Western Australia’s population is surging, but there’s one local government area where the population is booming at an even faster rate – the City of Perth.
The City’s population has grown almost 7.5 per cent in just one year, that’s double the rate of population growth being experienced by the Greater Perth area.
In real numbers, that’s an additional 2,276 people, living across central suburbs like Perth, East Perth, West Perth and Northbridge.
Four-time winner of the REIWA Residential Salesperson Of The Year Award, Brendon Habak, says the residential influx to city suburbs just keeps coming, and it’s been driven by young people and families who want to live in a convenient location.
“Proximity to work, proximity to exciting lifestyle attractions, proximity to restaurants, cafes and transport are all important to buyers,” Mr Habak said.
Mr Habak says he’s noticed more families are opting for apartment living, thanks to award-winning green spaces like the redeveloped Wellington Square / Moort-ak Waadiny and Kings Park.
“With Wellington Square, there’s so much to do for the kids, for both the younger kids four, five-years-old to the teens. So that’s a huge factor for East Perth buyers.
“It’s the same deal for West Perth buyers with Kings Park. You’ve got bush trails, you’ve got the parks for the kids, you’ve got the cafes and you can spend time with them without having to pay a whopping amount to go and drive somewhere and pay for entry to keep them entertained.”
The City of Perth is home to 140 hectares of parkland, scattered throughout the City’s six neighbourhoods.
Teamed with the iconic Swan River waterfront, the City of Perth stands out as a location where you can enjoy the best of both worlds – the social benefits of living in close proximity to work, restaurants and shops, and the health benefits of living near quality open space.
Fellow REIWA Accredited real estate agent Brendan Smith said he noticed a lot of retirees were opting to downsize with luxury apartments in the city, while younger people were being drawn to live there due to its increased vibrancy.
“There's a lot of city-based events as well now, in spaces like Langley Park and Wellington Square, so that's bringing people into the city that might not necessarily know the city and realise that it's got a vibrancy to it,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith also said the easy access to transport options, both public and private, was extremely desirable to buyers.
According to a study by the World Economic Forum, living in a densely populated area or city can actually make you happier and healthier.
The study found city-dwellers had lower rates of obesity and tended to socialise more.
And it’s the social aspect of the city that’s going to boom when Edith Cowan University opens its city campus in 2026.
City of Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas said the City is expecting the residential population to explode to 55,000 people by 2036, from 30,000 currently.
“People attract people, and with more and more people already choosing to call our wonderful city home, it’s only natural more people will follow,” Mr Zempilas said.
“We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to ensure we’re doing all we can to support this residential growth.
“Until 30 June 2030, buyers of new properties can access an enticing 50 per cent reimbursement on residential rates across three consecutive years, which is an estimated annual saving of nearly $1,000.
“We’re also turbo-charging development by waiving all City fees for relevant new residential development applications, as well as the City’s fee component for Building and Occupancy permits.”
Information on the roll-out of the city living initiatives is available here.
767bbbc6-4993-4f16-8933-e9b2baaac7a0.tmb-rcarousel.jpg?sfvrsn=8cf14270_1)
