Parmelia - Orelia

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

Parmelia-Orelia's population is approximately 12,721 as of November 2025. This figure indicates a growth of 1,435 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,286. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 12,301 in June 2024 and an additional 204 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 1,624 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Parmelia-Orelia's growth rate of 12.7% since the 2021 census exceeds the national average of 8.9%, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 53.1% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all factors including natural growth and interstate migration being positive drivers.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses 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 anticipate a median increase, with the area expected to grow by 1,604 persons to reach approximately 14,385 by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 9.3% over the 17-year period.

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

Parmelia-Orelia averaged approximately 73 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 365 homes approved during this period and an additional 61 approved in FY26. Each year, on average, 2.6 new residents were gained per dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating strong demand which supports property values. The average construction cost value for new dwellings was $217,000, lower than the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

In FY26, there have been $4.0 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's predominantly residential character. Compared to Greater Perth, Parmelia-Orelia has significantly lower building activity, at 58.0% below the regional average per person, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. The new development composition is 93.0% detached houses and 7.0% medium-high density housing, preserving the area's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with an average of around 149 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, Parmelia-Orelia is projected to grow by approximately 1,184 residents, according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate.

Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand effectively, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Parmelia - Orelia has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile nationally

Nine projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area, with key ones including Parmelia Primary School Modernisation Stage 2, Parmelia Community Centre Redevelopment, Parmelia Oval Sports Pavilion Upgrade, and Kwinana Education Precinct. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment drivers in Parmelia - Orelia are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Parmelia-Orelia has a balanced workforce with significant representation from manufacturing and industrial sectors. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 14.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.8% over the past year.

The area has 5,704 residents in work, but its unemployment rate is 10.3% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation lags at 58.1% compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries of employment are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Manufacturing shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 3.4%, compared to the regional average of 8.2%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. From September 2024 to September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.8% and labour force increased by 4.4%, raising the unemployment rate by 2.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.9%. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows 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%, and lagging national employment growth of 0.14%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Parmelia-Orelia's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.3% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Parmelia - Orelia SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $55,729 and an average income of $65,010. These figures align with national averages, which were $58,380 and $78,020 respectively for Greater Perth. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, estimated median and average incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $63,643 and $74,241 respectively. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes in Parmelia - Orelia fall between the 16th and 19th percentiles nationally. Income distribution data shows 31.8% of the population (4,045 individuals) earn within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to regional levels at 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 19th percentile nationally.

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

In Parmelia-Orelia, as per the latest Census, 89.4% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 10.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments and other types. This compares to Perth metro's 93.0% houses and 7.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parmelia-Orelia stood at 23.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.4% and rented ones at 31.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,333, below Perth metro's average of $1,724. Median weekly rent in Parmelia-Orelia was $270, lower than Perth metro's $315 and the national average of $375. Nationally, Parmelia-Orelia's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863.

Parmelia - Orelia features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 66.6% of all households, including 26.0% couples with children, 21.6% couples without children, and 17.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.4%, with lone person households at 30.0% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.5%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.6% and certificates at 32.0%. Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.6% in primary, 8.7% in secondary, and 3.1% in tertiary education.

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

Parmelia-Orelia has 116 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 11 routes that facilitate 1,805 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 163 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 257 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Parmelia-Orelia faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data.

Both younger and older age groups have a notable prevalence of common health conditions. The area has a private health cover rate of approximately 52%, which is higher than the average SA2 area but lower than the Greater Perth average. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 10.4% and 9.0% of residents respectively. However, 64.1% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 71.4% in Greater Perth. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 15.2% (1,927 people), compared to the 10.4% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges similar to those faced by the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Parmelia - Orelia was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Parmelia-Orelia has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 16.8% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 33.1% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Parmelia-Orelia, comprising 41.6% of its population. Islam is slightly overrepresented in Parmelia-Orelia compared to Greater Perth, with 1.7% versus 1.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (29.7%), Australian (24.4%), and Other (8.5%). Notable differences exist for Maori (2.4% vs 2.1%), Filipino (4.5% vs 5.3%), and New Zealand (1.1% vs 1.1%) groups.

Parmelia - Orelia's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Parmelia-Orelia has a median age of 37, matching Greater Perth's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38. The 15-24 age group constitutes 14.2% of Parmelia-Orelia's population, higher than Greater Perth's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort makes up 13.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.9% to 14.2%, while the 35-44 cohort has decreased from 14.6% to 13.6%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Parmelia-Orelia's age structure. Notably, the 75-84 group is projected to grow by 64%, reaching 1,062 from 648. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 58% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.