North Perth
Statistical Area - sa2

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

North Perth's population is 10,796 as of August 2025. This shows an increase of 1,089 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,707. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 10,780 in June 2024 and 75 new addresses validated after the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,493 persons per square kilometer, placing North Perth in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessment. North Perth's growth rate of 11.2% since the 2021 Census exceeds the national average of 8.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.8% of population gains recently, with all drivers being positive factors.

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 estimates, AreaSearch utilises ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future trends project above median population growth nationally, with North Perth expected to expand by 1,829 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 16.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees North Perth among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

North Perth has averaged approximately 32 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, there have been 162 home approvals, with an additional two approved in FY26 so far. On average, around 7.5 people move to the area annually for each dwelling built over these five years.

This significant demand outpaces supply, typically exerting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $620,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26, there have been $3.0 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, North Perth has notably lower building activity, at 57.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties.

Nationally, this is also below average, suggesting maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 73.0% detached houses and 27.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 326 people per dwelling approval, North Perth indicates a developing market. Looking ahead, it is projected that North Perth will grow by approximately 1,813 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

North Perth has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include the Underground Power Project in North Perth/Mt Hawthorn, Alma Square, Targeted Underground Power Program in Joondanna, Osborne Park, Tuart Hill, and North Perth / Mount Lawley Underground Power Project. The following list details those most pertinent.

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

The employment environment in North Perth shows above-average strength when compared nationally

North Perth has a highly educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate stands at 3.0%.

As of June 2025, 6,823 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.9% lower than Greater Perth's 3.9%. Workforce participation in North Perth is high at 71.8%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level.

However, construction shows lower representation at 6.5% versus the regional average of 9.3%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the Census working population count compared to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, North Perth's labour force decreased by 1.4%, and employment declined by 2.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment growth of 3.7% and labour force growth of 3.8%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.82%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to North Perth's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that North Perth has exceptionally high incomes nationally. The median assessed income is $70,335 and the average income stands at $96,097. In contrast, Greater Perth's figures are a median income of $58,380 and an average income of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $78,501 for the median and $107,254 for the average as of March 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in North Perth, between the 85th and 88th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 28.5% of locals (3,076 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, which aligns with the region where this cohort likewise represents 32.0%. A significant 38.9% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.8% of income and strong earnings rank residents within the 85th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

North Perth displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In North Perth, as per the latest Census evaluation, 65.6% of dwellings were houses while 34.4% consisted of other types such as semi-detached units, apartments and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Perth metropolitan area's 37.1% houses and 62.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Perth stood at 29.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.7% and rented ones at 33.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,492, higher than the Perth metro average of $2,167. The median weekly rent in North Perth was $400 compared to Perth metro's $390. Nationally, North Perth's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,492 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $400 against the national figure of $375.

North Perth features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 61.8% of all households, including 27.3% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.2%, with lone person households at 30.5% and group households making up 7.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.1.

North Perth shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In North Perth, educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 50.1% have university qualifications compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 30.1% in Greater Perth. The area's strong educational advantage is evident in its high proportion of bachelor degree holders at 33.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.1% and graduate diplomas at 5.2%. Vocational pathways account for 22.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 13.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 7.9% in tertiary education, 7.6% in primary education, and 6.1% pursuing secondary education. North Perth Primary School and Kyilla Primary School serve a total of 803 students, demonstrating significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1141. Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas due to limited local school capacity (7.4 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.2).

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

North Perth has 55 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops service a mix of bus routes, with 18 individual routes in operation. The total weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 4,187.

Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 155 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 598 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 76 weekly trips per individual stop.

North Perth's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout North Perth. Prevalence of common health conditions is very low across all age groups.

Private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 69% of the total population (7,481 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.0 and 6.6% of residents respectively. 72.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.5% across Greater Perth. The area has 15.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,678 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

North Perth 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

North Perth's population comprises 19.3% speaking a language other than English at home, as per the 2016 Census. A total of 30.6%, born overseas, contribute to its cultural diversity. Christianity is the predominant religion with 42.2%.

Judaism, however, is notably overrepresented in North Perth at 1.0% compared to Greater Perth's 0.6%. The top three ancestry groups are English (24.4%), Australian (19.7%), and Italian (9.1%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Macedonian at 1.4% (vs regional 0.4%), Croatian at 1.3% (vs 0.9%), and French at 0.8% (vs 0.8%).

North Perth's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in North Perth is 38 years, close to Greater Perth's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, North Perth has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (18.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.2%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 65-74 has grown from 7.8% to 8.8%, while the proportion of those aged 5-14 has declined from 10.3% to 9.2%. By 2041, North Perth's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 108% (502 people), reaching 969 from 466. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 59% of the population growth. Meanwhile, declines in population are projected for those aged 0-4 and 35-44.