Cottesloe

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Cottesloe's population is around 8,748 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 998 people (12.9%) 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 93 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,332 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Cottesloe's 12.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 86.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and interstate migration, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Regarding demographic trends, an above-median population growth of Australian statistical areas is projected, with the area expected to expand by 2,083 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 23.5% in total over the 17 years.

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

Cottesloe has recorded around 50 residential properties granted approval each year, totalling 253 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 9 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 2.9 new residents per year gained for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), reflecting robust demand that underpins property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $1,208,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. There have also been $62.3 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

Compared to Greater Perth, Cottesloe shows moderately higher new home approvals (17.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), preserving reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. New building activity consists of 74.0% detached houses and 26.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 169 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Population forecasts indicate Cottesloe will gain 2,058 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as population increases.

Cottesloe has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 23 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Cottesloe Village Precinct and Town Centre Redevelopment, 7-11 Station Street Mixed-Use Precinct, Ocean Village Cottesloe, and the McCabe Street Mixed-Use Residential Precinct (Former Rocky Bay Site), with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 conditions in Cottesloe rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Cottesloe has a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation and an unemployment rate of just 1.3%. As of December 2025, 4,939 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 2.8% below Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (67.1% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 16.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.2% versus the regional average of 9.3%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.8% while employment declined by 0.8%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.3%, labour force growth of 2.6%, and unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Cottesloe. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Cottesloe's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Cottesloe SA2's income level is exceptionally high nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Cottesloe SA2's median income among taxpayers is $83,598 and the average income stands at $213,621, which compares to figures for Greater Perth's of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $91,640 (median) and $234,171 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Cottesloe, between the 97th and 98th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 44.1% of the population (3,857 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, differing from patterns across the region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 32.0%. Economic strength emerges through 54.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 88.3% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Cottesloe, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 69.0% houses and 31.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Cottesloe was well beyond that of Perth metro, at 46.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (26.7%) or rented (27.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Perth metro average at $3,925, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $550, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Cottesloe's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 70.3% of all households, comprising 31.7% couples with children, 30.4% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 4.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people 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

Educational attainment in Cottesloe significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 60.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.9% in WA and 30.1% in Greater Perth. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 41.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational pathways account for 16.5% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (7.5%).

Educational participation is notably high, 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

Public transport analysis reveals 42 active transport stops operating within Cottesloe, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 14 individual routes, collectively providing 4,653 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 220 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 79%, with 11% by train and 3% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling. Some 16.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 664 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 110 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 demonstrates outstanding results across Cottesloe, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 94% of the total population (8,196 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.5% and 5.7% of residents, respectively, while 75.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The area has 24.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,100 people), which is higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 is roughly in line with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 74.2% of its population born in Australia, 89.0% being citizens, and 93.3% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Cottesloe is Christianity, which makes up 47.7% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.3% of the population, compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Cottesloe are English, comprising 34.1% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 28.0%, Australian, comprising 23.2% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 10.0% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: French is notably overrepresented at 1.0% of Cottesloe (vs 0.5% regionally), Welsh at 0.9% (vs 0.7%) and South Australian at 0.9% (vs 1.0%).

Cottesloe hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

With a median age of 44, Cottesloe notably exceeds the Greater Perth figure of 37 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. The 75 - 84 age group shows strong representation at 9.1% compared to Greater Perth, whereas the 35 - 44 cohort is less prevalent at 10.6%. Following the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 7.1% to 9.1% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.7% to 13.9%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 11.9%. Demographic modeling suggests Cottesloe's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 64% (508 people), reaching 1,307 from 798. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 64% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 35 to 44 cohort is projected to decline by 23 people.