Scarborough
Statistical Area - sa2

Scarborough lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Scarborough's population is approximately 20,129 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 2,577 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,552. The growth was inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,052 in June 2024 and an additional 147 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,050 persons per square kilometer, placing Scarborough in the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 14.7% since the 2021 census exceeds the national average of 8.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving Scarborough's primary population growth.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 post-2032 growth, 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 trends project an above median growth for Scarborough's statistical areas, with an expected increase of 2,815 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 13.6% over the 17-year period.

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

Scarborough averaged approximately 107 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 536 homes approved during this period. In FY26 up to present, there have been 105 dwelling approvals. On average, each newly constructed dwelling has attracted around 5 new residents per year over the past five financial years.

This demand significantly exceeds new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average expected construction cost value of these dwellings is $469,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In terms of commercial development, there have been $4.8 million in approvals this financial year, reflecting Scarborough's primarily residential nature. Comparatively, Scarborough has slightly more development activity than Greater Perth, being 33.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period.

This balance supports buyer choice while maintaining current property values. The new building activity shows a trend towards denser development, with 27.0% detached dwellings and 73.0% medium to high-density housing. This shift caters to accessible entry options, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With approximately 368 people per dwelling approval, Scarborough indicates a developed market. Future projections estimate Scarborough will add around 2,738 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Scarborough has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 21 projects that could affect the area. Notable ones are White Sands Development, The Dunes Beachfront Residences, Iconic Scarborough, and Myka Residences. For details on the most relevant projects, see below list.

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.

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

Scarborough has a highly educated workforce with key services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 1.8% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 4.4%.

As of June 2025, 13,495 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.0% lower than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is high at 73.1%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Major employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and mining. Mining shows strong specialization with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while retail trade has lower representation at 6.3% versus the regional average of 9.3%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population count compared to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, labour force grew by 4.0%, and unemployment decreased by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth had employment growth of 3.7% and labour force growth of 3.8%, with a slight unemployment rate increase of 0.1 percentage point. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth varies significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Scarborough's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Scarborough has one of the highest incomes nationally, with a median assessed at $68,935 and an average income of $93,878. This is higher than Greater Perth's median income of $58,380 and average income of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $78,724 and the average income $107,209 by September 2025. Census 2021 data indicates individual earnings in Scarborough are at the 93rd percentile nationally, with a weekly income of $1,232. Income distribution shows that 31.5% of locals (6,340 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the surrounding region where 32.0% fall into this bracket. Economic strength is evident with 32.5% of households earning more than $3,000 weekly, supporting high consumer spending. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 73rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

As per the latest Scarborough Census evaluation, dwelling structures consisted of 36.2% houses and 63.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Perth metro's 59.6% houses and 40.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Scarborough stood at 24.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.6% and rented ones at 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,154, surpassing the Perth metro average of $1,950. Weekly rent median in Scarborough was recorded at $405, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Scarborough's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 58.1% of all households, including 21.0% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 41.9%, with lone person households at 34.5% and group households comprising 7.4%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.4.

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

Scarborough's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 44.7% have university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 29.0% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 31.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 31.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.0% and certificates for 19.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.6% in primary education, 7.2% in tertiary education, and 5.6% pursuing secondary education. Scarborough Primary School and St John's School serve a total of 468 students, with an ICSEA score of 1104 indicating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement. Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. School capacity is limited locally (2.3 places per 100 residents vs 14.5 regionally), leading many families to seek schooling in surrounding areas.

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

Scarborough has 60 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five different routes that together facilitate 1,324 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these services is rated as excellent, with residents on average being located just 163 meters away from the nearest stop.

Each route operates an average of 189 trips per day, which equates to approximately 22 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Scarborough shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The private health cover rate stands at approximately 68%, covering 13,727 people, which is higher than Greater Perth's 59.9% and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 7.7% of residents, while asthma impacts 6.6%.

A total of 75.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 73.0% in Greater Perth. Scarborough has 13.9% of its population aged 65 and over (2,803 people), lower than the 18.3% in Greater Perth. Senior health outcomes align with those of the general population.

Scarborough 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

Scarborough's population, as of 2016, showed high cultural diversity with 14.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 33.7% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 39.8%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to Greater Perth's 1.4%.

In terms of ancestry, Scarborough had higher percentages of English (29.7%), Australian (21.7%), and Irish (9.6%) than the regional averages of 23.5%, 20.8%, and 8.9% respectively. Some other ethnic groups were also notably overrepresented: French at 1.0% compared to 0.6%, Welsh at 0.9% versus 0.6%, and South African at 1.1% against 1.0%.

Scarborough's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Scarborough's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Perth's average of 37 years, which is slightly below the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Scarborough has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (21.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the percentage of residents aged 35-44 has increased from 17.7% to 18.6%, while the percentage of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 23.9% to 21.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Scarborough's age profile. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 88%, adding 866 residents to reach a total of 1,847. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 60% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.