Perth (North) - Highgate
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Perth (North) - Highgate's population was approximately 13,413 as of November 2025. Between the 2021 Census and this date, the population increased by 1,999 people, a growth rate of 17.5%. The ABS estimated resident population in June 2024 was 13,406, with an additional 127 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density of 4,531 persons per square kilometer, placing Highgate in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate exceeded both the national average (8.9%) and state averages, making it a notable growth leader. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 91.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch employs the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). According to these projections, Highgate is forecasted to experience significant population growth, with an increase of 3,658 persons expected by 2041. This would result in a total growth rate of 27.2% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Perth (North) - Highgate was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Perth (North) - Highgate has seen approximately 51 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 259 homes were approved, with another 67 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 5.9 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during this period.

This suggests that supply is lagging behind demand, which typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost value of new properties is around $547,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, approximately $60.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Perth, Highgate has about half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person.

However, it ranks among the 77th percentile of areas assessed nationally for development activity. Recent construction comprises 10% detached dwellings and 90% townhouses or apartments, indicating a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The area has approximately 628 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. Population forecasts project Highgate will gain around 3,651 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Perth (North) - Highgate has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 55 projects that may impact the area. Key projects include Perth Girls School Redevelopment, Swan River Causeway Bridge, Perth City Link Redevelopment, and METRONET. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Perth (North) - Highgate shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Perth (North) - Highgate has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 5.1%.

As of June 2025, 9,290 residents are employed, which is 1.2% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is high at 73.0%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.9 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food services. Construction employment is lower than the regional average at 5.2% compared to 9.3%.

The worker-to-resident ratio of 0.9 indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.4%, while employment declined by 3.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 3.7% and labour force growth of 3.8%, with a slight increase in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Highgate's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Perth (North) - Highgate had a median taxpayer income of $57,870 and an average income of $83,495 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. These figures are high compared to Greater Perth's median income of $58,380 and average income of $78,020. Based on a 14.2% increase in wages since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $66,088 (median) and $95,351 (average). According to census data, individual earnings rank at the 89th percentile nationally ($1,156 weekly), but household income ranks lower at the 59th percentile. The largest income bracket comprises 34.3% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (4,600 residents). This is similar to the surrounding region where 32.0% fall into this bracket. Housing costs consume 17.7% of income in Highgate. Despite high earnings, disposable income ranks at the 57th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Perth (North) - Highgate features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Perth (North) - Highgate, as per the latest Census, houses constituted 19.1% of dwellings while other types such as semi-detached, apartments, and 'other' dwellings made up 81.0%. In contrast, Perth metropolitan area had 37.1% houses and 62.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highgate was at 15.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.4% and rented ones at 60.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,900, lower than Perth metro's $2,167. Weekly rent median stood at $380 compared to Perth metro's $390. Nationally, Highgate's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,900 against Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $380 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 46.8% of all households, including 11.7% couples with children, 29.2% couples without children, and 4.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 53.2%, with lone person households at 41.9% and group households comprising 11.3%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.1.

Perth (North) - Highgate demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Perth (North) - Highgate has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above. As of the latest data, 52.1% hold university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the broader benchmarks of 27.9% in Western Australia and 30.1% in Greater Perth. This substantial advantage is driven by a high proportion of residents with bachelor degrees (33.9%), postgraduate qualifications (13.8%), and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 25.8% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.5%) and certificates (14.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.5% in tertiary education, 5.0% in primary education, and 2.3% pursuing secondary education. The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,163 students as of the latest count. Highgate demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1122. Education provision is balanced, with two primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents (8.7) are below the regional average (17.2), indicating that some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Perth (North) - Highgate has 51 active public transport stops. These are served by buses on 38 different routes, offering a total of 6,527 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents located an average of 148 meters from the nearest stop.

Services run approximately 932 times daily across all routes, equating to about 127 weekly trips per individual stop.

Perth (North) - Highgate's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Perth (North) - Highgate has excellent health outcomes, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is notably high at approximately 61% of the total population (8,222 people), compared to 69.8% in Greater Perth and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 10.5% and 6.8% of residents respectively.

A significant majority, 75.1%, report being free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the 74.5% across Greater Perth. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 9.9% (1,322 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Perth. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong and largely align with those of the general population.

Perth (North) - Highgate is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Perth (North) - Highgate has a high level of cultural diversity, with 29.0% of its population speaking a language other than English at home. Born overseas, 44.6% of the population resides in Perth (North) - Highgate. Christianity is the main religion in this area, comprising 31.0%.

However, Judaism is overrepresented, making up 0.7%, compared to 0.6% across Greater Perth. The top three ancestry groups are English at 23.3%, Australian at 15.9%, and Other at 13.3%. Notably, French (0.9%) Spanish (0.8%), and Korean (1.0%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8%, 0.6%, and 0.6% respectively.

Perth (North) - Highgate's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Perth (North) - Highgate has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Perth's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, it has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 at 33.7%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 5.3%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the proportion of residents aged 45-54 has decreased from 10.3% to 9.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Perth (North) - Highgate. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow by 22%, adding 996 residents to reach a total of 5,511. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 age cohort is expected to grow by a modest 8%, an increase of 59 people.