Little Grove - Elleker
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Little Grove - Elleker's population is around 3,934 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 255 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,679 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,901 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 29 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 27 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Little Grove - Elleker has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.8%, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 48.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising 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 median of regional areas across the nation, with an expected expansion of 340 persons to 2041, recording a gain of approximately 7.8% over the 17 years.

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

Little Grove - Elleker has seen approximately 19 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 95 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25. As of FY-26, there have been three approvals so far. On average, 0.8 new residents per year have been added per dwelling constructed in the past five financial years.

New construction has been matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average value of new properties being constructed is $582,000, which is somewhat higher than regional norms, reflecting quality-focused development. This year, $806,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating the area's residential nature.

Compared to the rest of WA, Little Grove - Elleker has seen 13.0% less new development per person while ranking among the 66th percentile nationally in terms of new development. The majority of new developments consist of detached dwellings (85.0%) with townhouses or apartments making up the remainder (15.0%), maintaining the area's traditional low density character and appealing to those seeking family homes with space. Currently, there are approximately 218 people per dwelling approval in the location, indicating room for growth. Population forecasts indicate that Little Grove - Elleker will gain around 307 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Little Grove - Elleker has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

The performance of a region is significantly impacted by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 23 such projects that are expected to influence the area. Notable projects include Albany Waterfront Redevelopment, Yakamia / Lange Structure Plan, South Lockyer Structure Plan, and Mount Lockyer Primary School Rebuild. The following list details those projects likely to have the most relevance.

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

Little Grove - Elleker ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Little Grove - Elleker has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate as of June 2025 was 0.7%.

Employment stability over the past year was relative. As of this date, 1905 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 2.4% below Rest of WA's rate of 3.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 52.6%, compared to Rest of WA's 59.4%. Employment among residents was concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.

The area had particular employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, mining showed lower representation at 2.9% versus the regional average of 11.7%. Limited local employment opportunities were indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, labour force decreased by 1.6%, and employment decreased by 0.4%, resulting in an unemployment rate fall of 1.2 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of WA recorded employment growth of 1.1%, labour force growth of 0.5%, with unemployment falling 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 estimated potential future demand within Little Grove - Elleker. These projections over five and ten-year periods suggested local growth of approximately 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation using the local employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Little Grove - Elleker's median income among taxpayers was $48,678 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $61,353 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of WA's median and average incomes of $57,323 and $71,163 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $54,330 and the average income will be around $68,476, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Little Grove - Elleker ranked modestly between the 32nd and 36th percentiles. The largest income bracket comprises 32.8% of residents earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (1,290 residents), which aligns with the broader area where this cohort also represents 31.1%. Housing costs allow for 88.2% retention, but disposable income is below average at the 40th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Little Grove - Elleker dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 90.8% houses and 9.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro WA's figures were 92.1% houses and 8.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Little Grove - Elleker stood at 50.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 14.6%. Median monthly mortgage repayments in the area were $1,700, higher than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,490. Median weekly rent was recorded at $275, compared to Non-Metro WA's $280. Nationally, Little Grove - Elleker's median monthly mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Little Grove - Elleker has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 73.9% of all households, including 27.2% couples with children, 39.2% couples without children, and 6.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.1%, with lone person households at 24.2% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.4 people, aligning with the Rest of WA average.

Little Grove - Elleker performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 19.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common (13.3%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 38.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 27.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (12.2%), primary education (10.2%), and tertiary education (2.4%). Little Grove Primary School serves the area, enrolling 213 students as of a recent date. The school demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1024) with balanced educational opportunities. It focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited (5.4 places per 100 residents vs 15.9 regionally), leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Little Grove - Elleker has 18 active public transport stops. These are all bus stops, served by a single route. This route provides 20 weekly passenger trips in total.

Transport accessibility is limited, with residents typically located 1747 meters from the nearest stop. There are approximately 2 trips per day on average across all routes, equating to about 1 weekly trip per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Little Grove - Elleker are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Little Grove - Elleker shows below-average health outcomes.

Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent here than average across both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (around 1,990 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.9% and 8.3% of residents respectively. About 66.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.7% across Rest of WA. The area has 24.2% of residents aged 65 and over (950 people), which is higher than the 21.0% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Little Grove-Elleker, surveyed in June-August 2016, had low cultural diversity: 83.2% were citizens, 79.7% born in Australia, and 96.8% spoke English only at home. Christianity dominated, at 38.3%. Buddhism, at 1.1%, was slightly above the Rest of WA's 0.9%.

Top ancestral groups were English (36.8%), Australian (28.5%), and Scottish (8.4%). Dutch (3.4%) and Polish (1.2%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages, while Welsh (0.8%) was slightly higher than the Rest of WA's 0.7%.

Little Grove - Elleker hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Little Grove - Elleker's median age was recorded as 47 years in the 2021 Census, which is notably higher than Rest of WA's 40 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of WA, Little Grove - Elleker had a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (15.0%), but fewer individuals aged 5-14 (10.3%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds was significantly higher than the national average of 9.4%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 increased from 9.0% to 10.6%, while the 55 to 64 age group decreased from 16.7% to 14.4%. By 2041, projections indicate significant changes in Little Grove - Elleker's age composition. The 35 to 44 age group is expected to grow by 27%, reaching a population of 633 from the previous 498. Conversely, the 85+ and 55 to 64 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.