with car being the dominant mode at 77%, while 15% use train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. Only 6.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census).

Service frequency averages 397 trips daily across all routes, or approximately 38 weekly trips per stop.

Clarkson's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Clarkson. AreaSearch's assessment found low prevalence of common health conditions among both young and old age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover was very high at approximately 56% of the total population (around 8,937 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.6 and 7.6% of residents respectively. 72.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 12.8% of residents aged 65 and over (2,036 people), which is lower than the 16.1% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Clarkson 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

Clarkson has a high level of cultural diversity, with 21.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 44.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Clarkson, accounting for 41.0% of people. There is an overrepresentation of Other religions in Clarkson, comprising 1.6% compared to 1.4% across Greater Perth.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 30.1%, Australian at 19.4%, and Other at 12.3%. Notably, South Australian ancestry is overrepresented at 2.0% in Clarkson versus the regional average of 1.0%, Welsh ancestry is at 1.0% compared to 0.7%, and Maori ancestry is at 1.6% compared to 0.9%.

Clarkson hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Clarkson's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Clarkson has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (16.6%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (3.5%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 65-74 has increased from 6.1% to 8.2%, while the proportion of those aged 0-4 has decreased from 7.7% to 6.2%. The percentage of residents aged 45-54 has also dropped from 12.8% to 11.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Clarkson. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 104%, adding 581 residents to reach a total of 1,141. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 80% of the population growth, highlighting the trend towards demographic aging. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 25-34 age cohorts.