Derby - West Kimberley

Derby - West Kimberley has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Derby-West Kimberley's population is approximately 8,675 as of May 2026. This figure reflects a growth of 1,630 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,045. The increase was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2025 and the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Derby-West Kimberley's growth of 23.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.3%) and that of Rest of WA, indicating it as a region with high population growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 52.1% to this growth.

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 ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population projections indicate an above median growth for regional areas nationally, with Derby-West Kimberley expected to increase by 1,043 persons to reach 9,718 by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 12.0% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Derby - West Kimberley according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Derby-West Kimberley averaged approximately nine new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 48 homes approved. No new dwellings have been approved in FY26 as of yet. On average, 4.8 new residents arrived per year for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating significant demand exceeding supply, which typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average value of new dwellings developed was $685,000, suggesting that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $9.9 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the rest of WA, Derby-West Kimberley has significantly less development activity, at 59.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties often strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, although development activity has picked up recently. The area's development activity is also under the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, preserving the area's low-density nature and appealing to space-seeking buyers. With an estimated 652 people per dwelling approval, the area maintains a quiet, low-activity development environment. Future projections indicate Derby-West Kimberley adding 1,043 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Derby - West Kimberley has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects expected to impact the area. Notable projects include RAAF Curtin Redevelopment Project, Derby Light Industrial Estate, Derby Future Energy System, and Derby District High School Redevelopment. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Derby - West Kimberley face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Derby-West Kimberley has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well-represented, and the unemployment rate is 24.7%. As of December 2025, there are 2,251 residents employed while the unemployment rate stands at 21.2%, which is significantly higher than Regional WA's rate of 3.5%.

Workforce participation in Derby-West Kimberley is lower at 43.8% compared to Regional WA's 66.0%. According to Census responses, only 4.8% of residents work from home. The leading employment industries are education & training, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. Notably, education & training has an employment level that is 2.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, mining shows lower representation at 2.8%, compared to the regional average of 11.7%. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels increased by 2.5% while employment declined by 4.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 5.7 percentage points. In contrast, Regional WA saw employment rise by 1.0%, with a labour force growth of 1.4% and an unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Derby-West Kimberley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The median income among taxpayers in Derby - West Kimberley SA2 was $53,737 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $64,621 during the same period. These figures compare to regional WA's median and average incomes of $59,973 and $74,392 respectively. By March 2026, current estimates project the median income to be approximately $59,610 and the average income around $71,684, based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 22nd percentile ($1,327 weekly), while personal income sits at the 2nd percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 30.4% of locals (2,637 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, mirroring the broader area where 31.1% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are manageable with 91.6% retained, but disposable income sits below average at the 32nd percentile.

Derby - West Kimberley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Derby-West Kimberley's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 88.1% houses and 11.9% other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is comparable to Regional WA's 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Derby-West Kimberley stood at 10.3%, with mortgaged properties at 7.8% and rented dwellings at 81.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,629, higher than Regional WA's average of $1,560. The median weekly rent in the area was $100, lower than Regional WA's figure of $265. Nationally, Derby-West Kimberley's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,629 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $100 versus the national figure of $375.

Derby - West Kimberley features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 67.7% of all households, including 26.0% couples with children, 21.2% couples without children, and 16.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.3%, with lone person households at 30.2% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Regional WA average of 2.5.

Derby - West Kimberley faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 16.2%, 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 11.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 32.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (6.3%) and certificates (26.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 36.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 19.2% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health outcomes in Derby - West Kimberley are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Derby-West Kimberley shows below-average health indicators based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population, which is around 4,441 people, compared to 56.4% in Regional WA. Diabetes and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 6.5 and 4.4% of residents respectively. About 80.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.3% across Regional WA. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 8.8% of residents aged 65 and over, which is around 761 people, lower than the 19.2% in Regional WA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Derby-West Kimberley has a cultural diversity above average, with 8.6% of its population born overseas and 43.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Derby-West Kimberley, comprising 54.8% of people. The most notable overrepresentation is in Other religions, making up 2.2% compared to Regional WA's 0.7%.

For ancestry, Australian Aboriginal is the top group at 56.7%, substantially higher than Regional WA's 6.1%. Australian and English groups are notably lower than regional averages, at 13.0% (vs 28.4%) and 11.7% (vs 31.3%) respectively. Maori is notably overrepresented at 0.9%, while Samoan representation is similar to the regional average at 0.1%.

Derby - West Kimberley hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Derby-West Kimberley's median age is 32 years, which is significantly younger than Regional WA's median age of 40 and the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 20.3% of the population in Derby-West Kimberley, higher than Regional WA but lower than the national average of 14.6%. The 65-74 age cohort makes up 6.1% of the population. Between 2021 and now, the 25-34 age group has increased from 18.0% to 20.3%, while the 35-44 cohort has risen from 13.5% to 14.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.1% to 11.0%, and the 15-24 group has dropped from 14.5% to 13.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Derby-West Kimberley, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to increase by 564 people (32%) from 1,763 to 2,328. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts.