National Forecasting Program

Population and housing forecast for Perth – Inner

Our latest population and housing forecasts for Perth – Inner, which covers central Perth and the suburbs north of the Swan River and west to the Indian Ocean, from Mount Lawley and Leederville to Subiaco, Nedlands, Claremont and Cottesloe.

Region
Perth – Inner · SA4 503
Councils
Bayswater (part), Cambridge (part), Claremont, Cottesloe, Mosman Park, Nedlands, Peppermint Grove, Perth, Stirling (part), Subiaco, Vincent (part)
Built on
2025 national forecast (2021.2024.3)
Released
17/03/2026
Status
Current
Boundaries
ASGS 2021 Ed. 3
Horizon
2046
  • Perth
  • East Perth
  • West Perth
  • Northbridge
  • Mount Lawley
  • Leederville
  • Subiaco
  • Wembley
  • Nedlands
  • Claremont
  • Cottesloe
  • City Beach

Where this region sits

  1. Nation
    Australia
    +8.6m to 2046
    Population growth, 2021 to 2046
    2025 forecast
  2. State
    Western Australia
    +1.18m to 2046
    Population growth, 2021 to 2046
    2025 forecast
  3. You are here: Region
    Perth – Inner
    +65,673
    5.5% of Western Australia's growth
    2021.2024.3.1.1 · Mar 2026
  4. Below the region
    16 small areas, all forecast
    Small-area forecasts available through Placemaker.

Western Australia's share of national growth is set from the national drivers. This region's share of Western Australia is built from development assessed on the ground.

The forecast

  • 188,755

    Population, 2021

  • 254,428

    Population, 2046

  • +65,673

    Total growth to 2046

  • +30,644

    Additional dwellings

Population, dwellings and age structure, five-yearly

Five-year intervals shown; the forecast itself is a single-year series by single year of age and sex, available in full through Placemaker, along with a downloadable summary. We forecast the share aged 65 and over to move from 16.3% in 2021 to 22.1% in 2046.
PopulationDwellingsAge structure, %
YearTotalChangeTotalChange0–1415–6465+
2021188,755—87,160—15.268.616.3
2026212,331+23,57691,208+4,04813.769.317.0
2031223,059+10,72898,018+6,81012.868.618.6
2036233,990+10,931104,810+6,79211.967.820.2
2041244,672+10,682111,319+6,50911.767.121.3
2046254,428+9,756117,804+6,48511.766.222.1

What we assess, and where

Different things drive population change at different scales. We form a view at each level, and each level constrains the one below it.

  1. Nation
    • Overseas migration
    • Fertility and life expectancy
    • Housing completions
  2. State
    • Share of overseas migration
    • Interstate migration
    • State housing policy
  3. Region (this page)
    • Intrastate migration
    • Development pipeline
    • Capacity and limiting factors
    • Ageing in place
  4. Suburb and site
    • Site-by-site development assessment
    • Dwelling type and density

Housing capacity, by area

Sub-area (SA3)Area characterCapacity used by 2046
Cottesloe – Claremont34.3%
Perth City59.1%
Perth – Inner total51.5%

How to read this

Capacity used is the share of an area's assessed dwelling capacity that the forecast draws down by 2046. Assessed capacity is post-census capacity across 484 tracked residential development sites, so it counts what those sites can hold, not every theoretical dwelling a planning control would permit.

The major sites that shape this forecast

SiteLocationTypeStatus
1909 Precinct At Subi East1 Roberts Road SubiacoRedevelopmentSite clearing
Mount Claremont Masterplan - Uwa Sports Park NorthMOUNT CLAREMONTRedevelopmentStructure plan / Under-utilised (med-high density)
Perth City Link Redevelopment Project580-28 Wellington Street PerthRedevelopmentApproved
Perth Girls School Redevelopment2 Wellington St, Perth Wa 6004RedevelopmentApproved

Our forecasting team

Liza Ivanova

Liza Ivanova

Principal Forecast Consultant

Oliver Bowering

Oliver Bowering

Senior Forecast Consultant

Places covered by this forecast

The largest of the 30 suburbs and localities in this region. Every one of them is forecast at small-area level, and any combination can be built into a custom catchment through Placemaker.

  • Perth
  • East Perth
  • Wembley
  • Mount Lawley
  • Nedlands
  • Subiaco
  • North Perth
  • Claremont
  • Mosman Park
  • Floreat
  • Cottesloe
  • Mount Hawthorn
  • West Perth
  • City Beach
  • Inglewood
  • Shenton Park
  • Mount Claremont
  • Dalkeith
  • Swanbourne
  • West Leederville
  • + 10 more

Plus 10 more. Search for any suburb or locality on our forecast analysis page.

Common questions about the forecast for Perth – Inner

A credible, independent forecast

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Independent of government

Our forecasts are not commissioned by any government, so they give an independent view.

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Granular forecasts for custom catchments

Forecast at small-area level, so they can be built up into any catchment you need, such as a school catchment, a retail trade area or a utility service area.

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Every region, on one basis

A single national model, not a collection of unconnected local studies.

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Assessed site by site

Built on a national development sites layer maintained by our own forecasters. 484 development sites assessed in this region alone.

500+

organisations across Australia trust Informed Decisions for data and insights

15,000+

suburbs forecast, covering every part of Australia

A named forecaster behind every region

Questions about a forecast go to the team who prepared it.

See the forecast for your exact area

Placemaker gives you the population, housing and development forecast for any catchment you draw inside this region, by single year, with the development pipeline behind it.