Mandurah - South

Population growth drivers in Mandurah - South are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Mandurah - South's population is around 13,161 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,838 people (16.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,323 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,612 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 532 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,112 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Mandurah - South's 16.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 76.2% 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). As we examine future population trends, above-median population growth compared to national areas is projected, with the area expected to increase by 2,233 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 12.8% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Mandurah - South was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Mandurah - South has experienced around 123 dwellings receiving development approval each year, totalling 615 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26130 approvals have been recorded. At an average of 2.4 new residents per year for each dwelling over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), reflecting robust demand that underpins property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $319,000. There have also been $134,000 in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.

Relative to Greater Perth, Mandurah - South has 15.0% less new development (per person) while it places among the 91st percentile of areas assessed nationally, though development activity has picked up in recent periods. New building activity shows 99.0% detached houses and 1.0% townhouses or apartments, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With around 71 people per dwelling approval, Mandurah - South shows characteristics of a growth area.

Looking ahead, Mandurah - South is expected to grow by 1,684 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.

Mandurah - South has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 4thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 15 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Mandurah Estuary Bridge Duplication, Dudley Park Transit Precinct Structure Plan (Proposed), and Lakeside Quarter, 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.

Employment conditions in Mandurah - South remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Mandurah - South has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 5.0%, and 9.8% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 5,035 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.9% above Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation lags significantly (48.6% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 6.6% 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 shows particularly strong specialization in mining, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 3.3% versus the regional average of 8.2%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 9.8% while labour force increased by 10.2%, 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 Mandurah - South. 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 Mandurah - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The Mandurah - South SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $47,784 and an average of $65,676 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is slightly lower than average on a national basis, contrasting with Greater Perth's median income of $60,748 and average income of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $52,381 (median) and $71,994 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Mandurah - South all fall between the 4th and 6th percentiles nationally. The data shows the $400 - 799 earnings band captures 30.3% of the community (3,987 individuals), differing from patterns across regional levels where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 5th percentile.

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

Dwelling structure within Mandurah - South, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 85.3% houses and 14.6% 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 Mandurah - South was higher than that of Perth metro, at 37.9%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (31.3%) or rented (30.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Perth metro average at $1,500, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $280, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Mandurah - South's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Mandurah - South features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 64.8% of all households, comprising 18.4% couples with children, 32.5% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.2%, with lone person households at 32.4% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size of 2.2 people is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Mandurah - South faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (11.6%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 8.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 40.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (30.1%).

A substantial 24.5% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 65 active transport stops operating within Mandurah - South, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 9 individual routes, collectively providing 813 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 240 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 85%, with 6% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 6.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 116 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Mandurah - South is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Mandurah - South, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover slightly lags that of the average SA2 area at approximately 52% of the total population (~6,830 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.5 and 9.4% of residents, respectively, while 57.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 33.7% of residents aged 65 and over (4,437 people), which is higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Mandurah - South was found to be above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 7.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 27.8% born overseas. The main religion in Mandurah - South is Christianity, which makes up 50.8% of people in Mandurah - South, compared to 45.0% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Mandurah - South are English, comprising 35.4% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 28.0%, Australian, comprising 27.2% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 21.2%, and Scottish, comprising 7.4% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Welsh is notably overrepresented at 0.8% of Mandurah - South (vs 0.7% regionally), Maori at 0.9% (vs 0.9%) and South Australian at 0.7% (vs 1.0%).

Mandurah - South ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Mandurah - South's median age of 51 years stands notably higher than Greater Perth's 37 and is considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Greater Perth average, the 65 - 74 cohort is notably over-represented (16.4% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (7.9%). This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. In the period since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 11.3% to 13.0% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 9.8% to 11.2%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.7% to 10.7%. Demographic modeling suggests Mandurah - South's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, increasing by 750 people (44%) from 1,710 to 2,461. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 83% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts.