Northam

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

Northam's population was approximately 12,485 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,127 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,358. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates; Northam's population was 12,416 in June 2024 and there were 72 validated new addresses after the Census date. This equates to a density ratio of 8.7 persons per square kilometer. Northam's growth rate since the 2021 census was 9.9%, surpassing both the national average (8.9%) and its SA4 region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 74.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, 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 years post-2032, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Demographic trends project above median population growth for regional areas, with Northam expected to increase by 1,985 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 15.3% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Northam among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Northam has recorded approximately 64 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25323 homes were approved, with an additional 45 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 2.9 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years, indicating solid demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $272,000. In terms of commercial development, $16.6 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting steady investment activity. Northam maintains similar construction rates per person compared to the rest of WA, indicating a balanced market consistent with the broader area.

The majority of new building activity consists of detached dwellings (96.0%), with medium and high-density housing making up the remaining 4.0%, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. There are approximately 185 people per dwelling approval in Northam, reflecting an expanding market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Northam is projected to add 1,916 residents by 2041. Current development levels appear aligned with future requirements, helping maintain stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Northam has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified four projects likely affecting this region: Northam Boulevard Shopping Centre Redevelopment, MEG-HP1 Northam Hydrogen Project, Avon Industrial Park, and EastLink WA. These are detailed below for relevance.

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

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While Northam retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.3%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Northam's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs, with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate stands at 3.3%.

As of September 2025, there are 5,802 employed residents, matching the Rest of WA's unemployment rate of 3.3%, but with lower workforce participation (52.3% compared to Rest of WA's 59.4%). Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and public administration & safety, with a particular specialization in the latter (1.6 times the regional level). Mining has limited presence, at 5.4%, compared to the regional average of 11.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparisons between working population and local population.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, Northam's labour force decreased by 4.2% alongside a 2.4% employment decline, leading to a 1.7 percentage point reduction in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of WA saw employment growth of 1.4%, labour force expansion of 1.2%, and a 0.2 percentage point fall in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Northam's current employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Northam SA2's median income among taxpayers was $53,009 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $63,004 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of WA's of $57,323 and $71,163 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $60,536 (median) and $71,951 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household income in Northam falls between the 20th and 21st percentiles nationally. The data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 29.4% of residents (3,670 people). After housing costs, 86.1% of income remains, ranking at the 24th percentile nationally.

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

Northam's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.0% houses and 5.0% other dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro WA's 95.6% houses and 4.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Northam was at 37.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.1% and rented ones at 24.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,393, lower than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,425. The median weekly rent in Northam was $250, compared to Non-Metro WA's $231. Nationally, Northam's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,393 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 68.2% of all households, including 24.3% couples with children, 30.3% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.8%, with lone person households at 29.0% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of WA average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.4%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (32.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.1% in primary education, 10.3% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Northam has 30 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are serviced by seven routes that together offer 74 weekly passenger trips. Residents have limited access to these services, with an average distance of 1818 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are ten trips per day across all routes, equating to about two weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data shows significant issues for Northam, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51% (~6,379 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (10.0%) and mental health issues (9.1%), while 62.6% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 64.7% in Rest of WA. Northam has 18.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,323 people), lower than the 21.7% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Northam's population was found to be predominantly culturally homogeneous, with 82.6% being citizens, 80.0% born in Australia, and 93.9% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion in Northam was Christianity, comprising 49.2% of the population, similar to the regional figure of 49.0%. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.3%), Australian (31.0%), and Scottish (7.2%).

Notably, Polish ethnicity was overrepresented at 1.2%, compared to the regional average of 0.6%. Additionally, Australian Aboriginal and Maori ethnicities showed higher representation in Northam at 4.7% and 0.6% respectively, compared to regional averages of 3.4% and 0.5%.

Northam's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Northam is 42 years, which is slightly higher than Rest of WA's average of 40 years, and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of WA, Northam has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (11.5%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.8%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 25-34 grew from 10.8% to 12.1%, while the 35-44 age group increased from 11.5% to 12.8%. Meanwhile, the 45-54 age group declined from 13.1% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Northam's age structure. The 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 46%, reaching 2,215 people from the current 1,514. Conversely, the 85+ and 75-84 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.