Derby - West Kimberley
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Derby-West Kimberley's population was around 8,521 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure reflected an increase of 1,476 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,045. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,516 in June 2024 and two validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Derby-West Kimberley's growth rate of 21.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.6%. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 and post-2032 growth estimates, AreaSearch utilized growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Population projections indicate an above median growth for regional areas nationally, with Derby-West Kimberley expected to increase by 1,105 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 12.9% 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 approximately nine new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data, produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, shows 48 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with no approvals yet recorded in FY26. On average, 4.8 new residents have been associated with each home built during these years, indicating that demand significantly exceeds new supply, which typically drives price growth and increased buyer competition. The average value of new homes being constructed is $770,000, reflecting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

Commercial approvals totalling $9.9 million have been registered in the current financial year, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Comparatively, Derby - West Kimberley has significantly less development activity than the rest of WA, with 60.0% fewer approvals per person. This scarcity of new properties tends to strengthen demand and prices for existing properties, although there has been an increase in development activity recently. The area's development activity is also below the national average, indicating its established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists exclusively of detached houses, maintaining the area's low-density character and attracting space-seeking buyers.

As of now, there are estimated to be 652 people per dwelling approval in the area, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Future projections indicate that Derby - West Kimberley is expected to add approximately 1,100 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Derby - West Kimberley has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 14 projects likely to impact this region. Key initiatives include RAAF Curtin Redevelopment Project, Derby Light Industrial Estate, Derby Future Energy System, and Derby District High School Redevelopment.

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

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

Derby-West Kimberley has a mixed workforce with white-collar and blue-collar jobs. Key sectors include education & training, health care & social assistance, public administration & safety.

Employment in education & training is high at 2.5 times the regional average. Conversely, mining employment is low at 2.8% compared to the regional average of 11.7%. As of June 2025, 2,255 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 21.6%, significantly higher than Rest of WA's 3.2%. Workforce participation in Derby-West Kimberley is low at 39.0% compared to Rest of WA's 59.4%.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.2%, employment declined by 4.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of WA saw employment rise by 1.1%, the labour force grow by 0.5%, and unemployment fall by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Derby-West Kimberley's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Derby-West Kimberley's median taxable income in financial year 2022 was $52,354. The average income stood at $61,246 during the same period. In comparison, Rest of WA had median and average incomes of $57,323 and $71,163 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 11.61% since financial year 2022, estimated median income in Derby-West Kimberley would be approximately $58,432 by March 2025, with average income projected to reach $68,357 during the same period. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 22nd percentile ($1,327 weekly), while personal income was at the 2nd percentile. Income distribution showed that 30.4% of locals (2,590 people) fell within the $1,500-$2,999 category. This is similar to the broader area where 31.1% occupied this bracket. Housing costs allowed for retention of 91.6% of income, but disposable income was below average at the 33rd 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 dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 88.1% houses and 11.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro WA had 79.3% houses and 20.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Derby-West Kimberley was 10.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 7.8% and rented ones at 81.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,629, lower than Non-Metro WA's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in the area was $100, compared to Non-Metro WA's $200. Nationally, Derby-West Kimberley's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863, and rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

Derby - West Kimberley features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 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 make up the remaining 32.3%, consisting of 30.2% lone person households and 2.3% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, which matches the average for the Rest of WA.

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%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 32.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (6.3%) and certificates (26.2%).

Educational participation is 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. Sixteen schools serve 1,449 students in the area. The educational mix includes four primary, one secondary, and eleven K-12 schools.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Derby-West Kimberley shows excellent health outcomes, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 51% (~4,311 people), compared to 53.4% in the rest of WA.

Diabetes and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 6.5% and 4.4% respectively. 80.2% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to the Rest of WA's 79.9%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 8.7% (743 people), compared to 7.4% in the rest of WA. Seniors' health outcomes align with those of the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Derby - West Kimberley was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Derby-West Kimberley has a cultural diversity above average, with 8.6% born overseas and 43.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion here, accounting for 54.8%. Notably, 'Other' religions comprise 2.2%, higher than Rest of WA's 1.5%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian Aboriginal is highest at 56.7%, significantly more than Rest of WA's 33.7%. Australian and English are lower here: 13.0% vs regional average 19.7%, and 11.7% vs 19.1%. Maori and Samoan groups show notable differences: Maori at 0.9% (regional 0.5%), Samoan at 0.1% (same as regional).

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

Derby-West Kimberley's median age is 31 years, which is lower than Western Australia's average of 40 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the rest of WA, Derby-West Kimberley has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.3%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (6.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 18.0% to 20.3%, while those aged 35 to 44 have risen from 13.5% to 14.5%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55 to 64 has decreased from 11.0% to 9.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Derby-West Kimberley. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 38%, adding 654 residents to reach a total of 2,383. Conversely, population declines are forecasted for the 5-14 and 15-24 age groups.