St James, WA: suburb profile

The population of St James WA is 4,894 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in St James is $888 per week ($46,176 per year). Median rent in St James is $330 per week ($1,430 per month). St James has a median age of 32 years, younger than the national median of 38. St James has a population density of 2,942 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in St James is England. The most common religion is No religion (43.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in St James is $1,842.

Population
4,894
Census 2021
Median income
$888/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$330/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
32years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

St James vs the typical WA suburb

The median personal income in St James is $888 a week, 10% above the typical WA suburb ($806). That ranks 245th of 701 WA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $330 a week, $10 more than the typical WA suburb. Rent takes 18.1% of the median household income here, against 18.6% in the typical WA suburb. The median resident is 32, 9 years younger than in the typical WA suburb (41).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureSt JamesTypical WADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$888/wk$806/wk +10%$766/wk
Household income$1,827/wk$1,722/wk +6%$1,637/wk
Rent$330/wk$320/wk +3%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,842/mo$1,759/mo +5%$1,733/mo
Median age3241 −9 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.1%18.6% −0.6 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in St James, the typical WA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

St James Population

4,894 residents at the 2021 Census.

St James Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$888/wk
$46,176 per year
Ranked 2,269 of 14,663
Median Rent
$330/wk
$1,430 per month
Ranked 3,803 of 14,663
Median Age
32years
6 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,842/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

St James Rent Prices & Affordability

18% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,827/wk
Median rent $330/wk
Rent to income 18.1%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in St James against your income

About $7,917 a month
Median rent $330/wk
Left after rent $1,497/wk
Rent share 18.1%

St James Schools

28
schools nearby
16
government
1039
avg ICSEA score
11,929
total students
Regent College Independent
Primary · PP-6 · 340 students
1142
ICSEA
Victoria Park Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 510 students
1127
ICSEA
Kensington Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 447 students
1121
ICSEA
Ursula Frayne Catholic College Catholic
Secondary · PP-12 · 1,442 students
1108
ICSEA
Lathlain Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 673 students
1088
ICSEA
East Victoria Park Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 429 students
1088
ICSEA
Millen Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 544 students
1084
ICSEA
St Joseph's School Catholic
Primary · PP-6 · 432 students
1075
ICSEA
Canning College Government
Secondary · U, 10-12 · 247 students
1073
ICSEA
Santa Clara School Catholic
Primary · PP-6 · 192 students
1072
ICSEA
Carlisle Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 315 students
1062
ICSEA
St Norbert College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 910 students
1060
ICSEA
Al-Hidayah Islamic School Independent
Primary · PP-6 · 198 students
1055
ICSEA
East Victoria Park Education Support Centre Government
Primary · K-6 · 56 students
1049
ICSEA
Kent Street Senior High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,215 students
1041
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 28 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near St James, with a map

St James Map

St James, Western Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in St James

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 51.4% (2,518) Female 48.6% (2,379)

Population Density

2,942
people per km²
4,894 people · 1.7 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,254
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
4.2%
India
3.4%
Malaysia
2.7%
China
2.1%
New Zealand
2.0%
Nepal
1.5%
Philippines
1.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
4.1%
Nepali
1.6%
Vietnamese
1.4%
Cantonese
1.2%
Urdu
1.2%
Italian
1.1%
Korean
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
30.5%
Australian
25.7%
Irish
8.9%
Scottish
8.0%
Chinese
7.9%
Italian
5.6%
Indian
3.8%
Australian Aboriginal
2.8%
German
2.6%
Dutch
1.8%
Filipino
1.8%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
43.3%
Catholic
17.3%
Not stated
7.5%
Buddhism
5.3%
Islam
5.2%
Anglican
5.1%
Hinduism
4.0%
Christian (other)
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
36.5% 1,524
Separated
2.5% 105
Divorced
8.6% 357
Widowed
2.6% 108
Never married
49.8% 2,077

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
43.8%
Couple: no children
30.9%
Couple: no children under 15
11.3%
One parent: children under 15
7.1%
One parent: no children under 15
6.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
30.0%
2 persons
32.8%
3 persons
15.7%
4 persons
14.1%
5 persons
5.2%
6+ persons
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in St James

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,937 occupied private dwellings in St James at the 2021 Census, 46.5% were rented, 17.9% owned outright and 33.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.4% 27 dwellings
Owned outright
17.9% 346 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
33.2% 643 dwellings
Rented
46.5% 900 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.9% 18 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
73.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
25.6%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
5.1%
2 bedrooms
19.2%
3 bedrooms
50.0%
4 bedrooms
19.1%
5 bedrooms
4.8%
6+ bedrooms
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.8%
$300-$449/mo
1.4%
$450-$599/mo
2.3%
$600-$799/mo
2.1%
$800-$999/mo
2.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
16.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
21.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
29.7%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
12.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
8.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
8.7%
1 vehicle
38.6%
2 vehicles
37.1%
3 vehicles
10.3%
4+ vehicles
5.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in St James

