College Grove - Carey Park

College Grove - Carey Park has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

College Grove - Carey Park's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 7,519. This figure represents an increase of 543 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,976. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 7,475 in June 2024 plus 14 validated new addresses. The population density is around 774 persons per square kilometer. College Grove - Carey Park's 7.8% growth since the census is close to the national average of 8.9%, indicating strong fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 59.2% of overall population gains, with all migration drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 estimates, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort from the ABS's latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future trends project an above median population growth for non-metropolitan areas nationally. By 2041, College Grove - Carey Park is expected to expand by 1,435 persons, reflecting a total gain of 18.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees College Grove - Carey Park recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

College Grove - Carey Park has seen approximately 13 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 66 homes were approved, with another 8 approved so far in FY-26. Each year, an average of 6.6 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed during this period.

This has led to a significant demand exceeding supply, which typically results in price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $224,000, under regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY-26, there have been $4.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the rest of WA, College Grove - Carey Park shows substantially reduced construction activity, with 69.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes often strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, although recent construction activity has increased.

Nationally, this activity is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. The development consists mainly of detached houses (89.0%) with a minority of attached dwellings (11.0%), maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. With an estimated 428 people per dwelling approval, it indicates a quiet, low-activity development environment. Future projections suggest College Grove - Carey Park will add around 1,391 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

College Grove - Carey Park has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include SWAMS Health Hub and Community Centre, Glen Iris Commercial & Retail Development, Carey Park Football Club Upgrades, and Bunbury Regional Hospital Redevelopment. 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 assessment indicates College Grove - Carey Park faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

College Grove - Carey Park has a diverse workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 6.7% as of September 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 6.2%. There were 3,395 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 3.4% higher than Rest of WA's rate of 3.3%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 50.0%, compared to Rest of WA's 59.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

The area shows strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 1.2% of local workers, below Rest of WA's 9.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 6.2%, while labour force grew by 5.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of WA saw employment rise by 1.4% and unemployment fall by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to College Grove - Carey Park's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

College Grove - Carey Park SA2's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $43,600. The average income stood at $56,045 during the same period. These figures are lower than Rest of WA's median and average incomes of $57,323 and $71,163 respectively. By September 2025, with a 14.2% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $49,791 and $64,003 respectively in College Grove - Carey Park. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in College Grove - Carey Park fall between the 8th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 27.4% of residents earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, which is consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 31.1% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in College Grove - Carey Park, with only 81.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 8th percentile nationally.

College Grove - Carey Park is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

College Grove - Carey Park's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.9% houses and 17.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro WA's 88.1% houses and 11.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in College Grove - Carey Park stood at 26.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.5% and rented ones at 42.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,616. The median weekly rent figure was $280, compared to Non-Metro WA's $300. Nationally, College Grove - Carey Park's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

College Grove - Carey Park features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 59.0% of all households, including 18.2% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 16.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 41.0%, with lone person households at 36.6% and group households making up 4.4%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

College Grove - Carey Park faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 12.0%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.6%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.4%) and certificates (31.8%). Educational participation is high at 33.1%, with 11.8% in primary education, 10.0% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in primary education, 10.0% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

College Grove - Carey Park has 67 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 13 individual routes that collectively facilitate 541 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing 183 meters from the nearest transport stop.

On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 77 trips per day, which translates to approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in College Grove - Carey Park is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

College Grove - Carey Park faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% (around 3,609 people), compared to 54.1% across the Rest of WA and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 12.2% and 10.2% of residents respectively.

About 59.7% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 66.4% in Rest of WA. The area has 16.2% (1,215 people) of residents aged 65 and over, lower than the 17.6% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, College Grove - Carey Park records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

College Grove-Carey Park's cultural diversity is similar to the wider area, with 78.1% of residents being citizens, 80.5% born in Australia, and 90.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the dominant religion at 43.3%. The 'Other' religious group comprises 0.8%, slightly higher than the regional average of 0.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (33.0%), Australian (28.1%), and Scottish (7.1%). Some ethnic groups have notable differences: Maori at 1.4% vs regional 1.0%, New Zealand at 0.9% vs regional 0.8%, and Australian Aboriginal at 4.0% vs regional 2.4%.

College Grove - Carey Park's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

College Grove - Carey Park's median age is 38 years, which is slightly below the Rest of WA average of 40 but in line with the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 15.6% locally compared to the Rest of WA average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 10.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group grew from 13.4% to 15.3%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 11.7% to 12.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort declined from 12.8% to 11.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests College Grove - Carey Park's age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 46%, adding 535 residents to reach 1,711. Meanwhile, both the 85+ and 75-84 age groups are expected to have reduced numbers.