East Bunbury - Glen Iris

An assessment of population growth drivers in East Bunbury - Glen Iris reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, East Bunbury - Glen Iris's population is around 7,976 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 781 people (10.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,195 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,811 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 39 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 347 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. East Bunbury - Glen Iris's 10.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 39.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and interstate migration, were positive factors.

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). Considering the projected demographic shifts, an above-median population growth for Australian non-metropolitan areas is projected, with the area expected to expand by 1,542 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 17.3% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within East Bunbury - Glen Iris when compared nationally

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has averaged around 27 new dwelling approvals each year, with 139 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 10 so far in FY-26. With an average of 4.7 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand is significantly outpacing supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $233,000—under regional levels—indicating more accessible housing choices for buyers. Additionally, $11.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity.

When measured against the Rest of WA, East Bunbury - Glen Iris shows approximately 63% of the construction activity per person and places in the 42nd percentile of areas assessed nationally, meaning somewhat limited buyer options and strengthening demand for established dwellings. Recent construction comprises 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low-density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 406 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low-activity development environment.

Future projections show East Bunbury - Glen Iris adding 1,377 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.

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 3rdth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 28 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Glen Iris Village, Frank Buswell Foreshore Redevelopment, Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Hub (AMTECH), and the Withers Renewal Program, 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.

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 4.3%, and 4.8% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 4,194 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.8% above Regional WA's rate of 3.5%, and workforce participation is on par with Regional WA's 67.4%. Based on Census responses, a low 4.0% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area has a particular employment specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level. On the other hand, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.5% of East Bunbury - Glen Iris's workforce compared to 9.3% in Regional WA. The ratio of 0.7 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.8% and the labour force increased by 5.1%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.3 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 East Bunbury - Glen Iris. 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 East Bunbury - Glen Iris's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.5% 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 East Bunbury - Glen Iris SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $53,123 and an average of $68,472 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is slightly above average nationally, contrasting with Regional WA's median income of $59,973 and average income of $74,392. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $58,233 (median) and $75,059 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in East Bunbury - Glen Iris, between the 24th and 32nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals the predominant cohort spans 30.8% of locals (2,456 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 31.1% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 25th percentile.

East Bunbury - Glen Iris is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure within East Bunbury - Glen Iris, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 84.3% houses and 15.7% 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 East Bunbury - Glen Iris slightly lagged that of Regional WA, at 32.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (37.3%) or rented (30.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Regional WA average at $1,506, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, compared to Regional WA's $1,560 and $265. Nationally, East Bunbury - Glen Iris's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 67.5% of all households, comprising 24.0% couples with children, 29.0% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households at 29.1% and group households comprising 3.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people is smaller than the Regional WA average of 2.5.

East Bunbury - Glen Iris 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 (13.2%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 10.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.6%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.5%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (33.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 1.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 62 active transport stops operating within East Bunbury - Glen Iris, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 5 individual routes, collectively providing 387 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 204 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 90%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 4.0% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 55 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in East Bunbury - Glen Iris is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

East Bunbury - Glen Iris demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population and closer to the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover just leads the average SA2 area at approximately 53% of the total population (~4,251 people), compared to 56.4% across Regional WA.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.1% and 9.1% of residents, respectively, while 66.0% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.3% across Regional WA. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 17.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,407 people), which is lower than the 19.2% in Regional WA. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

East Bunbury - Glen Iris is roughly in line with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 79.3% of its population born in Australia, 87.7% being citizens, and 89.1% speaking English only at home. The main religion in East Bunbury - Glen Iris is Christianity, which makes up 46.2% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Other, which comprises 1.1% 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 East Bunbury - Glen Iris are English, comprising 32.1% of the population, Australian, comprising 27.4% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 6.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Italian is notably overrepresented at 6.1% of East Bunbury - Glen Iris (vs 3.0% regionally), Maori at 1.0% (vs 1.0%) and New Zealand at 0.9% (vs 0.9%).

East Bunbury - Glen Iris's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The 40-year median age in East Bunbury - Glen Iris is aligned with Regional WA's average of 40, though modestly exceeding the 38-year national average. The age profile shows 25 - 34 year-olds are particularly prominent (16.8%), while the 5 - 14 group is comparatively smaller (10.6%) than in Regional WA. Since 2021, the median age has decreased by 1.0 years from 41 to 40, indicating a younger demographic shift. Key changes show the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 13.8% to 16.8% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 11.9% to 13.4%. Conversely, the 75 to 84 cohort has declined from 6.7% to 5.1% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 12.2% to 10.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for East Bunbury - Glen Iris. Leading the demographic shift, the 25 to 34 group will grow by 38% (509 people), reaching 1,852 from 1,342. In contrast, the 75 to 84 cohort is projected to decline by 13 people.