McKail - Willyung
Statistical Area - sa2

McKail - Willyung lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

McKail - Willyung's population is around 12,319 as of Aug 2025. This shows an increase of 986 people (8.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,333 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,262 in June 2024 and an additional 93 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 121 persons per square kilometer. McKail - Willyung's growth rate exceeded both its SA3 area (8.1%) and the national average, indicating strong population increase. Natural growth contributed approximately 37.0% to overall population gains recently.

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 and post-2032 estimations, AreaSearch utilises 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 dynamics project above median growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas. The area is expected to increase by 1,934 persons to 2041, marking a total increase of 15.2% over the 17-year period.

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

McKail-Willyung recorded approximately 68 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis: 340 dwellings approved over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with 15 already recorded in FY26. This averages out to about three new residents per year for every home built during these years. Supply has substantially lagged demand, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $392,000, consistent with broader regional development. Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $47.4 million, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of WA, McKail-Willyung shows comparable construction activity per person, maintaining market balance consistent with the broader area.

New building activity consists of 87% detached dwellings and 13% attached dwellings, preserving the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. The location currently has approximately 197 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts predict McKail-Willyung will gain around 1,877 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

McKail - Willyung has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 27thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 28 projects that could impact the area. Notable ones include Centennial Park Urban Renewal Area, South Lockyer Structure Plan, Clydesdale Park, and South Regional TAFE - Albany Trade Workshop. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in McKail - Willyung demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

McKail-Willyung has a diverse workforce with both white and blue-collar jobs, heavily represented in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.7% as of June 2025, with an employment growth of 0.8% over the past year.

There are 6,420 residents employed currently, with an unemployment rate of 1.5%, lower than Rest of WA's rate of 3.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of WA at 59.4%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Retail trade is particularly strong, being 1.6 times the regional level.

Mining, however, is under-represented at 2.8%, compared to Rest of WA's 11.7%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data. Over the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 0.8% while labour force decreased by 1.5%, reducing unemployment by 2.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of WA saw employment grow by 1.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest McKail-Willyung's employment could increase by approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in McKail - Willyung is below the national average. The median assessed income was $47,057 and the average income stood at $59,310. This contrasts with Rest of WA's figures where the median income was $57,323 and the average income was $71,163. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $52,520 (median) and $66,196 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in McKail - Willyung, between the 28th and 28th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that the predominant cohort spans 33.0% of locals (4,065 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 31.1%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 27th percentile.

McKail - Willyung is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In McKail - Willyung, as assessed in the latest Census, 93.3% of dwellings were houses while 6.7% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments and other types. This compared to Non-Metro WA's 92.1% houses and 8.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in McKail - Willyung stood at 31.9%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 41.5% and rented ones making up 26.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,560, higher than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,490. Median weekly rent in the area was $295, compared to Non-Metro WA's $280. Nationally, McKail - Willyung's median monthly mortgage repayment was lower at $1,560 than Australia's average of $1,863, and median weekly rent was also lower at $295 versus the national figure of $375.

McKail - Willyung has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 72.2% of all households, consisting of 30.7% couples with children, 28.9% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 27.8%, with lone person households at 24.9% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of WA average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in McKail - Willyung fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has lower university qualification rates than the Australian average: 11.1% compared to 30.4%. This disparity presents an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Vocational credentials are held by 43.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 33.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% currently enrolled in formal education: 10.5% in primary, 9.8% in secondary, and 1.5% in tertiary education. The four schools in McKail - Willyung have a combined enrollment of 1,630 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 980) with balanced educational opportunities. Educational provision is split between two primary and two secondary institutions.

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

Public transport analysis conducted in McKail-Willyung shows 22 active transport stops operating within the area. These are a mix of bus stops serviced by two individual routes. The combined weekly passenger trips provided by these routes total 105.

Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 669 meters from their nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 15 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in McKail - Willyung is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

McKail-Willyung faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 49% of the total population (~6,048 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 9.7% of residents and arthritis impacting 8.9%. 65.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.7% across Rest of WA. The area has 15.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,931 people), lower than the 21.0% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly inline with the general population's health profile.

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

McKail-Willyung has a cultural diversity below average, with 81.8% of its population born in Australia, 89.4% being citizens, and 92.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 44.1%. The most notable overrepresentation is seen in the 'Other' category, which makes up 0.6% of McKail-Willyung's population compared to the regional average of 0.6%.

In terms of ancestry, English is the largest group at 33.7%, followed by Australian at 30.6% and Scottish at 6.8%. Notably, Dutch are overrepresented at 3.4% (compared to 2.3% regionally), Filipino at 2.6% (compared to 1.2%), and Welsh at 0.7% (matching the regional average).

McKail - Willyung's population is slightly older than the national pattern

McKail-Willyung's median age is 38 years, which is marginally below the Rest of WA average of 40 but in line with the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of WA average, the 15-24 cohort is notably over-represented at 14.3% locally, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 9.3%. Following the Census conducted on 2 August 2021, the 15 to 24 age group grew from 12.2% to 14.3%, and the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 11.6% to 13.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 14.9% to 13.1%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 10.4% to 9.3%. Demographic modeling suggests that McKail-Willyung's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 53%, adding 854 residents to reach 2,468. On the other hand, both the 85+ and 15 to 24 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.