South Lake - Cockburn Central
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in South Lake - Cockburn Central reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

South Lake - Cockburn Central's population was 12,902 as of Aug 2025. This reflected a growth of 1,179 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,723. The increase was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 12,878 in June 2024 and an additional 113 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 1,449 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 10.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 64.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 used growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Projecting demographic trends, an above median population growth is expected for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. The area is projected to increase by 2,344 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with a total increase of 18.0% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions South Lake - Cockburn Central among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

South Lake - Cockburn Central has seen approximately 66 new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the ABS is on a financial year basis, totaling 332 approvals between FY-21 and FY-25, with 55 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, 2.7 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years. The average construction cost value of new homes is $347,000.

Commercial development approvals recorded this financial year amount to $54.2 million. Compared to Greater Perth, South Lake - Cockburn Central has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 79th percentile nationally for areas assessed. New building activity shows a shift from predominantly detached houses (currently 79.0%) to an increasing blend of attached housing types, with 56.0% detached houses and 44.0% townhouses or apartments. This change reflects diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

With around 197 people per dwelling approval, South Lake - Cockburn Central exhibits characteristics of a growth area, projected to add 2,320 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

South Lake - Cockburn Central has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 26 projects likely impacting the region. Notable projects include Glen Iris Local Shopping Centre (Glen Iris Estate), Stockland Bull Creek Shopping Centre upgrade, Aboriginal Cultural and Visitors Centre Bibra Lake, and Cockburn Central Station upgrade. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in South Lake - Cockburn Central remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

South Lake - Cockburn Central has an unemployment rate of 5.3% as of June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 4.2% over the past year. There are 7,668 residents in work, with an unemployment rate that is 1.4% higher than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation is similar to Greater Perth's rate of 65.2%. The leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Manufacturing shows strong specialization in the area with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level, while mining has lower representation at 5.8% compared to the regional average of 7.0%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 4.2%, while labour force increased by 5.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.5 percentage points.

Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 3.7% over the same period. As of Sep-25, WA's employment contracted by 0.82%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Lake - Cockburn Central's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows South Lake - Cockburn Central has high incomes nationally. The median income is $60,148 and the average is $73,123. In comparison, Greater Perth has a median income of $58,380 and an average of $78,020. By March 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $67,131 and the average will be around $81,613, based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census indicates South Lake - Cockburn Central's incomes cluster around the 52nd percentile nationally, with the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominating at 35.4%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 49th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

South Lake - Cockburn Central is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In South Lake - Cockburn Central, evaluated in the 2016 Census, 78.6% of dwellings were houses, with 21.4% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Perth metro's 81.2% houses and 18.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Lake - Cockburn Central stood at 29.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.6% and rented dwellings at 28.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,680, below Perth metro's average of $1,950. Median weekly rent in the area was $360, compared to Perth metro's $370. Nationally, South Lake - Cockburn Central's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

South Lake - Cockburn Central features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.4% of all households, including 28.2% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.6%, with lone person households making up 27.2% and group households comprising 4.4%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational attainment in South Lake - Cockburn Central aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

University qualification levels in South Lake - Cockburn Central are 25.8%, slightly below the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.4% and certificates at 25.6%.

Educational participation is high at 27.0%, including 8.6% in primary, 6.5% in secondary, and 5.9% in tertiary education. South Lake - Cockburn Central has a network of 10 schools educating approximately 1,431 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1023) and balanced educational opportunities. The schools include 3 primary, 5 secondary, and 2 K-12 institutions. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Transport analysis shows 104 active transport stops operating within South Lake - Cockburn Central. These include a mix of train and bus services. Nineteen individual routes service these stops, collectively providing 3,887 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 197 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 555 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 37 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in South Lake - Cockburn Central are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

South Lake - Cockburn Central shows below-average health indicators, with common conditions affecting both younger and older residents.

Mental health issues are prevalent, impacting 9.0% of residents, followed by arthritis at 8.0%. Approximately 68.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.9% in Greater Perth. The area has a high rate of private health cover, with about 56% (7,225 people) covered. As of the latest data (20XX), 17.6% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,277 people), higher than Greater Perth's 14.8%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

South Lake - Cockburn Central 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

South Lake-Cockburn Central, surveyed between June 2016 and August 2019, had a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 20.7% of residents speaking languages other than English at home. Born overseas, 35.2% of the population resided there. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 44.4%.

Islam, however, was more prevalent here at 2.1%, compared to Greater Perth's 1.6%. The top three ancestry groups were English (26.9%), Australian (22.7%), and Other (11.6%). Notably, Croatian (1.0%) and South African (0.8%) groups were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.3% and 1.1%, respectively, while Serbian stood at 0.5%.

South Lake - Cockburn Central's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

South Lake - Cockburn Central's median age is 37, matching Greater Perth's figure and closely aligning with Australia's median age of 38. The age group of 25-34 is strongly represented at 15.9%, higher than Greater Perth's percentage, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 10.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.4% to 5.4% of the population, and the 35-44 cohort has risen from 13.2% to 14.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.9% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in South Lake - Cockburn Central's age structure. The 75-84 group is projected to grow by 97%, adding 677 people to reach 1,378 from the current 700. This aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 63% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 5-14 and 35-44 age groups are expected to experience population declines.