High Wycombe
Statistical Area - sa2

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

High Wycombe's population is 13,092 as of Aug 2025. This shows an increase of 894 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,198. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,070 in Jun 2024 and 46 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,504 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. High Wycombe's growth rate of 7.3% since census is within 1.3 percentage points of the national average of 8.6%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 63.0% 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 and post-2032 growth estimation, AreaSearch utilises ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median for statistical areas nationwide, with High Wycombe expected to increase by 1,529 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 11.5% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within High Wycombe when compared nationally

High Wycombe has received approximately 31 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports that between Financial Year 2021 (FY-21) and FY-25, a total of 156 approvals were granted, with 7 recorded so far in FY-26. On average, each newly built home accommodates 3.7 new residents annually over the past five financial years. This indicates that demand significantly outstrips supply, which typically exerts upward pressure on prices and intensifies competition among buyers.

The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $403,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY-26 alone, $10.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Comparatively, High Wycombe has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per capita relative to Greater Perth. Nationally, it ranks at the 52nd percentile among assessed areas, indicating established nature and potential planning limitations, although recent periods show increased development activity. The current building activity comprises 75% detached houses and 25% medium and high-density housing, preserving High Wycombe's suburban character while reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options.

This marks a shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 96% houses, suggesting decreasing availability of developable sites. With around 364 people per dwelling approval, High Wycombe exhibits a developed market. Population forecasts project an increase of 1,507 residents by 2041. If current development rates persist, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

High Wycombe has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 22ndth percentile nationally

Eleven infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include METRONET East High Wycombe Precinct, Pipe Lily Drive Social Housing, Great Eastern Highway Bypass and Kalamunda Road Interchange, and Great Eastern Highway Bypass Interchanges. The following list details those considered most relevant:.

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

Employment performance in High Wycombe has been broadly consistent with national averages

High Wycombe has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, notable in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate is 3.7%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.1% over the past year as of June 2025.

In this period, 7,564 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.2% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. The leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and retail trade. Transport, postal & warehousing shows particularly high concentration with employment levels at 2.1 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 4.6% compared to the regional average of 8.2%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.1%, while labour force also grew by 3.1%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 3.7%. This contrasts with Greater Perth where employment rose by 3.7% and unemployment rose slightly to 4.0%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.82% (losing 14,590 jobs) with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%, comparing favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5% but lagging behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a national employment expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to High Wycombe's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.8% over five years and 12.4% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

High Wycombe's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $59,281. The average income stood at $71,745 during this period. Nationally, the median income was $58,380 and the average was $78,020 in Greater Perth. By March 2025, estimates suggest High Wycombe's median income will be approximately $66,164 and the average will be around $80,075, accounting for an 11.61% growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in High Wycombe cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 35.7% of locals (4,673 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999, slightly higher than the broader area where 32.0% fall into this bracket. Despite high housing costs consuming 15.6% of income, strong earnings place disposable income at the 52nd percentile nationally.

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

High Wycombe's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.3% houses and 3.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Perth metro had 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in High Wycombe stood at 30.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.3% and rented ones at 22.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Perth metro's $1,907. Weekly rent was $380 compared to Perth metro's $370. Nationally, High Wycombe's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

High Wycombe has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.5% of all households, including 30.2% couples with children, 26.8% couples without children, and 14.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.5%, with lone person households at 24.7% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.5 people, smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in High Wycombe fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 14.0%, substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 1.7% and graduate diplomas at 1.6%. Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 31.7%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education. High Wycombe's three schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,027 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 996) with balanced educational opportunities. The three schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Limited local school capacity (7.8 places per 100 residents vs 17.6 regionally) means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

High Wycombe has 58 active public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are served by 10 different routes that together facilitate 1,610 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents on average located 277 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 230 trips across all routes, which equates to approximately 27 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in High Wycombe is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

High Wycombe faces significant health challenges.

Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across all age groups but slightly higher among older cohorts. Approximately 55% of the total population has private health cover (~7,239 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 9.2% and 7.7% of residents respectively. 67.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Perth. 18.0% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,359 people), which is lower than the 20.2% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in High Wycombe was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

High Wycombe, surveyed in 2016, had a cultural diversity index above average with 9.5% of residents speaking languages other than English at home and 25.2% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 43.1%. However, Islam showed an overrepresentation at 1.3%, compared to Greater Perth's 2.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (32%), Australian (26.9%), and Scottish (7.1%). Notable divergences existed in Maori representation at 1.2% (vs regional 0.8%), New Zealanders at 1.1% (vs 1%), and Welsh people at 0.7% (vs 0.7%).

High Wycombe's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in High Wycombe is 38 years, which is close to Greater Perth's average age of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, High Wycombe has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (12.5%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.2%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of the population aged 75-84 has increased from 5.6% to 6.8%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 14.2% to 13.2%. By 2041, High Wycombe's age composition is expected to shift significantly. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 62%, reaching 1,447 people from the current 894. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 75% of this growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 5-14.