Scarborough

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

According to the analysis by AreaSearch, the population of Scarborough stands at approximately 20,521 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 2,969 individuals (16.9%) from the 17,552 residents recorded in the 2021 Census. This change is calculated using the ABS estimated resident population of 20,490 from June 2025 and 157 validated new addresses registered since the Census. This population level results in a density of 4,129 persons per square kilometer, placing the area in the highest 10% of national locations analyzed by AreaSearch and indicating strong demand for local land. The 16.9% population expansion in Scarborough since the 2021 census was higher than the national benchmark (9.3%) and the SA3 average, positioning the locality as a regional growth leader. The primary driver of this demographic expansion was overseas migration, which accounted for roughly 80.4% of the recent population growth.

For each SA2 locality, AreaSearch uses projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia published in 2024, utilizing 2022 as the baseline year. In instances where SA2 locations lack this data, and to project trends beyond 2032, AreaSearch applies growth rates by age cohort from the latest Greater Capital Region projections released by the ABS in 2023, which utilize 2022 statistics. Looking at future demographic trends, population growth is projected to exceed the national median, with the area expected to gain 2,501 people by 2041 based on the most recent annual ERP statistics, which represents a total increase of 12.0% over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Scarborough was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Scarborough has averaged approximately 107 residential building approvals annually, resulting in a total of 536 new homes over the last 5 financial years. In FY-26 to date, there have been 154 recorded approvals. With an average of 4.8 new residents per year arriving for each home built over the 5 financial years spanning FY-21 to FY-25, the local housing supply is lagging behind demand, a situation that typically intensifies buyer competition and exerts upward pressure on prices. The average value of these new builds is $469,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium, upscale segment of the market. Furthermore, commercial approvals totaling $4.8 million have been registered during this financial year, reflecting the predominantly residential character of the area.

In comparison to Greater Perth, Scarborough shows a higher rate of building activity, with approvals per capita tracking 31.0% above the regional average over the 5 year period, a level that offers options for buyers while sustaining established property values. Of the new construction activity, detached houses account for 27.0% and attached dwellings represent 73.0%. This preference for higher-density housing options offers affordable pathways to homeownership and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. With a ratio of approximately 376 people per residential approval, Scarborough presents a mature property market.

Based on the most recent quarterly estimates from AreaSearch, population projections suggest Scarborough will add 2,470 residents by 2041. With ongoing building activity, the supply of new housing is expected to satisfy demand, creating positive conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth that outpaces current predictions.

Scarborough has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 9thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major developments, and urban planning changes are key drivers of regional property market performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 20 projects that are expected to influence the local area. Prominent developments include The Dunes Beachfront Residences, Myka Residences, Iconic Scarborough, and the White Sands Development, with key details provided on the most significant local projects.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Scarborough performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

The local workforce in Scarborough is characterized by high levels of education and strong representation in key service sectors, alongside a low unemployment rate of 2.1% and an estimated employment growth of 3.7% over the preceding year. Statistics from March 2026 show 13,904 employed residents, with the local unemployment rate sitting 2.1% lower than the Greater Perth average of 4.2%. Participation in the labor force is exceptionally high at 80.9%, compared to 70.2% across Greater Perth. Census records indicate that a relatively low proportion of residents (10.7%) worked from home, though this data may reflect the influence of Covid-19 restrictions.

Local employment is predominantly focused in the sectors of health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and mining. The concentration of mining workers is particularly high, running at 1.4 times the average across the broader region. Conversely, the retail trade sector is less prominent, employing 6.3% of the workforce compared to 9.3% regionally. The count of the Census working population relative to the resident population suggests that this largely residential locality provides limited local job opportunities.

An analysis of SALM and ABS statistics by AreaSearch indicates that during the 12 months ending March 2026, employment grew by 3.7% and the labor force expanded by 3.8%, leading to a 0.2 percentage point rise in the unemployment rate. Over the same timeframe, Greater Perth experienced a 2.0% rise in employment and a 2.5% expansion of the labor force, with its unemployment rate rising by 0.4 percentage points. National employment projections from Jobs and Skills Australia released in May-25 offer additional context on future labor demand for Scarborough. These five and ten-year forecasts have been applied to the local workforce structure to model potential growth. Although overall national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rates of change vary significantly by sector. Applying these industry projections to the local employment structure suggests that Scarborough's employment base will expand by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a basic weighted extrapolation that does not incorporate local population forecasts.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to the latest postcode-level ATO data released by AreaSearch for financial year 2023, the median taxpayer income in the Scarborough SA2 is $70,950, and the average taxpayer income is $95,885. These figures are very high on a national scale, compared to a median of $60,748 and an average of $80,248 in Greater Perth. Adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 are approximately $78,705 for the median and $106,365 for the average. Census records show that individual weekly earnings are in the 92nd percentile nationally at $1,232. In terms of income brackets, 31.5% of the population (representing 6,464 individuals) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, which is consistent with the wider region where this group accounts for 32.0%. A notable 32.5% of residents earn more than $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperous households that support local business activity. Although residents face high housing costs that demand 16.1% of their income, strong earnings place disposable income at the 73rd percentile, and the area is positioned in the 8th decile of the SEIFA income index.

