Hillarys

An assessment of population growth drivers in Hillarys reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Hillarys' population is approximately 11,923 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 723 people, a 6.5% rise from the 2021 Census population of 11,200. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 11,918 in June 2024 and 48 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a population density of 1,901 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Hillarys' growth rate of 6.5% since the census is within 2.4 percentage points of the SA3 area's rate of 8.9%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch adopts 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 post-2032 growth, AreaSearch uses growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends suggest a slight increase below the national median for Hillarys. By 2041, the area is expected to expand by 804 persons, reflecting an overall gain of 6.7% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Hillarys recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Hillarys has averaged approximately 27 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25139 homes were approved, with an additional 16 approved so far in FY-26. On average, over these five years, 3.7 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed.

This has resulted in demand significantly exceeding new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction value of new properties is $326,000. In terms of commercial development, $23.0 million in approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating moderate levels of activity. Compared to Greater Perth, Hillarys has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person.

Nationally, it places among the 25th percentile of areas assessed, offering more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This activity reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. The new building activity shows 89.0% detached dwellings and 11.0% townhouses or apartments, sustaining Hillarys' suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. Hillarys has approximately 762 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. Looking ahead, it is expected to grow by 799 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Present construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Hillarys has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects that may affect this region. Notable initiatives include Martinique Mews Hillarys, Hillarys Cycle Network Expansion, Hillarys Boat Harbour Activation Master Plan, and Harbour Rise Masterplanned Community (final stages). The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Hillarys performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Hillarys has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation, an unemployment rate of 1.4% as of September 2025, and estimated employment growth of 3.7% over the past year. There are 6,946 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 2.6% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%, with workforce participation similar to Greater Perth at 65.2%.

Leading industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction, with notable concentration in education & training at 1.3 times the regional average. Transport, postal & warehousing has limited presence at 2.6% compared to the regional average of 4.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. From September 2024 to September 2025, employment increased by 3.7% while labour force rose by 3.5%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points.

In contrast, Greater Perth had employment growth of 2.9% and a marginal rise in unemployment. State-wide, WA employment contracted by 0.27% to November 2025, with an unemployment rate of 4.6%. National forecasts project employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with local growth estimates of 6.7% and 13.8% respectively based on Hillarys's employment mix.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Hillarys SA2 had a median income of $62,871 and an average income of $84,058. These figures are among the highest in Australia, with Greater Perth having a median income of $58,380 and an average income of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Hillarys would be approximately $71,799 (median) and $95,994 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Hillarys rank highly nationally, between the 77th and 90th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The earnings profile shows that 27.8% of locals (3,314 people) earn $40,000 or more, unlike surrounding regions where 32.0% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Economic strength is evident with 41.5% of households earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting high consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 88.1% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. Hillarys' SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Hillarys, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.6% houses and 10.5% other dwellings (including semi-detached, apartments, and 'other' dwellings). This compares to Perth metro's 88.7% houses and 11.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hillarys stood at 45.4%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (41.0%) or rented (13.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,400, higher than Perth metro's average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure in Hillarys was $490, compared to Perth metro's $400. Nationally, Hillarys' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 83.3% of all households, including 40.9% couples with children, 32.9% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 16.7%, with lone person households at 15.3% and group households making up 1.5%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.7.

Hillarys shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 35.1% among residents aged 15+, surpassing both the WA average of 27.9% and the SA4 region's rate of 29.0%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 24.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 32.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (19.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.6% in primary, 9.5% in secondary, and 6.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Analysis of public transport in Hillarys shows 53 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops are serviced by a mix of buses along six individual routes, providing a total of 1,593 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 239 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 227 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 30 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hillarys's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Hillarys with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (7,439 people), compared to 59.3% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.3 and 6.2% of residents respectively, while 72.9% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.5% across Greater Perth.

The area has 22.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,692 people), which is higher than the 20.1% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Hillarys has a higher linguistic diversity than most local markets, with 10.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home. Born overseas, 35.4% of Hillarys' residents were born abroad. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hillarys, comprising 56.0% of the population, compared to 49.6% across Greater Perth.

The top three ancestry groups in Hillarys are English (31.8%), Australian (22.6%), and Irish (8.1%). Notably, South African residents make up 1.8%, Welsh residents 1.0%, and Polish residents 1.1%, each of these percentages differing from their regional counterparts.

Hillarys hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Hillarys has a median age of 44, which exceeds Greater Perth's figure of 37 and is substantially higher than the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group makes up 12.9% of Hillarys' population compared to Greater Perth, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 7.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.9% to 8.0% of Hillarys' population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 15.8% to 13.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Hillarys' age profile will significantly evolve by 2041. Leading this shift, the 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 81%, reaching 1,728 people from 955. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 93% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 55 to 64 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.