Region (SA4) · Area profile
Perth - South East
2,024 km²
Daily life in Perth - South East revolves around family and a high level of amenity, as a large number of residents live within a short walk of parks, shops and health services. This is one of the state's largest areas, having grown by 22% since 2011 to reach over 529,000 people. It is a diverse, relatively young community where nearly 40% of residents were born overseas. The area is defined by a blend of high educational attainment and a strong presence of families with children.
Rapid population growth here is outstripping school provision.
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The area is notably young, with a typical resident aged 36 and a much higher proportion of children under 15 compared to most other areas. While the population has grown significantly, the proportion of people aged 65 and over is a little below the national figure.
Cultural diversity is high here, with 39.5% of people born overseas, a figure far above the Australian average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Chinese, Scottish and Irish.
A high number of residents use a language other than English at home, which rose to 28.3% by 2021. This is well above the national figure, with Mandarin, Punjabi and Cantonese being the most common non-English languages.
People with no religion make up 38.6% of the community, a figure that has risen 14 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 39.1%, followed by Islam and Hinduism.
Residents are generally well qualified, with 61.4% completing Year 12 and 26% holding a bachelor degree or higher. Both figures are above the national average, and the proportion of degree holders has risen 7.7 points since 2011.
Typical incomes are higher than in most other areas, with the usual family earning $2,139 a week. Higher earners are also more common here, as the share of households earning over $3,000 a week rose 10 points since 2011.
The community is generally healthy, with lower rates of long-term health conditions and mental health conditions than the national average. Those needing help with daily activities are also much less common here than in most other areas.
Unpaid care for children is much more common here than in most areas. However, the proportion of people doing significant unpaid housework is a little below the national figure.
There are 12,162 First Nations people in the area, and a much higher proportion speak a First Nations language than in most other areas. Unemployment is notably high for this group at 16.9%.
Families with children are the norm, making up 61.3% of households. This helps explain why there are more people per home here than in most other areas.
Homes here tend to be large, with 84.4% having three or more bedrooms, which is far above the national figure. However, fewer people own their homes outright compared to most other areas.
Public transport use is much higher than in most areas, supported by a very high number of stops and routes. Despite this, 64.3% of people still drive to work.
About 39.4% of residents moved in the last five years, which is around the middle for its level. The number of recent overseas arrivals fell 12 points since 2011.
The workforce is active, with a higher proportion of adults working or looking for work than in most areas. Health care and social assistance is the most common industry for employees.
The area continues to grow rapidly, with a population increase of 11.4% since 2021, which is much higher than most similar areas.
The area is much cooler and wetter than the Western Australian average, with an average annual rainfall of 904mm and a typical maximum temperature of 23.7 degrees.
The area is very walkable, with 92.2% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Most residents can also reach parks, schools and groceries within 15 minutes on foot.