Glen Forrest - Darlington
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Glen Forrest-Darlington's population was approximately 7,721 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 498 individuals (6.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,223 people. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 7,697 in June 2024 and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 136 persons per square kilometer. Glen Forrest-Darlington's growth rate of 6.9% since the census is within 2.0 percentage points of Australia's national average (8.9%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 61.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 to estimate growth post-2032, 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). Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across Australia. The area is expected to grow by 327 persons to 2041, with an overall increase of 3.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Glen Forrest - Darlington has recorded approximately 8 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling 40 homes. As of FY-26, 1 approval has been recorded. On average, 8.7 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating high demand outpacing supply. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $410,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $3.0 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Glen Forrest - Darlington records significantly lower building activity, 76.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, which is also below national average, suggesting possible planning constraints. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population count per dwelling approval is 1743 people.

Population forecasts indicate Glen Forrest - Darlington will gain 303 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with growth projections, though heightened competition among buyers may arise as the population grows.

Glen Forrest - Darlington has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 10thth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three major projects that may impact this region. Key projects include The Vines Swan View, Swan View Rise, Altrove Swan View, and City of Swan Water and Wastewater Upgrades, with the following list highlighting 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Glen Forrest - Darlington performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Glen Forrest - Darlington has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 1.5% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.1%. As of June 2025, 4,532 residents were in work and workforce participation was on par with Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries of employment among residents are education & training, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Education & training shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, accommodation & food services show lower representation at 4.5% versus the regional average of 6.8%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1% while labour force increased by 4.2%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 3.7% with unemployment rising slightly to 3.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Glen Forrest - Darlington. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Glen Forrest - Darlington's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Glen Forrest - Darlington has an exceptionally high national income level according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in Glen Forrest - Darlington is $60,112 and the average income stands at $85,665. In comparison, Greater Perth's figures are $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. Based on a 14.2% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $68,648 (median) and $97,829 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Glen Forrest - Darlington's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 69th and 83rd percentiles. Income distribution shows that 29.8% of residents (2,300 people) fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 bracket, similar to regional levels where 32.0% occupy this bracket. Glen Forrest - Darlington exhibits considerable affluence with 36.0% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retain 88.5% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Glen Forrest - Darlington is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Glen Forrest-Darlington's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 98.7% houses and 1.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 94.8% houses and 5.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Forrest-Darlington stood at 42.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 51.3% and rented ones at 6.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,015, higher than Perth metro's $1,950. Median weekly rent was $400, compared to Perth metro's $330. Nationally, Glen Forrest-Darlington's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 81.6% of all households, including 39.4% couples with children, 32.6% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 18.4%, with lone person households at 17.0% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Glen Forrest - Darlington places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Glen Forrest - Darlington is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. 37.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the SA3 area and 24.3% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 24.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.0% of residents aged 15 and above holding them - advanced diplomas account for 13.0% and certificates for 21.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education. Glen Forrest - Darlington's 5 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,508 students as of the latest data available. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1088. The educational mix includes 3 primary and 2 K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 19.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.5, indicating that the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus for accurate figures.

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

Glen Forrest - Darlington has 84 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four distinct routes that together facilitate 378 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents generally residing 450 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 54 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly four weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Glen Forrest - Darlington is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Glen Forrest - Darlington demonstrates superior health outcomes. Both younger and older age groups exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is notably high at approximately 63% of the total population (4,887 people), compared to 56.3% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.6 and 8.4% of residents respectively. Notably, 70.1% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 67.2% across Greater Perth. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.4% (1,733 people), compared to 21.2% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly robust, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Glen Forrest - Darlington records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Glen Forrest-Darlington's cultural diversity aligns with the broader region, with 71.8% of residents born in Australia and 90.9% being citizens. English is spoken by 94.4% at home. Christianity dominates, comprising 39.0%.

Judaism is overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to 0.1% in Greater Perth. Top ancestry groups are English (35.7%), Australian (25.6%), and Scottish (8.1%). Notable differences exist for Welsh (1.1% vs regional 0.9%), Dutch (2.5% vs 2.0%), and South African (1.1% vs 0.6%) groups.

Glen Forrest - Darlington hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Glen Forrest - Darlington is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Glen Forrest - Darlington has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (15.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.3%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 75-84 increased from 6.5% to 8.2%, while the 45-54 age group decreased from 15.6% to 14.3%. By 2041, demographic projections show that the 75-84 age group will grow by 47%, reaching 931 people from 632. The combined age groups of 65+ will account for 92% of total population growth, indicating an aging demographic trend in the area. Conversely, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decrease in number.