State Economic Profile • Capital: Perth • 11.1% of Australian Population
Western Australia - Economic Statistics
Western Australia generates an outsized share of Australia’s merchandise exports and corporate profits, resulting in high average weekly earnings and strong cycles tied to global commodity demand.
Headline Western Australia Indicators
2026 Q1 National series →
Western Australia Population
3.10M Persons
Sep 2026 National series →
Western Australia Unemployment Rate
4.2% %
2026 Q2 National series →
Western Australia State Final Demand Growth
3.6% % p.a.
2026 Q2 National series →
Western Australia Mean Dwelling Price
$1,123.7k A$'000
2026 Q2 National series →
Western Australia Wage Growth (WPI)
3.3% % p.a.
May 2026 National series →
Western Australia Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE)
$2,227 A$ / week
Aug 2026 National series →
Western Australia Dwelling Approvals
18,091 Dwellings / yr
Jun 2025 National series →
Western Australia Annual Retail Turnover
$25,735m A$ million / yr
Western Australia Historical Trajectories
Western Australia Population
PersonsWestern Australia Unemployment Rate
%Western Australia State Final Demand Growth
% p.a.Western Australia Mean Dwelling Price
A$'000Western Australia Wage Growth (WPI)
% p.a.Western Australia Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE)
A$ / weekWestern Australia Annual Economic Data Table (1980–2026)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ERP_Q, LF, ANA_SFD, RES_DWELL_ST, WPI, AWE)
| Year | Population | Unemployment (%) | State Final Demand (%) | Mean Dwelling ($'000) | Wage Growth (%) | Weekly Earnings ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3,096,222 | 4.2% | 3.3% | $1,123.7 | 3.5% | $2,227 |
| 2025 | 3,075,864 | 4.0% | 3.5% | $1,031.1 | 3.9% | $2,174 |
| 2024 | 3,011,197 | 3.7% | 3.5% | $868.4 | 3.8% | $2,126 |
| 2023 | 2,937,647 | 3.7% | 5.7% | $733.5 | 4.4% | $2,074 |
| 2022 | 2,839,523 | 3.5% | 4.4% | $645.3 | 2.9% | $1,963 |
| 2021 | 2,763,240 | 4.8% | 7.9% | $619.3 | 1.7% | $1,888 |
| 2020 | 2,728,187 | 6.6% | 0.8% | $552.8 | 1.6% | $1,841 |
| 2019 | 2,688,799 | 5.8% | 1.0% | $499.3 | 1.6% | $1,779 |
| 2018 | 2,636,404 | 6.2% | -0.8% | $510.2 | 1.5% | $1,749 |
| 2017 | 2,599,928 | 5.9% | -1.9% | $530.5 | 1.3% | $1,729 |
| 2016 | 2,569,606 | 6.1% | -7.9% | $538.3 | 1.7% | $1,701 |
| 2015 | 2,547,745 | 5.9% | -2.2% | $552.1 | 2.0% | $1,700 |
| 2014 | 2,528,619 | 5.1% | -1.4% | $588.2 | 2.4% | $1,657 |
| 2013 | 2,502,188 | 4.6% | -2.2% | $586.0 | 3.3% | $1,632 |
| 2012 | 2,457,489 | 4.0% | 14.3% | $550.3 | 4.5% | $1,554 |
| 2011 | 2,385,947 | 4.3% | 12.2% | $521.4 | 3.9% | $1,499 |
| 2010 | 2,319,063 | 4.6% | 3.7% | - | 3.5% | $1,388 |
| 2009 | 2,263,747 | 5.0% | 1.8% | - | 4.3% | $1,313 |
| 2008 | 2,208,928 | 3.0% | 5.6% | - | 5.5% | $1,226 |
| 2007 | 2,135,006 | 3.2% | 10.5% | - | 5.4% | $1,138 |
| 2006 | 2,076,867 | 3.6% | 10.9% | - | 4.5% | $1,055 |
| 2005 | 2,029,936 | 4.4% | 8.9% | - | 4.6% | $1,006 |
| 2004 | 1,994,241 | 5.0% | 6.9% | - | 3.5% | $939 |
| 2003 | 1,966,130 | 5.9% | 8.6% | - | 3.5% | $896 |
| 2002 | 1,938,610 | 6.2% | 4.4% | - | 3.2% | $849 |
| 2001 | 1,917,752 | 6.9% | 3.4% | - | 3.8% | $822 |
| 2000 | 1,892,531 | 6.0% | 0.4% | - | 2.9% | $797 |
| 1999 | 1,866,265 | 6.4% | -0.2% | - | 2.6% | $756 |
| 1998 | 1,840,078 | 6.7% | 3.2% | - | 3.2% | $735 |
| 1997 | 1,810,928 | 7.0% | 9.1% | - | - | $703 |
| 1996 | 1,783,556 | 7.6% | 4.9% | - | - | $686 |
| 1995 | 1,751,933 | 7.5% | 3.5% | - | - | $659 |
| 1994 | 1,718,549 | 8.3% | 5.4% | - | - | $632 |
| 1993 | 1,690,348 | 9.5% | 7.2% | - | - | - |
| 1992 | 1,668,515 | 11.0% | 4.4% | - | - | - |
| 1991 | 1,647,408 | 10.6% | -1.9% | - | - | - |
| 1990 | 1,624,390 | 7.8% | -2.6% | - | - | - |
| 1989 | 1,596,225 | 5.9% | 10.7% | - | - | - |
| 1988 | 1,558,914 | 7.3% | 7.2% | - | - | - |
| 1987 | 1,513,355 | 7.7% | 2.4% | - | - | - |
| 1986 | 1,477,398 | 7.9% | 3.7% | - | - | - |
| 1985 | 1,436,900 | 8.1% | - | - | - | - |
| 1984 | 1,403,032 | 9.4% | - | - | - | - |
| 1983 | 1,381,011 | 9.8% | - | - | - | - |
| 1982 | 1,354,971 | 7.6% | - | - | - | - |
| 1981 | 1,320,221 | 6.0% | - | - | - | - |
| 1980 | 1,283,505 | 6.4% | - | - | - | - |