Employment

Employed full-time
43.6% 1,652 people
Employed part-time
26.2% 994 people
Unemployed
4.4% 168 people
Not in labour force
25.8% 976 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
33.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
14.4%
Community & Personal Service
12.6%
Managers
11.7%
Clerical & Administrative
10.5%
Labourers
7.9%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
5.0%
Sales Workers
4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
2.0%
$300-$399/wk
3.5%
$400-$499/wk
5.7%
$500-$649/wk
4.4%
$650-$799/wk
4.3%
$800-$999/wk
5.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.2%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.8%
$4,000+/wk
12.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.2%
$1-$149/wk
3.5%
$150-$299/wk
6.4%
$300-$399/wk
4.3%
$400-$499/wk
3.5%
$500-$649/wk
4.0%
$650-$799/wk
7.5%
$800-$999/wk
9.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.1%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.1%
$3,500+/wk
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
68.1%
Did not go to work
11.1%
Bus
8.3%
Car (passenger)
6.3%
Walked only
1.4%
Bicycle
1.2%
Other
1.2%
Train
0.8%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.6%
Truck
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
79.1%
Year 10 or equivalent
12.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
6.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.3%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
39.6%
Certificate III/IV
22.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.2%
Postgraduate Degree
15.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.5%
Certificate I/II
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
21.3%
Engineering
17.1%
Society & Culture
13.4%
Health
12.7%
Education
7.4%
Architecture & Building
5.9%
Creative Arts
5.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
5.5%
Information Technology
4.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.8%
Agriculture & Environment
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
23.9%
Vocational Education
20.7%
Secondary: Government
15.9%
Secondary: Catholic
11.8%
Primary: Catholic
11.0%
Pre-school
10.0%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
90.6%
Has need for assistance
3.7%
Need for assistance not stated
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
491
Asthma
148
Diabetes
105
Arthritis
100
Lung condition
81
Heart disease
68
Cancer
36
Kidney disease
25
Stroke
25
Dementia
12

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
9.6% 372
Did not provide
90.4% 3,519

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
16.0% 625
Not a volunteer
84.0% 3,281

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.3% 10
Previously served
1.7% 68
Never served
98.0% 3,846

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
53.7%
1 child
13.4%
2 children
21.4%
3 children
8.4%
4 children
1.9%
5+ children
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
8
1951: 1960
19
1961: 1970
74
1971: 1980
112
1981: 1990
163
1991: 2000
165
2001: 2010
407
2011: 2015
360
2016
93
2017
105
2018
116
2019
165
2020
64
2021
12

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

20.1%
moved in the last year
53.6%
moved in the last 5 years
5.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
70.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,658
Moved from WA
645
Moved: same area (SA2)
119
Moved from overseas
58
Moved from VIC
27
Moved from QLD
18
Moved from NSW
18
Moved from SA
8
Moved from ACT
8
Moved from TAS
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
26.3%
5: 14 hours
28.6%
15: 29 hours
9.8%
30+ hours
6.2%
Did not do domestic work
29.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
82.8%
Step family: no other children
11.5%
Blended family: no other children
3.9%
Intact family: other children present
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near St James

The closest suburb to St James is Bentley (WA), 0.4 km away.

Bentley (WA)
0.4 km away · income $618/wk · rent $320/wk
East Victoria Park
1.3 km away · income $1,048/wk · rent $350/wk
Carlisle
2.3 km away · income $963/wk · rent $340/wk
Wilson
2.6 km away · income $752/wk · rent $350/wk
Waterford (WA)
2.9 km away · income $801/wk · rent $410/wk
Cannington
3.0 km away · income $781/wk · rent $350/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About St James

What is the population of St James WA?

The population of St James WA is 4,894 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,942 people per km². St James is ranked #1,609 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in St James?

The median personal income in St James WA is $888 per week, or $46,176 per year. The median household income is $1,827 per week. Family income is $2,254 per week. St James is ranked #2,269 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in St James?

Median rent in St James WA is $330 per week ($1,430 per month). Rent represents 18.1% of household income, which is considered affordable. St James ranks #3,803 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in St James?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in St James WA is $1,842. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in St James?

The median age in St James WA is 32 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is St James a good suburb to live in?

St James is a suburb in Western Australia with a population of 4,894. The median income is $888/wk, which is above the typical WA suburb ($806/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 51402. All dollar figures in AUD.