Cottesloe

Cottesloe has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Cottesloe's population is around 8,728 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 978 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,750 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,723 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 86 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,327 persons per square kilometer. Cottesloe's 12.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%). Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 86.8% of overall 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 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). An above median population growth is projected for the area, with an expected expansion of 2,083 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 23.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Cottesloe among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Cottesloe has recorded approximately 50 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling 253 homes. As of FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.9 new residents are gained per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction cost value of new homes is $1,208,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment.

This financial year has seen $62.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Perth, Cottesloe shows moderately higher new home approvals, with 17.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. The area maintains a traditional suburban character, with 74.0% detached houses and 26.0% townhouses or apartments.

There are approximately 169 people per dwelling approval in Cottesloe. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Cottesloe is forecasted to gain 2,078 residents by 2041. Construction pace is reasonable with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as population expands.

Cottesloe has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 7thth percentile nationally

Twenty-two projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable ones include 7-11 Station Street Mixed-Use Precinct, Ocean Village Cottesloe, Cottesloe Village Precinct and Town Centre Redevelopment, and McCabe Street Mixed-Use Residential Precinct (Former Rocky Bay Site). The following list details those likely to be most 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.

Employment performance in Cottesloe ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Cottesloe has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. Its unemployment rate is 1.2% as of September 2025.

There are 4,872 residents in work while the unemployment rate is 2.8% below Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.2% versus the regional average of 9.3%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.9% while employment declined by 3.1%, resulting in the unemployment rate rise by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%. State-level data to 25-Nov shows WA employment contracted by 0.27% (losing 5,520 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.6%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cottesloe's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.1% over ten years.

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

The Cottesloe SA2 had exceptionally high national income levels according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Its median income among taxpayers was $84,217 and average income stood at $295,283, compared to Greater Perth's figures of $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $96,176 (median) and $337,213 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census showed household, family and personal incomes in Cottesloe ranked highly nationally, between the 97th and 98th percentiles. Income analysis revealed 44.1% of the population (3,849 individuals) fell within the $4000+ income range, differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominated with 32.0%. Economic strength was evident with 54.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retained 88.3% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

Cottesloe displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The latest Census evaluation shows that Cottesloe's dwelling structure comprised 69.0% houses and 31.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Perth metro had 68.6% houses and 31.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cottesloe was at 46.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.7% and rented ones at 27.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cottesloe was $3,925, higher than Perth metro's average of $3,293. The median weekly rent figure for Cottesloe was $550, compared to Perth metro's $450. Nationally, Cottesloe's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Cottesloe features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.3% of all households, including 31.7% couples with children, 30.4% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Cottesloe places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Cottesloe's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 60.6% hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 30.1% in Greater Perth. This high level of attainment is led by bachelor degrees, with 41.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 15.4% and graduate diplomas at 4.2%. Vocational pathways account for 16.5% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.0% and certificates at 7.5%.

Educational participation is high in Cottesloe, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in secondary education, 8.8% in tertiary education, and 8.1% pursuing primary education.

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

Cottesloe has 43 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 22 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 3,465 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 216 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 495 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 80 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Cottesloe with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 96% of the total population (8,352 people), compared to 87.5% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.5% and 5.7% of residents respectively.

A total of 75.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.2% across Greater Perth. Cottesloe has 23.3% of residents aged 65 and over (2,034 people), which is higher than the 21.5% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Cottesloe's population, like the broader region, is predominantly Australian-born, with 74.2%. Citizenship stands at 89.0%, and English speakers at home are 93.3%. Christianity is the primary religion in Cottesloe, accounting for 47.7% of its residents.

Notably, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, comprising 0.3% versus 0.5%. The top three ancestry groups are English (34.1%), Australian (23.2%), and Scottish (10.0%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: French (1.0%) and Welsh (0.9%) are overrepresented in Cottesloe compared to regional averages, while South African representation is slightly lower at 0.9%.

Cottesloe hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Cottesloe's median age is 44, surpassing Greater Perth's figure of 37 and the national norm of 38. The 75-84 age group constitutes 8.8% of Cottesloe's population, compared to Greater Perth's percentage. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort makes up 10.9%. Post-2021 Census, the 75-84 age group grew from 7.1% to 8.8%, while the 15-24 group increased from 12.7% to 13.8%. Meanwhile, the 45-54 cohort decreased from 13.7% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Cottesloe's age profile. The 75-84 group is expected to grow by 71%, reaching 1,307 people from 765. Those aged 65 and above are projected to contribute 65% of this growth. Conversely, the 5-14 and 35-44 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.