Middle Swan - Herne Hill
Statistical Area - sa2

Middle Swan - Herne Hill has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Middle Swan - Herne Hill's population is approximately 6,526 as of Aug 2025. This figure shows an increase of 848 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 5,678. The rise can be inferred from ABS estimates; the resident population was 6,389 in June 2024 and there were 167 new addresses validated after the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 203 persons per square kilometer. Middle Swan - Herne Hill's growth rate of 14.9% since the 2021 census surpassed both national (8.6%) and state averages, indicating significant population expansion. Overseas migration contributed approximately 47.8% to this growth, though all factors including interstate migration and natural growth were positive influences.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by these data, AreaSearch employs growth rates by age cohort from the ABS's Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future demographic trends project an above median population growth for the area; it is expected to grow by 1,110 persons to 2041, marking a total increase of 14.9% over these 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Middle Swan - Herne Hill among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Middle Swan - Herne Hill has averaged approximately 38 new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, totalling 193 approvals across the past five financial years from FY2021 to FY2025, with 7 recorded so far in FY2026. On average, 3.7 new residents have been associated with every home built over these five years. This significant demand outpaces supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average construction cost value of new homes is around $367,000, which aligns with broader regional development trends. Furthermore, $48.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered during this financial year, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Perth, Middle Swan - Herne Hill has notably less development activity, standing at 51.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction often reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties.

The area's building activity is predominantly detached houses (93.0%) with a smaller portion of attached dwellings (7.0%), preserving its low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 138 people added per approval, Middle Swan - Herne Hill reflects an evolving area. Future projections anticipate the addition of approximately 973 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply is expected to comfortably meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Middle Swan - Herne Hill has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 15 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Bushmead Residential Estate, METRONET East Midland Redevelopment Project, Maarakool Primary School, and Brabham Primary School Stage 2. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Middle Swan - Herne Hill remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Middle Swan - Herne Hill had a balanced workforce in June 2025 with white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate was 5.3%.

Over the past year, employment grew by 4.3%. There were 3,438 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 1.5% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was lower at 60.8%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key employment sectors included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Transport, postal & warehousing had particularly strong representation with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. Professional & technical services were under-represented at 4.4%, compared to Greater Perth's 8.2%. Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force rose by 4.1%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment grow by 3.7% with a slight rise in unemployment to 4%. State-wide, WA's employment contracted by 0.82% between Sep-24 and Sep-25, losing 14,590 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Middle Swan - Herne Hill's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Middle Swan - Herne Hill's income level aligns with national averages according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ending June 2022. The median income among taxpayers in Middle Swan - Herne Hill is $52,786 and the average income stands at $64,357. In comparison, Greater Perth's median income is $58,380 and average income is $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year ending June 2022, current estimates would be approximately $58,914 (median) and $71,829 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Middle Swan - Herne Hill rank modestly, between the 35th and 36th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 32.4% of residents (2,114 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, reflecting regional patterns where 32.0% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 37th percentile.

Middle Swan - Herne Hill is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Middle Swan - Herne Hill, as per the latest Census, 85.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 14.4% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Perth metro's figures of 89.1% houses and 10.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Middle Swan - Herne Hill stood at 34.0%, with mortgaged properties at 41.0% and rented dwellings at 25.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, below the Perth metro average of $1,842. Weekly rent in Middle Swan - Herne Hill was $320, compared to Perth metro's $340. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Middle Swan - Herne Hill has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.2% of all households, including 28.3% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 15.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.8%, with lone person households at 26.8% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.8.

Educational outcomes in Middle Swan - Herne Hill fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 16.3%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 39.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.4% and certificates at 29.0%. Educational participation is high, with 27.2% currently enrolled in formal education: 8.7% in primary, 8.3% in secondary, and 3.5% in tertiary education.

Seven schools operate within Middle Swan - Herne Hill, educating approximately 3,605 students. These schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 957) with balanced educational opportunities. There are four primary and three secondary schools serving distinct age groups. The area functions as an education hub with 55.2 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 15.7, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Middle Swan - Herne Hill has 89 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of bus routes totalling 17. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 969.

Residents' average proximity to the nearest stop is 175 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. Daily service frequency averages 138 trips across all routes, translating to about 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Middle Swan - Herne Hill are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Middle Swan - Herne Hill shows below-average health outcomes with common conditions more prevalent than average across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 52% of the total population (~3,386 people), compared to Greater Perth's 54.1%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 8.4 and 7.5% of residents respectively. 68.0% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Perth. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.8%, with 1,358 people falling into this age group, compared to Greater Perth's 12.6%. Health outcomes among seniors in Middle Swan - Herne Hill are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Middle Swan - Herne Hill 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

Middle Swan-Herne Hill's population showed higher cultural diversity than most nearby markets, with 28.7% born overseas and 19.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Middle Swan-Herne Hill, accounting for 53.7%, compared to 44.4% across Greater Perth. The top three ancestral groups were English (29.5%), Australian (22.9%), and Other (7.2%), lower than the regional average of 13.3%.

Notably, Croatian (3.0%) was overrepresented in Middle Swan-Herne Hill compared to regionally (0.9%). Similarly, Italian (6.4% vs 3.9%) and Filipino (2.7% vs 2.4%) groups were also more prominent locally than regionally.

Middle Swan - Herne Hill's median age exceeds the national pattern

Middle Swan - Herne Hill has a median age of 41 years, which is higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's median of 38 years. The 65-74 age group is notably over-represented locally at 11.1%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.7%. Post the 2021 Census, the 35 to 44 age group grew from 12.1% to 13.9%, and the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 11.9% to 13.4%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group declined from 13.2% to 11.9%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 14.0% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Middle Swan - Herne Hill's age profile will significantly change. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 64%, adding 283 residents to reach 730. Residents aged 65 and older represent 74% of anticipated growth, while population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age cohorts.