Esperance

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

Esperance's population was around 12,527 as of November 2025. This represented an increase of 524 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,003. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,515 in June 2024 and an additional 28 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 26 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Esperance had a compound annual growth rate of 0.1%, outperforming its SA4 region. Natural growth contributed approximately 54.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 post-2032 growth estimation, AreaSearch used ABS-provided growth rates by age cohort from its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends suggest a median increase below national non-metropolitan areas, with Esperance expected to grow by 1,350 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 10.7% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Esperance according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Esperance has averaged approximately 46 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 234 homes. As of FY-26, 38 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.6 new residents arrive per new home built in Esperance between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and supporting population growth that may surpass current projections.

The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $317,000. In the current financial year, $32.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to the rest of WA, Esperance has seen slightly more development, with 19.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years, balancing buyer choice while supporting property values.

Ninety-one percent of new developments consist of detached houses, and nine percent are townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. Esperance has approximately 303 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Esperance is projected to grow by 1,338 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Esperance has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

No factors influence a region's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, significant projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects likely to impact this area. Notable projects include South Coast Highway Improvements: Albany To Esperance in Western Australia, Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements, WA Police Satellite Technology Upgrade, and Regional And Rural Wa Road Network Safety Improvements, with the following list detailing those most pertinent.

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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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Esperance ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Esperance has a balanced workforce with representation from various sectors. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.6%.

The area's employment rate is 0.6% lower than Rest of WA's rate of 3.3%, with workforce participation similar at 59.4%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing. Transport, postal & warehousing has a notable concentration in Esperance, with employment levels at 2.1 times the regional average. Mining, however, has limited presence at 4.0% compared to Rest of WA's 11.7%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, Esperance's labour force increased by 0.5%, while employment declined by 0.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of WA saw employment grow by 1.4% and unemployment fall by 0.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Esperance's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Esperance SA2's median income among taxpayers was $55,230 and average income stood at $71,723 in financial year 2022. This compares to Rest of WA's figures of $57,323 and $71,163 respectively. By September 2025, current estimates project median income to be approximately $63,073 and average income at $81,908, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 14.2%. Census data indicates Esperance's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 35th and 46th percentiles. In terms of income distribution, 31.5% of Esperance's population (3,946 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, aligning with broader trends across the surrounding region where 31.1% are in the same category. After housing costs, 86.1% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Esperance's dwelling structures, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 86.9% houses and 13.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro WA had a slightly higher proportion of houses at 89.0%, with 10.9% being other dwellings. Home ownership in Esperance stood at 35.4%, compared to Non-Metro WA's higher rate of 42.6%. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 33.5% and rented dwellings made up 31.1% in Esperance. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,600, exceeding the Non-Metro WA average of $1,517. The median weekly rent in Esperance was $270, slightly higher than Non-Metro WA's figure of $260. Nationally, Esperance's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Esperance has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 67.4 percent of all households, including 26.1 percent couples with children, 29.9 percent couples without children, and 10.3 percent single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.6 percent, with lone person households at 29.8 percent and group households comprising 2.8 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the average for the Rest of WA.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates than the Australian average. As of 2016, only 15.1% of residents held a university degree, compared to the national average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees were most common at 11.5%, followed by graduate diplomas (2%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.6%). Vocational skills were prevalent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15+ having trade or technical credentials.

Advanced diplomas accounted for 9.2% and certificates for 31.7%. Educational participation was high, with 30.2% of residents enrolled in formal education as of 2016. This included 12.2% in primary education, 10.2% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Esperance has 125 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by six different routes that collectively offer 103 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is limited, with residents typically living 622 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 14 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately zero weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Esperance are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Esperance's health indicators show slightly higher prevalence of common conditions compared to averages across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 55% (~6,927 people) have private health cover, which is very high. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.4%) and asthma (8.1%). About 67.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 68.9% in the rest of WA. Esperance has 19.1% (2,393 people) of residents aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Esperance is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Esperance's population shows low cultural diversity, with 84.3% being citizens, 85.3% born in Australia, and 95.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, making up 42.4%. Buddhism is slightly overrepresented compared to the rest of WA (0.8% vs 0.7%).

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (34.0%), English (31.7%), and Scottish (7.7%). Notable divergences include New Zealand being equally represented, Maori also at 0.8%, and Australian Aboriginal slightly overrepresented at 3.5%.

Esperance's median age exceeds the national pattern

Esperance has a median age of 41, which is close to Rest of WA's figure of 40 and exceeds the national norm of 38. The 15-24 age group makes up 11.8% of Esperance's population compared to Rest of WA, while the 45-54 cohort comprises 11.8%. Post the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group grew from 11.6% to 13.2%, and the 25-34 cohort increased from 11.1% to 12.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 13.2% to 11.8%. By 2041, Esperance's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 25-34 group is expected to grow by 45%, reaching 2,207 from 1,527. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts.