East Perth

East Perth lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, East Perth's population is around 14,213 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,415 people (20.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,798 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,213 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 4,168 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought resource. East Perth's 20.5% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 92.8% 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). As we examine future population trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 4,124 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 29.0% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in East Perth was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

East Perth has experienced around 123 dwellings receiving development approval each year, totalling 617 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 0 approvals have been recorded. At an average of 3.6 new residents per year for every home built 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, while new homes are being built at an average value of $430,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $5.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating a limited commercial development focus.

When measured against Greater Perth, East Perth has slightly more development (30.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. Recent construction comprises 1.0% detached dwellings and 99.0% townhouses or apartments. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. At around 1441 people per approval, East Perth shows a mature, established area.

Looking ahead, East Perth is expected to grow by 4,124 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping a reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

East Perth has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 49 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the East Perth Affordable and Social Housing Project, Royal Perth Hospital ICU Redevelopment, Finbar East Perth Riverside Development, and East Perth Power Station 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.

The employment landscape in East Perth shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

East Perth possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation and an unemployment rate of 5.0%. As of December 2025, 9,850 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.9% above Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (77.7% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 9.2% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.8% versus the regional average of 9.3%. With 1.5 workers for every resident, as at the Census, the area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.6% while employment declined by 1.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.3%, labour force growth of 2.6%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within East Perth. 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 Perth's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The East Perth SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $63,149 and an average of $90,762 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Greater Perth's median income of $60,748 and average income of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $69,224 (median) and $99,493 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals individual earnings stand out at the 89th percentile nationally ($1,175 weekly). The data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 34.4% of the community (4,889 individuals), consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 32.0% in the same category. High housing costs consume 17.4% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 64th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

East Perth features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within East Perth, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 4.6% houses and 95.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within East Perth lagged that of Perth metro, at 16.7%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (21.0%) or rented (62.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Perth metro average at $1,950, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $410, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, East Perth's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

East Perth features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 50.8% of all households, comprising 11.5% couples with children, 33.5% couples without children, and 4.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 49.2%, with lone person households at 40.5% and group households comprising 8.7% of the total. The median household size of 1.9 people is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

East Perth demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in East Perth significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 54.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.9% in WA and 30.1% in Greater Perth. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 35.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational pathways account for 24.7% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (12.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.9% in tertiary education, 3.3% in primary education, and 2.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 61 active transport stops operating within East Perth, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 64 individual routes, collectively providing 18,992 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 128 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; cars remain the dominant mode at 46%, with 30% by bus and 11% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 9.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 2,713 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 311 weekly trips per individual stop.

East Perth's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across East Perth, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (9,366 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth, while the national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.3% and 5.3% of residents, respectively, while 78.4% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 13.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,931 people), which is lower than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

East Perth is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

East Perth scores highly on cultural diversity, with 41.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 60.5% born overseas. The main religion in East Perth is Christianity, which makes up 36.6% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 5.5% of the population, compared to 2.7% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in East Perth are English, comprising 20.8% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 28.0%, Other, comprising 18.7% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 11.2%, and Australian, comprising 11.8% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 21.2%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Spanish is notably overrepresented at 1.0% of East Perth (vs 0.4% regionally), Korean at 1.4% (vs 0.3%) and Russian at 0.6% (vs 0.2%).

East Perth's population is younger than the national pattern

East Perth's median age of 35 years stands slightly younger than Greater Perth's 37 as well as somewhat younger than the 38-year national average. The 25 - 34 age group shows strong representation at 29.3% compared to Greater Perth, whereas the 5 - 14 cohort is less prevalent at 3.1%. This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. In the period since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 3.0% to 4.4% of the population. Conversely, the 0 to 4 cohort has declined from 3.8% to 3.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for East Perth. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to increase solidly, expanding by 904 people (22%) from 4,164 to 5,069. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 cohort grows by a modest 8% (35 people).