Scarborough displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

According to the latest Census, the housing stock in Scarborough consisted of 36.2% detached houses and 63.8% other dwelling types, such as townhouses and apartments. In contrast, the Perth metropolitan area recorded 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Homeownership rates in Scarborough lagged behind the Perth metropolitan average, standing at 24.1%, with the remaining properties occupied by residents with a mortgage (35.6%) or renters (40.3%). The median monthly mortgage payment of $2,154 was higher than the Perth metro average of $1,907, while the median weekly rent was $405, compared to $350 in the wider Perth area. Nationally, mortgage payments in Scarborough are higher than the Australian median of $1,863, and rents also exceed the national median of $375.

Scarborough features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Families make up the majority of households at 58.1%, consisting of couples with children at 21.0%, couples without children at 27.2%, and single-parent households at 8.8%. Non-family households account for the remaining 41.9%, which includes single-person households at 34.5% and group share houses at 7.4%. The median household size of 2.1 persons is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Scarborough places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Residents of Scarborough exhibit high levels of educational attainment, with 44.7% of those aged 15 and over holding a university degree, compared to 27.9% across Western Australia and 29.0% within the SA4 region. This high concentration of degrees prepares the local population for employment in knowledge-intensive industries. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher education qualification at 31.1%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 9.5% and graduate diplomas at 4.1%. Vocational and technical training is also common, with 31.2% of residents aged 15 and over possessing vocational qualifications, consisting of advanced diplomas (12.0%) and certificates (19.2%).

Participation in education is high, with 26.5% of the local population enrolled in a course of study. This group includes 7.6% attending primary school, 7.2% in higher education, and 5.6% enrolled in secondary school.

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

An analysis of public transport reveals 80 active transit stops located within Scarborough, consisting of bus services. These stops are served by 5 distinct routes that provide a total of 1,333 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is high, with residents living an average of 163 meters from the nearest stop. Due to the residential nature of the suburb, most working residents commute to other areas, with private vehicles remaining the primary mode of travel at 78%, followed by train travel at 10% and bus travel at 6%. The average number of vehicles per household is 1.2, which is lower than the regional average. A relatively low proportion of residents (10.7%) worked from home, according to the 2021 Census, which may have been influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all transit routes, service frequency averages 190 trips per day, which translates to approximately 16 weekly trips for each individual stop.

Scarborough's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes in Scarborough are very strong, with AreaSearch assessments indicating low rates of mortality and chronic disease across all age cohorts, alongside a high level of private health insurance coverage held by approximately 69% of the population (14,097 people). This compares to a private coverage rate of 59.0% in Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent health conditions recorded locally were mental health challenges and asthma, which affect 7.7% and 6.6% of residents, respectively. Meanwhile, 75.6% of the population reported no chronic health conditions, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Working-age residents display good health with low rates of chronic illness. Residents aged 65 and older make up 13.9% of the population (2,844 people), which is lower than the 16.1% average for Greater Perth. Seniors in the area enjoy strong health outcomes, with national rankings that align with the broader local population.

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

Scarborough shows higher cultural diversity than most local property markets, with 14.0% of residents speaking a non-English language at home and 33.7% of the population born outside Australia. Christianity is the most common religious affiliation, representing 39.8% of local residents. The most distinct religious overrepresentation in comparison to the wider region is Judaism, which accounts for 0.3% of the population, compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

Regarding family heritage and parental birthplace, the three most common ancestries in Scarborough are English at 29.7%, Australian at 21.7%, and Irish at 9.6%. There are also distinct concentrations of other heritage groups compared to the wider region: French ancestry accounts for 1.0% of Scarborough residents (compared to 0.5% regionally), Welsh ancestry is at 0.9% (compared to 0.7%), and South Australian ancestry stands at 1.1% (compared to 1.0%).

Scarborough's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Scarborough is 36 years, which is close to the Greater Perth median of 37 and slightly below the national median of 38. Compared to the wider Perth area, Scarborough has a larger share of residents aged 25 to 34 (22.0%) and a smaller share aged 15 to 24 (9.4%). The proportion of residents in the 25 to 34 age bracket is higher than the national average of 14.6%. Since the 2021 Census, the 35 to 44 age cohort has increased from 17.7% to 19.0% of the total population, while the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 23.9% to 22.0%. Demographic projections indicate that Scarborough's age distribution will change by 2041, with the 75 to 84 cohort expected to grow by 72%, adding 729 people to reach 1,747. Older residents aged 65 and over are projected to account for 55% of total population growth, reflecting broader aging trends, while the cohorts aged 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 are expected to decrease in size.