Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands

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

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands' population is 16,521 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,477 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,044. The change was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 16,459 in June 2024 and an additional 60 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,060 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 9.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 91.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 using a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth post-2032, 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). Population projections indicate an above median growth for statistical areas across the nation, with the area expected to increase by 2,325 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 13.7% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands averaged approximately 57 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 289 homes approved during this period. In the current financial year FY26, 15 dwellings have been approved so far. The area has seen an average of 4.4 new residents per dwelling constructed annually over the past five financial years.

This significant demand outpaces new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. Developers target the premium market segment, with new dwellings valued at an average of $567,000. In FY26, there have been $12.9 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development compared to Greater Perth.

Relative to national averages, Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands ranks in the 57th percentile for new development and has 16.0% less new development per person than the Greater Perth area. Recent construction comprises 88.0% detached dwellings and 12.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. This trend favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (70.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. With around 267 people per dwelling approval, the developing market shows a population of approximately 38,415 residents as of FY26. Looking ahead, Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands is projected to grow by 2,263 residents through to 2041, with development keeping pace with this projected growth despite potential increasing competition among buyers as the population expands.

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 24 projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include Glendalough Green, Bold Park Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Floreat Beach Masterplan, and Wembley Downs Local Centre Precinct Structure Plan. The following list details those 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.

Employment conditions in Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 1.2% as of September 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.9%. In September 2025, 9,132 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.7%, below Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.

The area shows strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, manufacturing has lower representation at 2.9% compared to the regional average of 5.5%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.9%, while labour force increased by 3.6%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.9% during this period. State-level data from 25-Nov shows WA employment contracted by 0.27%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.6%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to the local employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simple 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

The Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands SA2 had an extremely high national income level according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers was $67,601 and the average income stood at $92,053, compared to Greater Perth's figures of $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2%, current estimates would be approximately $77,200 (median) and $105,125 (average). Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands, between the 77th and 86th percentiles nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 30.4% earning $4000+ weekly (5,022 residents), differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 32.0%. The district demonstrates considerable affluence with 42.0% earning over $3,000 per week. After housing costs, residents retain 86.9% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.6% houses and 30.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Perth metro had 59.6% houses and 40.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands stood at 43.4%, with the rest being mortgaged (37.3%) or rented (19.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,669, higher than Perth metro's average of $1,950. Median weekly rent in the area was recorded at $420, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,669 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.1% of all households, including 40.0% couples with children, 24.9% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.9%, with lone person households at 22.5% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.4.

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 50.4% hold university qualifications, compared to 27.9% in WA and 29.0% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 32.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.6%) and graduate diplomas (5.2%). Vocational pathways account for 22.3% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 11.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (11.1%), primary education (10.3%), and tertiary education (6.8%).

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

Public transport analysis shows 79 active transport stops operating in Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands. These are served by buses on 19 individual routes, providing a total of 2,807 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 183 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 401 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 35 weekly trips per individual stop.

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance across Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (11,085 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Perth and 55.3% nationally. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.6 and 6.0% of residents respectively, while 74.0% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.0% in Greater Perth.

As of the latest data (2021), 20.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,373 people), higher than the 18.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors align broadly with those of the general population.

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands 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

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 20.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 35.3% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands, comprising 49.5% of the population. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 1.4% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (26.6%), Australian (21.9%), and Other (8.8%), which was lower than the regional average of 13.8%. Notably, South African ethnicity was overrepresented at 1.6%, compared to 1.0% regionally, while Croatian was at 0.9% (vs 1.1%) and French at 0.7% (vs 0.6%).

Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age group constitutes 14.8% of the population, compared to Greater Perth, while the 25-34 age group makes up 8.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15-24 age group has increased from 13.1% to 14.6%, and the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 15.2% to 13.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 125%, reaching 1,473 people from 655. The combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 61% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.