Manning - Waterford

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

Manning-Waterford's population is 13,005 as of November 2025, a rise of 1,352 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 11,653. This increase was inferred from ABS estimates: an ERP of 12,992 in June 2024 and 55 new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 2,111 persons per square kilometer. Manning-Waterford's growth rate of 11.6% since the 2021 Census exceeds both national average (8.9%) and SA3 area averages. Overseas migration drove this growth, contributing approximately 86.7%.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises ABS' latest Greater Capital Region projections from 2023 based on 2022 data. Future trends project Manning-Waterford's population to grow by 2,472 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 18.9% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Manning - Waterford among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Manning-Waterford averaged approximately 63 new dwelling approvals annually from FY21-FY25, totaling 315 homes. In FY26 up to June, 16 dwellings have been approved. The area has seen an average of 3.2 people moving in per year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating high demand outpacing supply.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $389,000, targeting the premium market. This financial year, $26.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting balanced commercial activity. Compared to Greater Perth, Manning-Waterford has 19.0% lower construction activity per person but ranks at the 58th percentile nationally.

Recent construction consists of 80.0% detached houses and 20.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban character focused on family homes. There are approximately 297 people per dwelling approval in Manning-Waterford, indicating potential for growth. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 2,459 residents. Development pace is keeping up with projected growth, but increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

Manning - Waterford has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Westfield Carousel Expansion, Sam Kerr Football Centre, Queens Park Regional Open Space, Australian Hockey Centre, and Henley Rise. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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The labour market in Manning - Waterford demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Manning-Waterford has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.6% as of a recent unspecified date.

Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 2.7%. As of September 2025, 7,081 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is 0.4% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Manning-Waterford was 60.1%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

Professional & technical services had employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average, while construction employed just 6.4% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 9.3%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population count versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending on an unspecified date, Manning-Waterford saw employment increase by 2.7%, with labour force increasing by 2.3%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.9% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with unemployment rising marginally. State-level data as of 25-Nov showed WA employment contracted by 0.27% (losing 5,520 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.6%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years in Manning-Waterford, based on a simple weighting extrapolation using local employment mix.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 30 June 2022 for financial year 2022, Manning - Waterford SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $52,793 and an average level of $75,169. This is above national averages of $58,380 and $78,020 in Greater Perth respectively. As of September 2025, estimated median and average incomes are approximately $60,290 and $85,843 based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 74th percentile ($2,146 weekly), while personal income is at the 50th percentile. The largest income bracket comprises 25.2% earning $4,000+ weekly (3,277 residents). Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 37.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 13.5% of income, ranking residents in the 77th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Manning-Waterford, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 84.1% houses and 15.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Perth metropolitan area had 49.3% houses and 50.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Manning-Waterford stood at 38.9%, with the remaining dwellings being mortgaged (34.7%) or rented (26.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, significantly higher than Perth metro's average of $2,200 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Manning-Waterford was $341, lower than Perth metro's $360 but higher than the national average of $375.

Manning - Waterford features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.2% of all households, including 35.2% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.8%, with lone person households at 22.1% and group households making up 4.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.2.

Educational attainment in Manning - Waterford aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Manning-Waterford significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 44.7% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 29.9% in the State Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4) region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 29.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.7% and graduate diplomas at 4.0%.

Vocational pathways account for 24.4% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 13.6%. Educational participation is notably high in Manning-Waterford, with 33.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in tertiary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 8.1% pursuing primary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 81 active stops operating in Manning - Waterford, served by buses along 8 routes. These routes facilitate 2,108 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 163 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at 301 daily trips across all routes, equating to about 26 weekly trips per individual stop.

Manning - Waterford's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows positive outcomes for Manning-Waterford residents. Prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 57% (~7,425 people) have private health cover, compared to 67.8% in Greater Perth. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (7.1%) and mental health issues (6.5%). About 72.3% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% across Greater Perth. The area has 20.8% (2,708 people) of residents aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, matching the general population's health profile.

Manning - Waterford was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Manning-Waterford has high cultural diversity, with 25.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 37.8% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 51.0%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 4.5%, compared to Greater Perth's 3.4%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (24.3%), Australian (19.9%), and Chinese (11.7%). French, Polish, and Croatian groups show notable representation: French at 0.7% (vs regional 0.7%), Polish at 0.9% (vs regional 0.9%), and Croatian at 0.8% (vs regional 0.8%).

Manning - Waterford's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Manning-Waterford is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and close to Australia's national average of 38 years. The 15-24 age group makes up 18.4% of the local population, compared to 16.0% in the 2021 Census, indicating an increase from 16.0% to 18.4%. Meanwhile, the 25-34 cohort has increased from 11.1% to 12.8%, while the 5-14 age group has declined from 11.6% to 9.6% and the 45-54 group has dropped from 12.4% to 11.3%. By 2041, demographic forecasts suggest significant changes in Manning-Waterford's population structure. Notably, the 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 74%, reaching 1,511 people from 870. This growth will be led by residents aged 65 and older, who represent 58% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, the 35-44 and 5-14 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.