Forrestfield - Wattle Grove

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

Based on demographic evaluations by AreaSearch, the population of Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is approximately 22,825 as of May 2026. This indicates a growth of 3,096 individuals (15.7%) compared to the 2021 Census, which documented a population of 19,729 people. This shift is calculated using the June 2025 ABS estimated resident population of 22,766 alongside 230 validated new addresses registered since the Census. The resulting population density stands at 848 persons per square kilometer, a figure that aligns closely with standard averages across evaluated regions. The 15.7% expansion rate since the 2021 census outpaced the national average (9.3%) and the SA3 region, positioning the locality as a regional leader in population growth. Overseas migration served as the primary growth engine, accounting for roughly 57.3% of the total population increase during recent timeframes, though natural increase and interstate migration also contributed positive gains.

AreaSearch incorporates projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia for individual SA2 localities, published in 2024 using 2022 as the baseline. For SA2 territories lacking this data, and to project development beyond 2032, AreaSearch applies cohort-specific growth rates from the latest ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, which utilize 2022 statistics. Looking at future demographic trajectories, population growth is anticipated to settle slightly below the national median, with the locality projected to add 2,315 individuals by 2041 relative to the most recent annual ERP figures, representing a total increase of 9.9% across the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Forrestfield - Wattle Grove among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove averages approximately 127 residential building approvals annually, yielding a total of 635 approved dwellings over the 5 financial years spanning FY-21 to FY-25, and 39 registered during FY-26 so far. With an average of 4.1 individuals arriving in the area per completed dwelling over the past 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, new supply remains significantly below demand, typically intensifying buyer competition and driving upward price pressure, even as new residences are built with a mean value of $191,000, which falls below regional benchmarks and offers more budget-friendly alternatives. Furthermore, commercial approvals totaling $42.8 million have been logged during the current financial year, demonstrating solid momentum in business-related construction.

Per capita building activity in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is 58.0% higher than the Greater Perth average, offering home buyers a broad selection of properties, even though construction pace has slowed recently. New construction is heavily weighted toward detached houses at 95.0%, with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 5.0%, maintaining the low-density character of the neighborhood with a focus on single-family homes that attract buyers seeking extra space. The ratio of approximately 323 people per dwelling approval characterizes a developing market.

Projecting forward, the population of Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is anticipated to rise by 2,256 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Under current building rates, residential supply appears positioned to satisfy demand, establishing positive conditions for buyers and potentially supporting expansion that outpaces current projections.

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major works, and planning schemes are key drivers of regional performance. AreaSearch has identified 33 projects expected to influence this locality. Prominent initiatives include the Hartfield Park Master Plan Stage 2: Co-Location, the Forrestfield/High Wycombe Industrial Area, improvements along the Tonkin Highway Corridor from Roe Highway to Kelvin Road, and the Cell 9 Wattle Grove Urban Development, with specific details on the most significant projects provided below.

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

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The labour market in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is characterized by a skilled resident workforce with significant representation in industrial and manufacturing fields, an unemployment rate of 4.4%, and an estimated 1.1% increase in employment over the preceding year. As of March 2026, employed residents numbered 12,413, while the unemployment rate sat 0.2% higher than the Greater Perth benchmark of 4.2%, and the labor force participation rate closely mirrored the Greater Perth average of 70.2%. Census data indicates a relatively small proportion of residents, 6.2%, worked from home, although this figure should be interpreted in the context of COVID-19 lockdown measures.

The major employment fields for residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The locality exhibits a distinct concentration in transport, postal & warehousing, where the employment proportion is 2.0 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical roles are underrepresented, accounting for 5.6% of the workforce compared to the regional benchmark of 8.2%. The ratio of Census working population to local population indicates that despite local job opportunities, a significant portion of residents travel to other areas for work.

An analysis of SALM and ABS statistics by AreaSearch shows that during the 12-month period, employment rose by 1.1% while the labor force expanded by 2.0%, leading to a 0.9 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. Over the same timeframe, Greater Perth recorded a 2.0% rise in employment, a 2.5% expansion of the labor force, and a 0.4 percentage point unemployment increase. Projections from Jobs and Skills Australia published in May-25 offer additional perspective on future labor demand in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove. These five and ten-year forecasts have been correlated with the local workforce composition to estimate future growth. While national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, trends vary widely across different industries. Applying these sector-specific forecasts to the local employment mix suggests Forrestfield - Wattle Grove's employment should expand by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, representing a basic weighted extrapolation for illustrative purposes that excludes localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

According to postcode-level ATO data compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023, the Forrestfield - Wattle Grove SA2 recorded a median taxpayer income of $57,960 and an average income of $67,866. This is roughly in line with national averages, though it sits below the Greater Perth median of $60,748 and average of $80,248. Adjusted for the 10.93% growth in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, estimated figures for March 2026 stand at roughly $64,295 for the median and $75,284 for the average. The 2021 Census placed household, family, and individual incomes in the area around the 57th percentile nationally. Income distribution data shows the largest bracket consists of the 8,422 residents (36.9% of the population) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, matching the wider region where this group accounts for 32.0%. While housing expenses take up 15.9% of earnings, strong overall income levels keep disposable income at the 56th percentile, and the area ranks in the 5th decile of the SEIFA income index.

