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 around 20,140 as of August 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,588 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 17,552 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,052 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 152 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,052 persons per square kilometer, placing Scarborough in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Scarborough's growth rate of 14.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.6%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration which contributed approximately 74.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 post-2032 estimates, AreaSearch utilises 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 the area, with an expected increase of 2,815 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 13.5% over the 17 years.

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 per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25536 dwellings were approved in Scarborough. As of FY26, 11 dwellings have been approved so far.

On average, over these five years, approximately five new residents arrived per dwelling constructed. This leads to a significant gap between demand and supply, typically resulting in price growth and increased buyer competition. The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings in Scarborough is $617,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY26, there have been $4.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature.

Compared to Greater Perth, Scarborough has slightly more development activity, at 33.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY21 to FY25. This balance supports both buyer choice and current property values. The new building activity in Scarborough shows a trend towards denser development, with 73.0% medium and high-density housing approvals compared to 27.0% detached dwellings. This trend provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 368 people per dwelling approval, Scarborough indicates a developed market. Future projections suggest that Scarborough will add approximately 2,727 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good 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 22 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are White Sands Development, Iconic Scarborough, The Dunes Beachfront Residences, and Myka Residences. Below is a list of the most relevant projects.

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

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

Scarborough has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.8%, lower than Greater Perth's 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.4%. As of June 2025, there are 13,495 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0% and workforce participation at 73.1%, higher than Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and mining. Mining shows strong specialization, with employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while retail trade has lower representation at 6.3% compared to the regional average of 9.3%.

The area's predominantly residential nature suggests limited local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, labour force grew by 4.0%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment grow by 3.7% and labour force by 3.8%, with a slight rise in unemployment to 3.9%. As of Sep-25, WA's employment contracted by 0.82%, losing 14,590 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5% and employment grew by 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Scarborough's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2022 shows Scarborough's median income at $68,935 and average income at $93,878, placing it in the top percentile nationally. This contrasts with Greater Perth's median income of $58,380 and average income of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 are approximately $76,938 (median) and $104,777 (average). Census 2021 data reveals individual earnings in Scarborough at the 93rd percentile nationally ($1,232 weekly). The predominant income cohort spans 31.5% of locals earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. This mirrors the surrounding region where 32.0% of individuals fall into this bracket. High weekly earnings exceeding $3,000 are achieved by 32.5% of households, indicating strong consumer spending power despite high housing costs consuming 16.1% of income. Disposable income stands at the 73rd percentile nationally, with Scarborough's SEIFA income ranking placing it in the 8th decile.

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

In Scarborough, as per the latest Census, houses constituted 36.2% of dwellings while other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others made up 63.8%. This is in contrast to Perth metro's dwelling structure which comprised 59.6% houses and 40.4% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Scarborough was 24.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.6% and rented ones at 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,154, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,950. The median weekly rent figure for Scarborough was recorded at $405, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Scarborough's median monthly mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than 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 percent of all households, including 21.0 percent couples with children, 27.2 percent couples without children, and 8.8 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 41.9 percent, with lone person households at 34.5 percent and group households making up 7.4 percent of the total. 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 benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 44.7% hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in 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 significant, with 31.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas (12.0%) and certificates (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 and demonstrate significant socio-educational advantages (ICSEA: 1104). Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available nearby due to limited local school capacity (2.3 places per 100 residents versus the regional average of 14.5), leading many families to travel for schooling.

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 services. There are five different routes operating in total, serving 1,324 weekly passenger trips combined. The average distance residents live from the nearest transport stop is 163 meters.

Each route provides an average of 189 trips per day, resulting in 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's health outcomes show remarkable results across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (13,735 people), compared to Greater Perth's 59.9%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions in Scarborough, affecting 7.7% and 6.6% of residents respectively. A total of 75.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Perth's 73.0%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.9% (2,805 people), compared to Greater Perth's 18.3%. Health outcomes among seniors in Scarborough are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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 includes 14.0% who speak a language other than English at home, compared to the majority of local markets. Born overseas, 33.7% of Scarborough residents were born outside Australia. Christianity is the predominant religion in Scarborough, with 39.8% adherents, while Judaism represents 0.3%, higher than Greater Perth's 1.4%.

English ancestry leads at 29.7%, above the regional average of 23.5%. Australian and Irish ancestries follow at 21.7% and 9.6% respectively. Notably, French ancestry is overrepresented in Scarborough at 1.0%, compared to the regional 0.6%. Welsh (0.9%) and South African (1.1%) ancestries also have higher representation than the region's averages of 0.6% each.

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. This is slightly below Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Perth, Scarborough has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (21.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.2%). The 25-34 concentration in Scarborough is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has increased from 17.7% to 18.6%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 23.9% to 21.7%. By 2041, Scarborough's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 88%, adding 866 residents and reaching a total of 1,847. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 60% of population growth, reflecting broader demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are projected to experience population declines.