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 AreaSearch's analysis, Forrestfield - Wattle Grove's population is around 23,563 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 3,834 people (19.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,729 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,286 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 227 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 875 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Forrestfield - Wattle Grove's 19.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 39.4% 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, 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 population increase just below the median of national areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 2,473 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 5.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove has averaged around 127 new dwelling approvals per year, with 635 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 21 so far in FY-26. With an average of 3.9 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand is significantly outpacing supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers, while new homes are being built at an average value of $191,000—under regional levels—indicating more accessible housing choices for buyers. Additionally, $42.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting robust local business investment.

Compared to Greater Perth, Forrestfield - Wattle Grove shows 60.0% higher new home approvals (per person), offering buyers greater choice, though building activity has slowed in recent years. Recent construction comprises 95.0% standalone homes and 5.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 315 people per dwelling approval, Forrestfield - Wattle Grove shows a developing market.

Looking ahead, Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is expected to grow by 1,196 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 32 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Forrestfield/High Wycombe Industrial Area, Hartfield Park Master Plan Stage 2: Co-Location, Tonkin Highway Corridor - Roe Highway to Kelvin Road, and Cell 9 Wattle Grove Urban Development, 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.

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Forrestfield - Wattle Grove features a skilled workforce, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 4.4%, and 1.1% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 12,312 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.3% above Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is on par with Greater Perth's 71.9%. Based on Census responses, a low 6.2% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in transport, postal & warehousing, with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average. In contrast, professional & technical services employ just 5.6% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 8.2%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.1% and the labour force increased by 1.9%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.8 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 Forrestfield - Wattle Grove. 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 Forrestfield - Wattle Grove's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Forrestfield - Wattle Grove SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $57,960 and an average of $67,866 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is approximately average nationally, 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 $63,536 (median) and $74,395 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove cluster around the 57th percentile nationally. The data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 36.9% of residents (8,694 people), mirroring regional levels where 32.0% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 56th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Forrestfield - Wattle Grove, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 91.6% houses and 8.3% 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 Forrestfield - Wattle Grove slightly lagged that of Perth metro, at 26.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (52.3%) or rented (20.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Perth metro average at $1,800, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $360, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Forrestfield - Wattle Grove's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 74.7% of all households, comprising 36.1% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 25.3%, with lone person households at 22.3% and group households comprising 3.0% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is 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 qualifications in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove trail regional benchmarks, with 20.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 30.4% in Australia. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 14.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 39.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (28.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.9% of residents aged 15+ currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 193 active transport stops operating within Forrestfield - Wattle Grove, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 31 individual routes, collectively providing 3,179 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 224 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 89%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A relatively low 6.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 454 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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 demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover just leads the average SA2 area at approximately 53% of the total population (~12,394 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.8% and 7.1% of residents, respectively, while 71.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 16.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,805 people), though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

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 is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 23.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 34.0% born overseas. The main religion in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove is Christianity, which makes up 42.5% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Islam, which comprises 5.6% of the population, compared to 3.2% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Forrestfield - Wattle Grove are English, comprising 27.0% of the population, Australian, comprising 23.2% of the population, and Other, comprising 12.7% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Maori is notably overrepresented at 1.1% of the population (vs 0.9% regionally), New Zealand at 1.0% (vs 0.8%) and Indian at 4.1% (vs 2.6%).

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

At 36 years, Forrestfield - Wattle Grove's median age is nearly matching the Greater Perth average of 37 and is similarly modestly under the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Perth, Forrestfield - Wattle Grove has a higher concentration of 5 - 14 residents (13.9%) but fewer 25 - 34 year-olds (12.2%). Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.3% to 12.9% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 3.9% to 5.5%. Conversely, the 0 to 4 cohort has declined from 7.2% to 6.0% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 13.4% to 12.2%. Demographic modeling suggests Forrestfield - Wattle Grove's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 60%, adding 776 residents to reach 2,068. Senior residents (65+) will drive 62% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. On the other hand, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.