Ellenbrook

Population growth drivers in Ellenbrook are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Ellenbrook's population was approximately 21,419 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 2,408 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,011. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 21,254 in June 2024 and an additional 451 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,532 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Ellenbrook's growth rate of 12.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 39.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Looking ahead, an above median population growth is projected for the area, with an expected increase of 3,742 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 16.7% over the 17 years.

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

Ellenbrook has received approximately 134 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25671 homes were approved, with an additional 43 approved in FY26 as of current figures. On average, each dwelling has added around 2.9 new residents per year over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $258,000. This financial year has seen $10.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting consistent commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Perth, Ellenbrook records roughly half the building activity per person but ranks among the 83rd percentile of areas assessed nationally.

However, building activity has been accelerating in recent years. The new development consists predominantly of detached houses (97.0%) with a small proportion of townhouses or apartments (3.0%), maintaining the area's suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers. Ellenbrook currently has around 121 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, Ellenbrook is projected to gain approximately 3,577 residents by 2041. Given current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Ellenbrook has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Swan Active Ellenbrook Recreation & Aquatic Centre, Housing Diversity Pipeline Ellenbrook, Ellenbrook Station Precinct Improvement Scheme No. 1, and Gnangara Road Duplication. 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 Ellenbrook shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Ellenbrook has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

The unemployment rate was 5.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.8%. As of September 2025, 11,776 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 6.5%, compared to Greater Perth's 4.0%. Workforce participation was 67.2%, slightly higher than Greater Perth's 65.2%. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Retail trade had particularly notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services were under-represented, with only 4.0% of Ellenbrook's workforce compared to Greater Perth's 8.2%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 1.8%, while labour force increased by 2.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.27%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.6%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Ellenbrook's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Ellenbrook SA2's income level is slightly below average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Ellenbrook SA2 has a median taxpayer income of $53,369 and an average income of $63,859, compared to Greater Perth's figures of $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $60,947 (median) and $72,927 (average). From the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Ellenbrook cluster around the 53rd percentile nationally. The data shows that 38.5% of residents (8,246 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket, mirroring the broader area where 32.0% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 17.7% of income, leaving disposable income at the 54th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Ellenbrook, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 89.1% houses and 10.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is similar to Perth metro's structure, which also had 89.1% houses and 10.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ellenbrook was at 17.7%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (57.1%) or rented (25.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ellenbrook was $1,800, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,842. The median weekly rent figure for Ellenbrook was recorded at $350, compared to Perth metro's $340. Nationally, Ellenbrook's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Ellenbrook features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.1% of all households, including 40.5% couples with children, 21.5% couples without children, and 15.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.9%, with lone person households at 19.7% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.8.

Ellenbrook shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 15.4%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 11.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (30.9%). Educational participation is high, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (14.1%), secondary education (10.1%), and tertiary education (3.7%).

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

Ellenbrook has 123 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 13 routes, collectively handling 3,137 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility to these stops is rated good, with residents typically situated 216 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 448 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ellenbrook's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive health outcomes for Ellenbrook residents. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low among the general population but higher than the national average in older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~10,966 people), slightly lagging behind the average SA2 area's rate of 54.1%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 8.9 and 8.3% of residents respectively. A total of 70.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Perth. There are 12.2% of residents aged 65 and over (2,623 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges that require more attention than the broader population.

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

Ellenbrook, as per data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016, had a higher proportion of cultural diversity compared to most local areas. Specifically, 19.2% of its residents spoke a language other than English at home and 33.0% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Ellenbrook, with 42.5% of people identifying as Christian.

Notably, the category 'Other' made up 2.5% of Ellenbrook's population, slightly higher than the 2.4% regional average. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (28.4%), Australian (23.7%), and Other (12.4%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Maori were overrepresented at 2.0%, compared to 1.4% regionally; South African at 1.3%, compared to 0.8%; and New Zealand at 1.2%, compared to 1.0%.

Ellenbrook's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Ellenbrook has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Perth's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Ellenbrook has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (5.9%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population share of those aged 55-64 has increased from 8.5% to 9.9%, while the 15-24 age group has risen from 13.6% to 14.9%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 5-14 has decreased from 17.7% to 15.8%, and the 0-4 age group has dropped from 7.4% to 6.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Ellenbrook. The 65-74 age cohort is projected to grow by 57%, adding 719 residents to reach a total of 1,985. Meanwhile, both the 35-44 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in number.