Geraldton
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Geraldton's population was 12,552 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This represented an increase of 664 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,888. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures of 12,500 in June 2024 and an additional 29 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 573 persons per square kilometer. Geraldton's growth rate of 5.6% since the census was within 1.9 percentage points of its SA3 area (7.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth 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 estimations, AreaSearch used ABS Greater Capital Region projections' growth rates by age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future demographic trends project above median population growth for non-metropolitan areas, with Geraldton expected to expand by 1,535 persons to 2041, representing a total increase of 10.5% over the 17 years.

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

Geraldton averaged approximately 28 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 142 homes. As of FY-26 so far, 23 approvals have been recorded. Each year, an average of 2.4 new residents was gained per dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction cost value for new homes is $374,000.

In FY-26, $104.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to the Rest of WA, Geraldton has roughly half the building activity per person, placing it at the 33rd percentile nationally. New development consists of 74% standalone homes and 26% townhouses or apartments. The estimated population density is 507 people per dwelling approval.

By 2041, Geraldton's population is expected to grow by 1,317 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth.

Geraldton has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 1stth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 16 such projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include the Geraldton Homemaker Centre Expansion, a 7-Eleven Service Station at Durlacher Street, Geraldton, the Geraldton Green Connect Project, and the Geraldton Youth Precinct Masterplan Development. The following list details those considered 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.

Employment drivers in Geraldton are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Geraldton had an unemployment rate of 5.3% as of June 2025, with 5,569 residents employed. This rate was 2.1% higher than the Rest of WA's rate of 3.2%.

Workforce participation in Geraldton was 52.9%, compared to 59.4% in the Rest of WA. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Health care & social assistance had particularly high representation at 1.5 times the regional average. Mining showed lower representation at 5.4%, compared to the regional average of 11.7%.

There was one worker for every resident in Geraldton as of the Census, indicating it functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.2% and employment decreased by 2.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. This contrasted with the Rest of WA, where employment grew by 1.1%, labour force expanded by 0.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.6 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Geraldton's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Geraldton's median income among taxpayers is $54,838. The average income in Geraldton during this period was $68,551. Both figures are above the national averages. In comparison, Rest of WA had a median income of $57,323 and an average income of $71,163. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Geraldton's median income would be approximately $62,625 by September 2025, with the average estimated at $78,285 during the same period. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes in Geraldton fall between the 10th and 22nd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 26.5% of Geraldton's population (3,326 individuals) have incomes ranging from $1,500 to $2,999, which is similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 31.1%. After housing costs, 85.3% of income remains in Geraldton, ranking at only the 12th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Geraldton, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 75.8% houses and 24.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Non-Metro WA's dwelling structure of 87.5% houses and 12.5% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Geraldton was at 34.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (25.2%) or rented (40.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Geraldton was $1,300, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $230. Nationally, Geraldton's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 as of 2021, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375 for the same period.

Geraldton features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 56.8 percent of all households, including 17.2 percent couples with children, 26.2 percent couples without children, and 12.2 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 43.2 percent, with lone person households at 39.9 percent and group households comprising 3.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of WA average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.4%, substantially lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (30.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in primary, 8.7% in secondary, and 2.7% in tertiary education. Twelve schools serve 4,974 students across Geraldton, offering varied educational conditions. The schools include seven primary, three secondary, and two K-12 institutions. The area functions as an education hub with 39.6 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.8, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Geraldton shows that there are currently 140 active transport stops operating within the city. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 13 individual routes providing service to these locations. Together, these routes facilitate 506 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of public transportation is rated as excellent in Geraldton, with residents typically located just 176 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 72 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately three weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Geraldton is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Geraldton faces significant health challenges, affecting both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 54% (~6,740 people) have private health cover, a rate higher than the national average. The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (9.9%) and mental health issues (9.8%). Conversely, 60.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 66.8% in the rest of Western Australia. Geraldton has a larger senior population, with 21.8% aged 65 and over (2,732 people), compared to 18.3% in the rest of WA. Health outcomes for seniors generally align with those of the broader population.

Geraldton ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Geraldton's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.1% of its population being citizens, 82.3% born in Australia, and 90.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Geraldton, comprising 51.0% of people. Islam is overrepresented, making up 2.0% compared to 1.3% across Rest of WA.

The top three ancestry groups are English (29.6%), Australian (28.0%), and Irish (8.0%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal is overrepresented at 7.1% in Geraldton versus 6.9% regionally, Maori is equally represented at 0.7%, and South African is slightly underrepresented at 0.5% versus 0.6%.

Geraldton hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Geraldton's median age is 45 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of WA average of 40 years, and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 85 years and above make up a particularly prominent 3.2% of the population, while those aged between 5 to 14 years are comparatively smaller at 10.1%. Since 2021, the percentage of Geraldton's population aged between 25 to 34 years has grown from 11.3% to 13.8%, and the percentage of those aged between 35 to 44 years has increased from 11.0% to 12.2%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 85 years and above has declined from 4.5% to 3.2%, and the percentage of those aged between 75 to 84 years has dropped from 8.2% to 7.0%. Population forecasts for Geraldton in the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 25 to 34 age group is projected to show the strongest growth, increasing by 47% to reach a total of 2,558 residents, with an addition of 823 residents. In contrast, population declines are projected for those aged 85 years and above, as well as those aged between 15 to 24 years.