Alfred Cove
With 48.8% of residents holding university qualifications, Alfred Cove sits 18.7 percentage points above the national average, making it one of Perth's most educated pockets within a 1.08 km2 footprint. Household income ranks at the 87.1st percentile nationally, yet the median house price of $573,000 remains far below what comparable education and income profiles command in Sydney or Melbourne. The suburb's 2,830 residents skew toward established owner-occupiers: 42.3% own their home outright, the vacancy rate is 5.5%, and 82.2% of residents were in the same dwelling the previous year, reflecting a stable, low-churn community.
Population
2,830
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,262/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$573K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $573,000 is estimated from rental data, placing Alfred Cove well below comparable high-education suburbs in eastern states. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,400, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold given household income at the 87.1st percentile nationally. The stock is heavily detached, with 78.8% separate houses and only 1.5% apartments, so buyers compete for freestanding homes rather than units. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.8% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes reach 38.7%, indicating family-scale supply. Semi-detached dwellings account for 19.4%, offering a lower-entry alternative in the same catchment.
For Buyers
The median house price of $573,000 is estimated from rental data, placing Alfred Cove well below comparable high-education suburbs in eastern states. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,400, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold given household income at the 87.1st percentile nationally. The stock is heavily detached, with 78.8% separate houses and only 1.5% apartments, so buyers compete for freestanding homes rather than units. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.8% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes reach 38.7%, indicating family-scale supply. Semi-detached dwellings account for 19.4%, offering a lower-entry alternative in the same catchment.
For Investors
Alfred Cove's 17.3% renter share is low compared to typical investment-grade suburbs, reflecting the strong owner-occupier base where 42.3% own outright. Weekly rent of $430 against a $573,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.9%, modest but above yields in comparable eastern-state markets at similar price points. The vacancy rate of 5.5% signals moderate tenant competition rather than undersupply, and development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, suggesting no new supply pressure. Low turnover at 17.8% annual rate means tenant stability is high but vacant properties take longer to re-let. Income strength at the 87.1st percentile nationally supports rent-paying capacity.
Demographics
Alfred Cove's median age of 41 is 1 year above the national figure, consistent with its established owner-occupier profile. University qualifications reach 48.8%, which is 18.7 percentage points higher than the national average, the highest single gap in the brief comparisons. Overseas-born residents make up 29.8%, sitting 8.2 points above national. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,189 residents) leads, followed by Irish (311), Scottish (291) and Italian (270). Average household size of 2.6 is 0.1 above national, with couples with children forming 1,022 of 2,355 total families and couples without children at 24.8%. Volunteering rates reach 22.4%, indicating an engaged, community-active population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.8%
Houses
19.4%
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners at 42.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 40.3%, a ratio that signals long-held, debt-free wealth rather than a suburb driven by recent buyers. Renters account for only 17.3%, one of the lower renter shares for Perth suburbs. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 78.8%, with semi-detached dwellings at 19.4% and apartments at just 1.5%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common dwelling size at 50.8%, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 38.7%, reflecting family-oriented demand. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,400 and rent runs $430 per week, with rent-to-income at 19.0% and mortgage-to-income at 24.5%, both below stress thresholds, indicating financial comfort relative to national benchmarks.
Mortgage / mo
$2,400
Rent / wk
$430
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$993
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
62
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.8%
Couples, no children
2,355
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education leads local industry at 16.0% of workers (178 residents), followed closely by Healthcare at 15.0% (167) and Professional/Technical services at 11.8% (132). Construction accounts for 8.2% (91) and Mining for 8.0% (89), the latter reflecting Perth's resources-sector reach into outer suburban labour markets. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 505, with Managers second at 236 and Clerical/Admin at 175. The unemployment rate sits at 4.5%, and the full-time employment rate of 62.0% is supported by 872 full-time and 534 part-time workers. Household income at the 87.1st percentile nationally reflects the concentration of professional and managerial roles, with only 67 unemployed residents recorded at Census.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.0%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
64.6%
Employed
1,406
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.8%
Postgraduate
11.3%
Born Overseas
29.8%
Dwellings
1,068
Transport to Work
Car dependence is pronounced, with 84.1% of residents driving to work, well above the national average, and public transport at 8.1% reflects limited transit options relative to inner Perth. Cycling and walking account for 2.5% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas within the Melville local government zone. Crime data is unavailable for Alfred Cove specifically. As indirect measures of liveability, rent stress is absent at 19.0% rent-to-income and mortgage stress is absent at 24.5%, and only 3.5% of residents (97 people) require daily assistance, below national norms. The volunteering rate of 22.4% is notably above average, reflecting community cohesion.
Drive
84.1%
Public Transport
8.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Alfred Cove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alfred Cove a good suburb to live in?
Alfred Cove stands out for its education levels, with 48.8% of residents holding university qualifications, 18.7 percentage points above the national average. Household income ranks at the 87.1st percentile nationally. Neither mortgage stress (24.5% ratio) nor rent stress (19.0%) is flagged, and 82.2% of residents stayed in the same home from the prior year, indicating strong satisfaction with the area.
What is the median house price in Alfred Cove?
The median house price is estimated at $573,000 based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $430 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,400. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.5% is below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable for the suburb's above-average income households.
What schools are in Alfred Cove?
No schools are recorded inside the Alfred Cove boundary in this dataset. Families access schools in neighbouring Melville and Applecross. Despite the absence of local schools, Alfred Cove has one of Perth's highest education rates, with 48.8% of residents holding university qualifications, compared to a national average of about 30%.
Is Alfred Cove safe?
Crime statistics specific to Alfred Cove are not available in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb has very low housing stress (mortgage-to-income 24.5%, rent-to-income 19.0%), only 3.5% of residents need daily assistance, and resident stability is high with 82.2% remaining in the same dwelling year-on-year, all consistent with a low-disadvantage, settled area.
Is Alfred Cove good for property investment?
Alfred Cove suits investors seeking stability over yield. Weekly rent of $430 against a $573,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.9%. The vacancy rate is 5.5% and zero development applications in the past 12 months means no new supply competing for tenants. The 17.3% renter share is low, so the market is thin but tenant quality is supported by income at the 87.1st percentile nationally.
How is Alfred Cove's population changing?
Alfred Cove has a population of 2,830 in a 1.08 km2 area, giving a density of 2,612 residents per km2. The suburb is built out with zero development applications in the past 12 months. Resident stability is very high at 82.2% staying from year to year, and the turnover rate of 17.8% is lower than most suburban markets, indicating slow, organic demographic change rather than rapid population growth.
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.
Explore Alfred Cove on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map