Derby - West Kimberley

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

Derby-West Kimberley's population was around 8,541 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 1,496 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 7,045. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 8,516 in June 2024 and additional validated addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Derby-West Kimberley's growth rate exceeded the national average (9.9%) since the 2021 Census. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.3% to overall population gains recently.

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 growth rates by age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future projections indicate an above median population growth for regional areas, with Derby-West Kimberley expected to increase by 1,105 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 12.6% 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 averaged approximately 9 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 48 homes approved. In FY26, one dwelling has been approved so far. On average, 4.8 new residents arrived per year for each dwelling constructed during these years.

This significant demand outpaces supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average development value for new dwellings is $685,000, indicating that developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, there have been $9.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the rest of WA, Derby-West Kimberley has significantly less development activity, at 60.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

However, development activity has picked up in recent periods. Relative to the national average, development activity is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With an estimated 652 people per dwelling approval, it reflects a quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections estimate Derby-West Kimberley to add 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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 14 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include RAAF Curtin Redevelopment Project, Derby Light Industrial Estate, Derby Future Energy System, and Derby District High School Redevelopment. The following list details those most 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.

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 23.0%. As of September 2025, there are 2,271 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 19.8%, which is significantly higher than the Rest of WA's rate of 3.3%.

Workforce participation in Derby-West Kimberley is lower at 43.9% compared to the Rest of WA's 67.2%. 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. Education & training has a particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 2.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, mining shows lower representation at 2.8% compared to the regional average of 11.7%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.9%, while employment declined by 3.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 3.5 percentage points. This contrasts with the Rest of WA where employment rose by 1.4%, the labour force grew by 1.2%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. 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.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The median income of taxpayers in Derby-West Kimberley SA2 was $53,737 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $64,621 during the same period. In comparison, Rest of WA's median and average incomes were $59,973 and $74,392 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest that Derby-West Kimberley SA2's median income would be approximately $58,906 and average income around $70,838, based on a 9.62% growth rate since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 22nd percentile ($1,327 weekly), while personal income was at the 2nd percentile. The predominant income cohort in Derby-West Kimberley SA2 spanned 30.4% of locals (2,596 people) within the $1,500-$2,999 category, similar to the broader area where 31.1% fell into this bracket. Housing costs were manageable with 91.6% retained, but disposable income was 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 dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is comparable to Non-Metro WA's 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Derby-West Kimberley was at 10.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 7.8% and rented ones at 81.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,629, higher than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,560. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $100, lower than Non-Metro WA's $265. Nationally, Derby-West Kimberley's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were 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 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 constitute 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 Rest of 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 has university qualification rates of 16.2%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. 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 them, including advanced diplomas (6.3%) and certificates (26.2%). Educational participation is high at 36.3%, comprising 19.2% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Derby-West Kimberley's health indicators show below-average results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are higher than average for both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population, compared to 56.4% across the rest of WA (~4,372 people). The most common medical conditions are diabetes (6.5%) and asthma (4.4%), while 80.2% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.3% in the rest of WA. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 8.7% of residents aged 65 and over (745 people), lower than the 19.2% in the rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking higher than the general population nationally.

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's population shows cultural diversity, with 8.6% born overseas and 43.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion here, accounting for 54.8%. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprises 2.2%, higher than Rest of WA's 0.7%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian Aboriginal tops at 56.7%, significantly higher than Rest of WA's 6.1%. Australians make up 13.0% and English 11.7%, both lower than regional averages of 28.4% and 31.3% respectively. Maori (0.9%) and Samoan (0.1%) groups are present, similar to regional figures.

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 considerably lower than the Rest of WA 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 (21.1%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (6.1%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 18.0% to 21.1%, while those aged 35 to 44 have risen from 13.5% to 14.7%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55 to 64 has declined from 11.0% to 9.8%, and those aged 45 to 54 have dropped from 12.1% to 11.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Derby-West Kimberley, with the strongest projected growth in the 25 to 34 age cohort (32%), adding 583 residents to reach a total of 2,383. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age cohorts.