College Grove - Carey Park
Statistical Area - sa2

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 was approximately 7,514 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 538 people, or 7.7%, since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,976. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,475 in June 2024 and an additional 12 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 773 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate since the census, at 7.7%, is within 0.9 percentage points of the national average (8.6%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 59.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, 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). Future population trends indicate an above median growth for non-metropolitan areas nationally, with College Grove - Carey Park projected to expand by 1,435 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 18.6% over the 17-year period.

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 12 new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the ABS is on a financial year basis: 62 homes over the past five years, from FY-20 to FY-25, with four approvals so far in FY-26. On average, 6.6 new residents per year have been associated with each home built during these five years. This indicates demand significantly exceeds supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $348,000, which is below regional norms, reflecting more affordable housing options for purchasers. In FY-26, $4.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the rest of WA, College Grove - Carey Park has significantly less development activity, at 70.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. However, building activity has accelerated in recent years.

This is also under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. New building activity shows 89.0% detached houses and 11.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 428 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead, College Grove - Carey Park is expected to grow by 1,396 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

College Grove - Carey Park has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified a total of sixteen projects likely to impact the area, significantly influencing its performance. Notable projects include SWAMS Health Hub and Community Centre, Trinity Rise Estate (Lot 70 Winthrop Avenue, College Grove), Carey Park Football Club Upgrades, and Bunbury Regional Hospital Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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 both white and blue-collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

The unemployment rate was 7.3% in June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 5.6% over the past year. Residents' unemployment rate is 4.2%, higher than Rest of WA's 3.2%. Workforce participation is lower at 50.0% compared to Rest of WA's 59.4%. Major industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Health care & social assistance employs 1.4 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 1.2% locally, below Rest of WA's 9.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 5.6%, labour force grew by 5.3%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of WA's growth rates of 1.1% (employment), 0.5% (labour force), and a 0.6 percentage point decrease in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, May 2025, project national 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 growth of approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

College Grove - Carey Park's median income among taxpayers was $43,600 in financial year 2022, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $56,045 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of WA's median income of $57,323 and average income of $71,163. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for College Grove - Carey Park would be approximately $48,662 (median) and $62,552 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in College Grove - Carey Park all fall between the 9th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 27.4% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (2,058 residents), consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 31.1% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.0% of income remaining after housing costs, 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

The dwelling structure in College Grove - Carey Park, as assessed at 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 the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (31.5%) or rented (42.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Non-Metro WA's average of $1,616, and 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, with rents 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 constitute 59.0% of all households, consisting of 18.2% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 16.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 41.0%, with lone person households at 36.6% and group households making up 4.4% of the total. 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%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.6%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (7.4%) and certificates (31.8%).

Educational participation is high at 33.1%, including 11.8% in primary education, 10.0% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education. Manea Senior College and Carey Park Primary School serve a total of 836 students. College Grove - Carey Park has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 959) with balanced educational opportunities. Educational provision is split between one primary and one secondary institution. There are 11.1 school places per 100 residents, below the regional average of 17.1, 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

College Grove - Carey Park has 67 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 13 different routes that collectively facilitate 541 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 183 meters from the nearest transport stop.

On average, there are 77 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in College Grove - Carey Park is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

College Grove - Carey Park faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% of the total population (~3,606 people), compared to 54.1% in the rest of WA and the 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.

59.7% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 66.4% in the rest of WA. The area has 16.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,215 people), lower than the 17.6% in the rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly inline 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 aligns with its broader region, with 78.1% citizens, 80.5% born in Australia, and 90.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, at 43.3%. The 'Other' religious category is slightly overrepresented at 0.8%, compared to Rest of WA's 0.6%.

Top ancestry groups are English (33.0%), Australian (28.1%), and Scottish (7.1%). Maori (1.4%) and New Zealand (0.9%) ethnicities are somewhat overrepresented, as is Australian Aboriginal (4.0%).

College Grove - Carey Park's population is slightly older than the national pattern

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 Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of WA average, the 25-34 cohort is notably higher at 15.6% locally while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 10.2%. Post the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group increased from 13.4% to 15.3%, and the 15-24 cohort rose from 11.7% to 12.9%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort decreased from 12.8% to 11.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in College Grove - Carey Park's age profile. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 46%, adding 536 residents to reach 1,711. Conversely, both the 85+ and 75-84 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.