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Census data reveals that houses constitute 91.6% of the housing stock in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove, with semi-detached properties, apartments, and other dwellings making up 8.3%, compared to the Perth metro profile of 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is slightly lower than the Perth metro rate, standing at 26.8%, while mortgaged properties account for 52.3% and rental properties make up 20.9%. The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,800 is lower than the Perth metro average of $1,907, whereas the median weekly rent of $360 is slightly above the Perth metro figure of $350. Nationally, mortgage costs in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove sit below the Australian median of $1,863, and rental costs are below the national median of $375.

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Families make up 74.7% of all households, consisting of couples with children at 36.1%, couples without children at 25.3%, and single-parent households at 12.2%. The remaining 25.3% are non-family households, with lone person households representing 22.3% and group living situations accounting for 3.0%. The median household size of 2.7 residents is slightly larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment levels in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove sit below regional averages, with 20.6% of residents aged 15 and older holding a university degree, compared to the national rate of 30.4%. This differential suggests opportunities for future academic and vocational development. Among degree holders, bachelor degrees are most common at 14.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 4.4% and graduate diplomas at 1.6%. Vocational and technical training is highly represented, with 39.5% of the population aged 15 and older holding vocational qualifications, split between advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (28.9%).

Enrolment in education is strong, with 29.9% of the population currently participating in formal study. This student population includes 11.7% in primary school, 8.0% in high school, and 3.9% enrolled in tertiary institutions.

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

Public transit networks include 193 active transit stops in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove, offering a combination of train and bus services. These stops support 31 separate routes that run a combined total of 3,179 passenger trips per week. Transport access is favorable, with residents living an average of 224 meters from their nearest transit stop. Given the residential nature of the area, most commuters travel outward, and private vehicles remain the primary transit mode at 89%. Car ownership stands at 1.7 vehicles per household, which is higher than the regional average. The 2021 Census recorded 6.2% of residents working from home, a figure that may reflect pandemic conditions.

Transit routes run an average of 454 daily trips in total, representing about 16 weekly passenger trips per individual stop. The linked map highlights the 100 transit stops nearest to the center of the locality.

The level of general health in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove has health outcomes that are above average, according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and how often chronic conditions appear, with common health conditions being less common in the general population than in older and at-risk groups, though still higher than the national average, and private health cover is held by just over 53% of the total population, which is about 12,005 people, slightly more than the average SA2 area, compared to 59.0% in Greater Perth.

Psychological health conditions and asthma are the most prevalent medical issues, affecting 7.8% and 7.1% of the population, respectively. Meanwhile, 71.6% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 71.9% for Greater Perth. Residents under the age of 65 experience better than average health outcomes. The locality has 15.7% of its population aged 65 or older (3,576 individuals), although this cohort ranks lower on national health scales than the younger demographic.

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove 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

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove displays a high degree of cultural diversity relative to most local areas, with 23.9% of residents using a language other than English at home and 34.0% born in another country. Christianity is the predominant religious affiliation, claimed by 42.5% of the population. The most distinct religious overrepresentation is Islam, which accounts for 5.6% of residents compared to 3.2% across Greater Perth.

Regarding ancestral backgrounds based on parents' country of birth, the three largest groups in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove are English at 27.0%, Australian at 23.2%, and Other at 12.7%. Several ethnic groups show higher local representation compared to regional averages, including Maori at 1.1% (compared to 0.9% regionally), New Zealand ancestry at 1.0% (compared to 0.8%), and Indian ancestry at 4.1% (compared to 2.6%).

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age of 36 years in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is close to the Greater Perth median of 37 and slightly below the Australian average of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, the area features a larger proportion of children aged 5 - 14 (13.8%) and a lower percentage of young adults aged 25 - 34 (12.9%). Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age bracket has risen from 11.3% to 13.0%, and the 75 to 84 bracket has increased from 3.9% to 5.2%, whereas the proportion of young children aged 0 to 4 has decreased from 7.2% to 5.9%. Demographic forecasts indicate the age structure of Forrestfield - Wattle Grove will shift considerably by 2041, with the 75 to 84 bracket expected to see the fastest growth at 68%, adding 799 residents to reach 1,980. Seniors aged 65 and older are projected to account for 53% of total population growth, highlighting local aging patterns, while the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age cohorts are projected to contract.