Capital City · Area profile
Greater Perth
6,417 km²
A far higher proportion of people were born overseas in Greater Perth than in most other Australian areas. This sprawling capital is a diverse hub where 36% of residents were born abroad, well above the national figure. The community is relatively young, with the typical resident aged 37, and families are often large. Since 2016, the population has grown by nearly 9%, adding about 172,789 people to the region.
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The typical resident is 37, making the area a little younger than both the state and the nation. Children under 15 make up 19% of the population, which is much higher than in most similar areas.
This is a highly international community, with 36% of people born overseas, which is well above the national figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
About 21% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure much higher than most similar areas. English remains the main language for 74% of the population.
People with no religion make up 42.2% of the community, which is well above the national figure. This group has grown by 9.6 percentage points since 2016.
The area is well-qualified, with 26.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is much higher than most similar areas, and Year 12 completion has risen to 61.8% since 2016.
Incomes are generally strong; the typical family earns $2,259 a week, which is higher than the national figure. About 24.3% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, up 6.3 percentage points since 2016.
Health figures are around the middle for similar areas, with 26% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health is the most reported long-term condition at 8.4%.
Unpaid care is common here, with 29.1% of people caring for children, which is among the highest rates for similar areas. About 15.1% of the population are volunteers.
First Nations people make up a small part of the population, but their typical personal income of $601 is higher than the state and national figures. Year 12 completion is also well above the state average at 39.7%.
Homes tend to be larger than average, with 2.6 people per home. Most households are couples with children, accounting for 60% of the community.
Large homes are very common, with 82.4% of dwellings having three or more bedrooms, well above the national figure. The typical monthly mortgage payment is $1,907, which is much higher than most similar areas.
Public transport use is higher than in most areas, with 5.2% of people using it to commute. The region has one of the highest rates of public transport departures per 1,000 people in the state.
The area is relatively stable, with 39.3% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas fell to 10.5% by 2021, down 8.1 percentage points from 2016.
Job activity is high, with 65.2% of adults working or looking for work, which is well above the national figure. Health care and social assistance is the most common industry.
The region is growing rapidly, with a population increase of 11.9% since 2021, which is among the highest for its level.
The climate is milder than the rest of the state, with an average maximum temperature of 25.0 degrees. Annual rainfall is also far above the state average.
The area is very walkable, with 93.1% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. This is far above the state figure of 80.9%.