East Pilbara

East Pilbara is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

East Pilbara's population is approximately 6,269 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 359 people, a rise of 6.1%, since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 5,910. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,256 as of June 2024 and an additional four validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 0.00 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space per person. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch is employing 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 to estimate post-2032 growth, AreaSearch uses age cohort growth rates provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is expected nationally for regional areas. East Pilbara is projected to grow by 1,082 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 17.1% over the 17 years based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

The level of residential development activity in East Pilbara is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

East Pilbara averaged 3 approvals per year for property developments over the past five years, totalling 17. This low development activity reflects its rural nature, with projects driven by local housing needs rather than broad market demand. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

East Pilbara has less construction activity than the rest of WA and is below national averages. All new constructions were detached houses, suited for families seeking a rural lifestyle. There are approximately 836 people per dwelling approval in the area. By 2041, AreaSearch estimates East Pilbara will add 1,069 residents.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

East Pilbara has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 68 projects likely influencing the area. Notable ones are Green Iron Metal Project, Great Northern Highway Overtaking Lanes Newman-Port Hedland, Cloudbreak Solar Farm, and Resources Community Investment Initiative. 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.

The employment landscape in East Pilbara presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.9%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

East Pilbara has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. As of September 2025, there are 4,320 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.5% compared to Rest of WA's 3.3%.

Workforce participation is high at 76.8%, exceeding the regional average of 67.2%. Census data shows that only 1.9% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are mining, construction, and accommodation & food services. Mining is particularly strong, with an employment share 4.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance has lower representation at 1.5%, compared to the regional average of 11.9%. There are 2.4 workers per resident, indicating that East Pilbara acts as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.0%, while employment fell by 1.5%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 1.5 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of WA, where employment grew by 1.4% over the same period. According to Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25, national employment is projected to increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to East Pilbara's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 3.9% over five years and 10.0% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, East Pilbara SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $82,785. The average level stood at $94,054. These figures are among the highest in Australia compared to Rest of WA's $59,973 and $74,392 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $90,749 (median) and $103,102 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, individual earnings rank at the 99th percentile nationally ($1,801 weekly), while household income ranks lower at the 10th percentile. The data shows that 27.6% of residents (1,730 people) fall within the $800 - 1,499 income bracket, unlike surrounding regions where 31.1% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Housing costs are modest with 90.8% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 17th percentile nationally.

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

In East Pilbara, as per the latest Census evaluation, 87.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 12.7% comprising semi-detached properties, apartments and other dwelling types. This compares to Non-Metro WA's figures of 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Pilbara stood at 13.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 9.3% and rented ones at 77.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,435, higher than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,863. Weekly rent in East Pilbara was recorded at $70, significantly lower than Non-Metro WA's figure of $265 and the national average of $375.

East Pilbara features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.2% of all households, including 29.1% couples with children, 19.3% couples without children, and 15.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 31.8%, with lone person households at 30.7% and group households at 2.0%. The median household size is 3.3 people, larger than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

East Pilbara faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 15.8%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (0.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 53.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (44.4%). Educational participation is high at 40.6%, comprising 16.0% in primary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 4.5% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 40.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 16.0% in primary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 4.5% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

East Pilbara's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

East Pilbara's health metrics align closely with national benchmarks, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts exhibit a standard level of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (4,231 people), compared to 56.4% across Rest of WA and 55.7% nationally.

The most prevalent medical conditions are diabetes and asthma, affecting 5.5% and 5.1% of residents respectively. 81.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.3% in Rest of WA. Working-age residents show low chronic condition prevalence. Only 4.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (280 people), lower than the 19.2% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors rank higher than those of the general population nationally.

East Pilbara was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

East Pilbara's population showed significant cultural diversity, with 27.2% born overseas and 36.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 41.7%. Notably, 'Other' religions comprised 5.5%, compared to 0.7% in the rest of WA.

In terms of ancestry, Australian Aboriginal was highest at 25.6%, substantially above the regional average of 6.1%. English ancestry stood at 23.5%, lower than the regional average of 31.3%, while Australian ancestry was 16.0%, also lower than the regional average of 28.4%. Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Maori at 2.3% (regional: 1.0%), Filipino at 2.0% (regional: 1.2%), and Samoan at 0.3% (regional: 0.1%).

East Pilbara's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in East Pilbara is 35 years, which is lower than Rest of WA's average of 40 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Rest of WA, East Pilbara has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (27.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, East Pilbara's median age decreased from 36 to 35 years. During this period, the percentage of residents aged 35-44 increased from 22.0% to 26.2%, while those aged 25-34 rose from 25.7% to 27.5%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 decreased from 10.7% to 7.8%, and those aged 5-14 dropped from 5.7% to 4.2%. By 2041, East Pilbara's age composition is projected to change significantly. The 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 21%, reaching 2,079 people from the current 1,723. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for those aged 5-14 and 65-74.