Derby - West Kimberley

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Derby - West Kimberley's population is around 8,541 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,496 people (21.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,045 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,516 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 15 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Derby - West Kimberley's 21.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the Rest of WA, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth, which contributed approximately 52.3% 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 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). Looking at population projections moving forward, above-median population growth for regional areas across the nation is projected, with the area expected to increase by 1,105 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 12.6% in total over the 17 years.

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 has averaged around 9 new dwelling approvals each year, with 48 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 0 so far in FY-26. Given an average of 4.8 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand significantly exceeds new supply, which usually results in price growth and increased buyer competition. New dwellings are developed at an average construction cost of $685,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. There have also been $9.9 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development.

Relative to the Rest of WA, Derby - West Kimberley has significantly less development activity (60.0% below the regional average per person). This scarcity of new properties typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, though development activity has picked up in recent periods. This is also below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Meanwhile, recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's low-density nature, with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 652 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low-activity development environment.

Future projections show Derby - West Kimberley adding 1,080 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Derby - West Kimberley has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 22ndth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 14 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the RAAF Curtin Redevelopment Project, Derby Light Industrial Estate, Derby Future Energy System, and Derby District High School Redevelopment, 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 Derby - West Kimberley face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Derby - West Kimberley possesses a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of 24.7%. As of December 2025, 2,251 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 21.2% above Regional WA's rate of 3.5%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation lags significantly (44.5% compared to Regional WA's 67.4%). Based on Census responses, a low 4.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise education & training, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 2.5 times the regional average. Conversely, mining shows lower representation at 2.8% versus the regional average of 11.7%. The 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 increased by 2.5% while employment declined by 4.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 5.7 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional WA, where employment rose by 1.0%, the labour force grew by 1.4%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Derby - West Kimberley. 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 Derby - West Kimberley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Derby - West Kimberley SA2's income level is lower than the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Derby - West Kimberley SA2's median income among taxpayers is $53,737 and the average income stands at $64,621, compared to Regional WA's figures of $59,973 and $74,392 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $58,906 (median) and $70,838 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 22nd percentile ($1,327 weekly), while personal income sits at the 2nd percentile. Looking at income distribution, the predominant cohort spans 30.4% of locals (2,596 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, though 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

Dwelling structure within Derby - West Kimberley, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 88.1% houses and 11.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional WA's 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Derby - West Kimberley lagged that of Regional WA, at 10.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (7.8%) or rented (81.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Regional WA average at $1,629, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $100, compared to Regional WA's $1,560 and $265. Nationally, Derby - West Kimberley's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below 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 dominate at 67.7% of all households, comprising 26.0% couples with children, 21.2% couples without children, and 16.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.3%, with lone person households at 30.2% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size of 2.8 people is 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 faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (16.2%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 11.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 32.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (6.3%) and certificates (26.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 36.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 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

Health indicators suggest below-average outcomes in Derby - West Kimberley, 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, and the rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~4,372 people), compared to 56.4% across Regional WA.

The most common medical conditions in the area are diabetes and asthma, impacting 6.5% and 4.4% of residents, respectively, while 80.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.3% across Regional WA. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 8.7% of residents aged 65 and over (745 people), which is 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 was found to be above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 8.6% of its population born overseas and 43.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Derby - West Kimberley is Christianity, which makes up 54.8% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Other, which comprises 2.2% of the population, compared to 0.7% across Regional WA.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Derby - West Kimberley are Australian Aboriginal, comprising 56.7% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 6.1%, Australian, comprising 13.0% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 28.4%, and English, comprising 11.7% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 31.3%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Maori is represented at 0.9% of Derby - West Kimberley (vs 1.0% regionally) and Samoan at 0.1% (vs 0.1%).

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

At 31 years, Derby - West Kimberley's median age is considerably lower than the Regional WA average of 40 and similarly lower than Australia's 38 years. Relative to Regional WA, Derby - West Kimberley has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (21.1%) but fewer 65 - 74 year-olds (6.1%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. Since the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 18.0% to 21.1% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.5% to 14.7%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 11.0% to 9.8% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 12.1% to 11.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Derby - West Kimberley. The 25 to 34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 32%, adding 583 residents to reach 2,383. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 cohorts.