East Bunbury - Glen Iris
Statistical Area - sa2

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

East Bunbury - Glen Iris' population is 7,836 as of August 2025. This shows an increase of 641 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,195. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 7,811 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 341 persons per square kilometer. East Bunbury - Glen Iris' growth of 8.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 39.3% to recent population gains, with all drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and post-2032 growth estimation, AreaSearch utilises ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Projected demographic shifts indicate above median population growth for Australian non-metropolitan areas. The area is expected to expand by 1,542 persons to 2041, reflecting a 19.4% increase 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 approximately 27 new dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 139 homes approved over the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 2 already approved in FY-26. On average, 4.7 people have moved to the area per dwelling built each year over these five years. This indicates that supply is significantly lagging demand, typically leading to increased buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $453,000. In terms of commercial development, $11.3 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting balanced activity compared to residential development. When compared to the rest of Western Australia, East Bunbury - Glen Iris shows approximately 63% of the construction activity per person.

Nationally, it places among the 43rd percentile of assessed areas, indicating somewhat limited buyer options while demand for established dwellings strengthens. Recent construction comprises 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density nature with a focus on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 406 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Future projections suggest East Bunbury - Glen Iris will add approximately 1,517 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include Wilman Wadandi Highway (Bunbury Outer Ring Road), Glen Iris Village, Frank Buswell Foreshore Redevelopment, and Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Hub (AMTECH). The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent here.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, with an estimated employment growth of 5.5% over the past year. There are 4,181 residents currently employed, with an unemployment rate that is 1.3% higher than Rest of WA's rate of 3.2%. The workforce participation is similar to Rest of WA's 59.4%. The leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Manufacturing is particularly specialized here, with an employment share that is 1.9 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.5% of East Bunbury - Glen Iris's workforce compared to 9.3% in Rest of WA. The ratio of 0.7 workers for each resident indicates a higher than normal level of local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.5%, while the labour force grew by 5.4%. This resulted in a decrease in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of WA saw an employment rise of 1.1%, with the labour force growing by 0.5% and unemployment falling by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest a potential future demand within East Bunbury - Glen Iris. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to East Bunbury - Glen Iris's employment mix suggests a local growth of approximately 5.7% over five years and 12.5% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has a median taxpayer income of $50,926 and an average income of $65,461 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is comparable with national averages but differs from Rest of WA's median income of $57,323 and average income of $71,163. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $56,839 (median) and $73,061 (average). Census data from 2021 shows household, family, and personal incomes in East Bunbury - Glen Iris rank modestly between the 25th and 33rd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the predominant cohort spans 30.8% of locals (2,413 people) with incomes 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 after housing costs, ranking at the 25th percentile.

East Bunbury - Glen Iris is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in East Bunbury - Glen Iris, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro WA had 88.1% houses and 11.8% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in East Bunbury - Glen Iris was 32.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.3% and rented ones at 30.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,506, lower than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,616. The median weekly rent was $300, matching Non-Metro WA's figure but significantly below the national average of $375. Nationally, East Bunbury - Glen Iris's mortgage repayments were notably lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households account for 67.5% of all households, including 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%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of 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's university qualification rate is 13.2%, 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 10.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.6%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.8% and certificates at 33.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary, 7.4% in secondary, and 1.9% in tertiary education. Six schools operate within East Bunbury - Glen Iris, educating approximately 2,086 students. The educational mix includes four primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 26.6 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 17.1, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

East Bunbury - Glen Iris has 61 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five distinct routes that combined offer 375 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is assessed as good, with residents residing on average 205 meters from the nearest transport stop.

The service frequency across all routes averages 53 trips per day, equating to roughly six weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in East Bunbury - Glen Iris is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

East Bunbury - Glen Iris faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~4,106 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (9.1%) and mental health issues (9.1%). Approximately 66.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 66.4% across Rest of WA. Around 18.1% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,419 people). Health outcomes among seniors in the area are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in East Bunbury - Glen Iris was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

East Bunbury-Glen Iris exhibited above-average cultural diversity, with 20.7% of its population born overseas and 10.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in East Bunbury-Glen Iris, comprising 46.2% of its population. The most notable overrepresentation was seen in the 'Other' category, which constituted 1.1% compared to the regional average of 0.6%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (32.1%), Australian (27.4%), and Scottish (6.8%). Significant differences existed for certain ethnic groups: Italians were overrepresented at 6.1% (regional average: 4.8%), Maori stood at 1.0%, New Zealanders at 0.9%.

East Bunbury - Glen Iris's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in East Bunbury - Glen Iris is 40 years, which aligns with the average for the Rest of WA but exceeds the national average by two years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are particularly prominent, making up 16.2% of the population, while those aged 5-14 make up 11.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group has grown from 13.8% to 16.2%, and the 35-44 cohort has increased from 11.9% to 12.9%. Conversely, the 75-84 age group has declined from 6.7% to 5.5%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 12.3% to 11.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in East Bunbury - Glen Iris's age structure. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase by 582 people (46%), from 1,269 to 1,852. Conversely, both the 5-14 and 75-84 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.