Region (SA4) · Area profile
Perth - South West
621 km²
A total population of 443,407 makes Perth - South West one of the largest areas of its kind, having grown 26% since 2011. This is a relatively young and affluent community where nearly 20% of residents are children. High typical incomes and a well-qualified workforce define the area, with many families living in large, detached houses. It is a diverse hub where about one third of the people were born overseas and nearly 46% of residents now report having no religion.
An affluent area whose schools serve an equally well-off community.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
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The area is younger than most similar places, with a typical age of 38. Children under 15 make up 19.6% of the population, which is much higher than most areas.
People born overseas make up 32.6% of the community, a figure well above the national average of 27.7%. English, Australian, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.
About 16.3% of residents use a language other than English at home, which is higher than most similar areas. This has risen by 2.7 percentage points since 2011.
The community is notably secular, with 45.8% of people reporting no religion. This is well above the national figure of 38.9% and has risen by 19 points since 2011.
Education levels are high, with 25% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Since 2011, the share of people who completed Year 12 has risen by 9.2 points to 60%.
Incomes are strong here; the typical weekly family income is $2,298, which is much higher than most similar areas. Those earning $2,000 or more a week make up 15.7% of the population.
The community is slightly healthier than average, with 4.8% of people needing help with daily activities, which is lower than most areas.
Unpaid care for children is very common here, with 30.5% of people providing this support. Additionally, 4% of residents have served in the Defence Force, a rate much higher than most areas.
First Nations residents have a typical personal income of $618, which is well above the state figure. However, the unemployment rate for this group is 14.9%, which is much higher than most areas.
Families tend to be larger than usual, with 2.6 people per home. Most households consist of couples with children, who make up 60.1% of all families.
Homes here are typically large, with 84.5% having three or more bedrooms. Detached houses are common (81.9%), and renting is less frequent than in most other areas.
Public transport use is higher than in most areas, and there are more transport stops per person than usual. However, very few people work from home (7.5%), far below the national figure.
About 39.2% of the population moved house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 7.8% of the community, which is much lower than most similar areas.
Employment is high, with 65.2% of adults working or looking for work. Health care, social assistance, and education are the most common industries.
The area continues to grow rapidly, with a population increase of 13.2% since 2021, which is among the highest at this level.
The climate is milder than the state average, with a typical maximum temperature of 24.2 degrees. Annual rainfall is 693mm, which is far above the state figure.
The area is quite walkable, with 91.9% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Most residents can also reach a park or school within 15 minutes on foot.