Alexander Heights
Population has flatlined at 0.02% annual growth (3 people/year), yet overseas migration adds +206/year, which means domestic residents are leaving at -193/year. This replacement-migration pattern, where international arrivals backfill departing locals, is reshaping the suburb's demographics without expanding it. SEIFA IRSAD decile 2 places Alexander Heights in the bottom 20% nationally for advantage, despite household incomes sitting at the 60th percentile. The disconnect comes from low education attainment (IEO decile 2) depressing the composite score.
Population
7,772
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,709/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$448K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At an estimated $448,000, Alexander Heights is one of Perth's most affordable established suburbs with 91.0% detached housing stock. The bedroom profile is heavily skewed to 4+ bedrooms (68.5%), offering generous family-sized homes at below-median Perth prices. Mortgage stress is low at 23.4% of income. Alinjarra Primary School (Government, ICSEA 977, 339 enrolled) is the sole school, scoring below the national median of 1000. The 51.2% mortgage rate, the highest tenure category, indicates a suburb of active mortgage holders rather than established owners.
For Buyers
At an estimated $448,000, Alexander Heights is one of Perth's most affordable established suburbs with 91.0% detached housing stock. The bedroom profile is heavily skewed to 4+ bedrooms (68.5%), offering generous family-sized homes at below-median Perth prices. Mortgage stress is low at 23.4% of income. Alinjarra Primary School (Government, ICSEA 977, 339 enrolled) is the sole school, scoring below the national median of 1000. The 51.2% mortgage rate, the highest tenure category, indicates a suburb of active mortgage holders rather than established owners.
For Investors
The 16.2% renting rate and 4.0% vacancy rate create a tight rental market, and $360/week rent on a $448,000 estimated median yields approximately 4.2% gross. However, zero development applications in the past 12 months, combined with near-zero population growth, suggest a stagnant market with no supply pressure but also no demand uplift. Overseas migration (+206/year) provides replacement tenants, but internal outflows (-193/year) mean the suburb is not growing in net terms. Gentrification score is 0 (Not gentrifying).
Schools in Alexander Heights iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Alinjarra Primary School
K-6 · 339 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national median, but the aging trajectory is steep: senior share rose 5.5 percentage points and young share fell 1.9 percentage points over the decade. Vietnamese ancestry (751) is the 3rd largest group after English (2,072) and unclassified Other (1,781), and 40.8% of residents were born overseas, 19.2 percentage points above the national rate. University attainment at 25.0% is 5.1 percentage points below the national average. Household size at 2.9 is larger than the national 2.5, reflecting the family-dominant structure (couples with children in 39.8% of families).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.0%
Houses
9.0%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Detached houses dominate at 91.0%, with semi-detached at 9.0% and no meaningful apartment stock. The bedroom distribution is extreme: 68.5% have 4+ bedrooms, while only 4.3% have 2 or fewer. Ownership splits to 32.6% outright and 51.2% mortgaged, with only 16.2% renting. Mortgage stress at 23.4% is well below the 30% threshold. The 87.0% residential retention rate (only 13.0% moved) is the highest in this dataset, indicating exceptional stability. This suburb functions as a hold-and-stay market for mortgage-belt families.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$703
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
111
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.5%
Couples, no children
6,753
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare (16.3%), construction (11.3%), and education (10.8%) are the top 3 employers. Clerical/admin (562) is the largest single occupation group, ahead of community/personal (516) and professionals (501), reflecting a mid-skill service economy. Labourers (481) form the 4th largest group. Unemployment at 6.7% is above the national average. The participation rate of 63.0% is relatively healthy. SEIFA reveals a notable gap: IEO decile 2 (low education/occupation) but IER decile 5 (mid-range economic resources), meaning residents have moderate material comfort despite lower educational credentials.
Unemployment
9.8%
Labour Force
6,718
Unemployed
657
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
30.3%
Participation
63.0%
Employed
3,705
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.0%
Postgraduate
4.5%
Born Overseas
40.8%
Dwellings
2,646
Transport to Work
Alinjarra Primary School (Government, ICSEA 977, 339 enrolled) is the only school within the suburb, scoring below the national median. Secondary students must travel. Public transport usage at 4.0% is minimal, with 89.4% driving. Walking and cycling at 0.8% is negligible, the lowest in this dataset. Islam (623) and Buddhism (560) together outnumber Christianity (3,732) when combined proportionally per capita. Need for assistance at 5.2% is near the national average. SEIFA IRSAD decile 2 indicates significant socio-economic disadvantage.
Drive
89.4%
Public Transport
4.0%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.02%/yr
(+3 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is essentially static, projected at 12,279 by 2031 versus 12,443 in 2025, far below the national average growth rate. The suburb grew just 0.8% over the entire past decade. Internal migration runs at -193/year (significant outflow) while overseas migration adds +206/year, creating a near-exact population replacement without growth. The aging trajectory is strong: senior share rose 5.5 percentage points, the second-highest in this dataset. Real income declined 3.8% over the decade, meaning the suburb is getting older and marginally poorer in real terms. Gentrification score is 0.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+206
Net Internal / yr
-193
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -193/yr, Strong overseas inflow +206/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Alexander Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alexander Heights a good suburb to live in?
For families wanting large, affordable detached housing in Perth's north, Alexander Heights delivers: 91.0% houses, 68.5% with 4+ bedrooms, and an estimated $448,000 median price. The 87.0% retention rate signals community stability. The trade-offs are SEIFA decile 2 disadvantage, car dependency at 89.4%, and a single school with ICSEA 977.
What is the median house price in Alexander Heights?
The rent-derived estimate is $448,000 (2025). Mortgage repayments of $1,733/month consume 23.4% of household income, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The 51.2% mortgage rate indicates most residents are actively servicing loans rather than owning outright.
What schools are in Alexander Heights?
Alinjarra Primary School (Government, ICSEA 977, 339 students) is the only school within the suburb. Its ICSEA sits 23 points below the national median of 1000. Secondary schooling requires travel to neighbouring suburbs.
Is Alexander Heights safe?
Suburb-level crime data is not available for Alexander Heights in the current dataset. SEIFA IRSD decile 2 places it in the bottom 20% nationally for disadvantage, which statistically correlates with above-average crime rates. The 6.7% unemployment rate is also higher than the national benchmark.
Is Alexander Heights good for property investment?
The 4.0% vacancy rate and approximately 4.2% gross yield ($360/week on $448,000) are reasonable, but near-zero population growth (0.02%/year) and zero DAs in 12 months signal a stagnant market. Real incomes declined 3.8% over the decade. The investment case is limited to yield-harvesting at low entry cost rather than capital growth.
How is Alexander Heights's population changing?
Population is essentially static, growing 0.8% over the entire past decade. Overseas migration (+206/year) is fully offset by domestic outflows (-193/year), creating a replacement pattern without growth. The suburb is aging sharply: senior share rose 5.5 percentage points while real income declined 3.8% over 10 years.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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