Dardanup
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Dardanup's population was around 3,715 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 429 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,286 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,630 from the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 111 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 7.2 persons per square kilometer. Dardanup's growth of 13.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 65.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted 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 utilised the 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 projected an above median growth for non-metropolitan areas nationally, with Dardanup expected to expand by 492 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 11.0% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Dardanup among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Dardanup has seen approximately 33 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 167 homes were approved, with an additional 11 approvals in FY26 so far. This results in an average of about 2.3 people moving to the area per new home constructed over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $305,000. In this financial year, there have been around $5.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to the rest of WA, Dardanup shows approximately 67% higher construction activity per person. This should provide buyers with ample choice, although recent construction activity has eased somewhat.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking family homes with space. The location has around 156 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. Population forecasts indicate Dardanup will gain approximately 407 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects that could affect this region. Notable projects include Bunbury-Dardanup Housing Infrastructure (Wanju & Waterloo), Picton Enterprise Park Development, Waterloo Industrial Park, and Roseland at Dardanup. 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 analysis of employment trends sees Dardanup performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Dardanup has a skilled workforce with strong manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.5%.

As of June 2025, 2,100 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3%, lower than Rest of WA's 3.2%. Workforce participation is 64.0%, similar to Rest of WA's 59.4%. Major employment sectors include construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing, which has a particularly high share at twice the regional level. Conversely, mining has a lower representation at 7.6% compared to the regional average of 11.7%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the past year, employment increased by 5.5%, while labour force grew by 5.4%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. Rest of WA saw slower growth with employment up 1.1% and labour force up 0.5%, and a drop in unemployment by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth varies significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Dardanup's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.3% over five years and 11.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Dardanup's median income among taxpayers was $57,376 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $73,744 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of WA which were $57,323 and $71,163 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $65,523 (median) and $84,216 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Dardanup cluster around the 56th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 32.2% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,196 residents), aligning with the broader area where this cohort likewise represents 31.1%. After housing costs, residents retain 88.6% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Dardanup is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Dardanup, as evaluated at the 2016 Census, consisted of 94.6% houses and 5.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro WA's 88.1% houses and 11.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dardanup was 41.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.1% and rented dwellings at 14.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,750, while the median weekly rent figure was $260. Nationally, Dardanup's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

Dardanup features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 77.8 percent of all households, including 33.0 percent couples with children, 37.2 percent couples without children, and 7.5 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 22.2 percent, with lone person households at 21.1 percent and group households making up 1.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of WA.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.4%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.4%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 33.2%. Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 11.3% in primary, 9.7% in secondary, and 1.8% in tertiary education.

Dardanup's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 465 students, serving typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 994) with balanced educational opportunities. These schools focus on primary education only; secondary options are available nearby. School places per 100 residents stand at 12.6, below the regional average of 17.1, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Dardanup has one active public transport stop operating within its boundaries. This stop is served by a mix of buses running along one route, collectively offering five weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is limited, with residents typically living 5532 meters away from the nearest transport stop.

On average, across all routes, there are no daily trips; however, each individual stop receives approximately five weekly trips.

Dardanup's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows Dardanup residents have relatively positive health outcomes with common conditions seen across both young and old age groups. Private health cover rate is high at approximately 56% (2,098 people), compared to 54.1% across Rest of WA.

The most common conditions are arthritis (10.1%) and mental health issues (7.6%). Around 69.5% report no medical ailments, compared to 66.4% in Rest of WA. Dardanup has 19.5% residents aged 65 and over (724 people), higher than the 17.6% in Rest of WA. Seniors' health outcomes are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Dardanup is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Dardanup had a cultural diversity below average, with 84.1% of its population born in Australia, 90.3% being citizens, and 97.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 49.3% of people in Dardanup, compared to 45.9% across Rest of WA. The top three ancestry groups were English (35.3%), Australian (31.4%), and Scottish (7.6%).

Notably, South African (1.1%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.8%, as were Dutch (2.0% vs 1.6%) and Italian (5.5% vs 4.8%).

Dardanup hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Dardanup's median age is 45 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of WA average of 40 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent at 12.8%, while the 25-34 age group is comparatively smaller at 9.4% compared to the Rest of WA average. Between 2021 and present, Dardanup's median age has dropped by 1.1 years to 45 from its previous figure of 46. During this period, the 35-44 age group grew from 11.6% to 13.4%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 9.7% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 16.0% to 13.1%, and the 55-64 age group dropped from 16.4% to 14.9%. Population forecasts for Dardanup indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 25-34 cohort is expected to show the strongest growth at 56%, adding 194 residents to reach a total of 544. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 65-74 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.