Madeley - Darch

Population growth drivers in Madeley - Darch are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Madeley - Darch's population is around 15,265 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,066 people (7.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,199 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,253 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 202 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,163 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Madeley - Darch's 7.5% growth since the census positions it within 2.4 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 73.9% 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 any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is expected, with the area expected to increase by 1,039 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 6.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Madeley - Darch among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Madeley - Darch has averaged around 43 new dwelling approvals per year, with 216 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 29 so far in FY-26. With an average of 4.3 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is substantially lagging demand, which generally means heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $220,000—under regional levels—indicating more accessible housing choices for buyers. Additionally, $12.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity.

Compared to Greater Perth, Madeley - Darch has significantly less development activity (74.0% below regional average per person). This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This is likewise lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and pointing to possible development constraints. New building activity consists of 96.0% detached houses and 4.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing that attracts space-seeking buyers. With around 418 people per dwelling approval, Madeley - Darch shows a developed market.

Population forecasts indicate Madeley - Darch will gain 1,027 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Madeley - Darch has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 23 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Kingsway City Shopping Centre Serviced Apartments, Evida Darch, Wanneroo Road Intersection Upgrades, and East Landsdale Precinct - Madeley Release Area, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Madeley - Darch ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Madeley - Darch features a skilled workforce, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of just 2.9%, and 3.9% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 9,080 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 1.2% below Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is fairly standard (74.9% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 8.3% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in retail trade, with employment levels at 1.2 times the regional average. Meanwhile, mining has a limited presence with 5.6% employment compared to 7.0% regionally. With 1.4 workers for every resident, as at the Census, the area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 3.9% while the labour force increased by 4.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.3%, labour force growth of 2.6%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Madeley - Darch. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Madeley - Darch's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Madeley - Darch SA2's median income among taxpayers is $60,888, with an average of $73,376. This is higher than average nationally, and compares to Greater Perth's median of $60,748 and average of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $66,745 (median) and $80,435 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household incomes rank exceptionally at the 81st percentile ($2,261 weekly). Looking at income distribution, 36.5% of the population (5,571 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 32.0%. A significant 32.4% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. Housing accounts for 14.6% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 82nd percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Madeley - Darch is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure within Madeley - Darch, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 91.2% houses and 8.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Madeley - Darch was in line with that of Perth metro, at 28.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (55.7%) or rented (16.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Perth metro average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $450, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Madeley - Darch's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 83.5% of all households, comprising 50.4% couples with children, 22.0% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 16.5%, with lone person households at 15.2% and group households comprising 1.2% of the total. The median household size of 3.0 people is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Madeley - Darch exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile stands out regionally, with university qualification rates (27.2% of residents aged 15+) exceeding the SA3 area average of 19.7%, reflecting the community's emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees lead at 20.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 33.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (21.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in primary education, 10.5% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 103 active transport stops operating within Madeley - Darch, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 12 individual routes, collectively providing 2,445 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 196 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 84%, with 11% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A relatively low 8.3% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 349 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

The level of general health in Madeley - Darch is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Madeley - Darch demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (~8,456 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 6.0% and 5.8% of residents, respectively, while 76.3% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The area has 14.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,208 people), which is lower than the 16.3% in Greater Perth, though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

Madeley - Darch is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Madeley - Darch scores highly on cultural diversity, with 34.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 41.2% born overseas. The main religion in Madeley - Darch is Christianity, which makes up 51.0% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Hinduism, which comprises 7.4% of the population, compared to 2.5% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Madeley - Darch are English, comprising 21.1% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 28.0%, Australian, comprising 18.6% of the population, and Other, comprising 14.0% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: South Australian is notably overrepresented at 2.2% of Madeley - Darch (vs 1.0% regionally), Macedonian at 3.3% (vs 0.4%) and Vietnamese at 3.4% (vs 0.8%).

Madeley - Darch's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The 38-year median age in Madeley - Darch is close to Greater Perth's average of 37 and similarly equivalent to the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Perth, Madeley - Darch has a higher concentration of 45 - 54 residents (16.6%) but fewer 25 - 34 year-olds (9.6%). Since the 2021 Census, the 55 to 64 age group has grown from 9.1% to 11.4% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 14.1% to 15.4%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 15.9% to 13.4% and the 35 to 44 group dropped from 15.8% to 14.3%. By 2041, Madeley - Darch is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 55 to 64 group will grow by 31% (534 people), reaching 2,273 from 1,738. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 59% of projected growth. On the other hand, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 15 to 24 cohorts.