WESTERN AUSTRALIA

STATE SUMMARY

At June 2015, the estimated resident population of Western Australia (WA) was 2.59 million people, which represented 11% of the total Australian population. WA's population increased by 1.3% (33,200 people) between 2014 and 2015. This was just under the national growth rate of 1.4%.

POPULATION CHANGE IN GREATER PERTH

At June 2015, the population of Greater Perth was 2.04 million people, which was 79% of the state's total population. Between 2014 and 2015, Greater Perth increased by 1.6% (31,100 people).

The largest population growth in WA occurred in the outer suburban areas of Greater Perth. The south-west SA2 of Baldivis had the largest increase, up by 2,800 people. Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters in the south-east and Ellenbrook in the north-east had the next largest increases, up by 2,600 and 2,400 people respectively. Yanchep and Byford had the next largest increases with 1,700 people and 1,500 people respectively.

North Coogee was the fastest-growing SA2 in Greater Perth, increasing by 23% to reach 1,700 people. Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters was the next fastest-growing SA2, increasing by 20% to reach 15,600 people. These were followed by Yanchep, Byford and Baldivis, all outer suburban areas. These SA2s all had increases above 10%.

SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH(a), Western Australia
	ERP at 30 June	Population Change
	2015p	2014r-2015p
SA2	no.	no.	%
LARGEST GROWTH
Baldivis	29 400	2 800	10.7
Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters	15 600	2 600	20.0
Ellenbrook	34 100	2 400	7.6
Yanchep	13 600	1 700	14.1
Byford	13 400	1 500	12.5
FASTEST GROWTH
North Coogee	1 700	320	22.9
Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters	15 600	2 600	20.0
Yanchep	13 600	1 700	14.1
Byford	13 400	1 500	12.5
Baldivis	29 400	2 800	10.7
(a) All population figures presented in this table are rounded. Estimates of population change are based on unrounded numbers.

POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Population growth

Between 2014 and 2015, the rest of WA grew by 2,100 people (0.4%) to reach 551,100.

Outside of Greater Perth, the SA3s with both the largest and fastest increases were Bunbury (up by 1,700 people or 1.6%) and Augusta - Margaret River - Busselton (1,300 or 2.6%) in the state's south-west.

Of those SA2s outside Greater Perth, Busselton, Australind - Leschenault and Busselton Region all in the south-west of the state had the largest growth, increasing by 620 people, 610 people and 380 people respectively.

The fastest-growing SA2s were Busselton Region (3.8%), Australind - Leschenault (3.5%) and Margaret River (2.8%), all located in the state's south-west.


Population decline

Population declined in over half of SA3s in the rest of WA. The largest declines were Goldfields (down by 570 people or 1.3%), Pilbara (down by 450 or 0.7%) and Wheat Belt - North (down by 250 or 0.4%).

Population declined in almost half of SA2s in the rest of WA. The largest declines were in Newman (down by 410 people), Leinster - Leonora (down by 300 people), Meekatharra (down by 200 people), East Pilbara (down by 190 people) and Derby - West Kimberley (down by 150 people).




POPULATION DENSITY

WA's population density at June 2015 was 1.0 person per square kilometre (sq km). This was the second lowest of all the states and territories after the Northern Territory (0.2 people per sq km), and compares with 3.1 people per sq km for Australia as a whole.

Greater Perth had a population density of 320 people per sq km, while the rest of WA had 0.2 people per sq km. In the year to 2015, the density of Greater Perth increased by 4.8 people per sq km.

The SA2s with the highest population densities in Greater Perth were the north-west areas of Tuart Hill - Joondanna (3,600 people per sq km), Scarborough (3,400) and Innaloo - Doubleview (3,200), and North Perth (3,200) which adjoins the central business district. Nollamara - Westminster and Mount Hawthorn - Leederville also had densities of more than 3,000 people per sq km.

The SA2s with the largest increases in population density between 2014 and 2015 were in Greater Perth. North Coogee in the south-west increased by 110 people per sq km and Bertram - Wellard (West) increased by 80 people per square km.

CENTRE OF POPULATION

At June 2015, the centre of population for WA was in Moondyne Nature Reserve, around 20 km west of the town of Toodyay. In the ten years to 2015, the centre moved around 4.5 kilometres south-west, reflecting strong population growth in Greater Perth.

The centre of population for Greater Perth at June 2015 was in the suburb of Como, on the southern bank of the Swan River.