Bakers Hill
With a population of 1,276 spread across 82.78 square kilometres, Bakers Hill sits roughly 80 kilometres east of Perth as a low-density, owner-occupier town where detached houses account for 100% of dwellings. The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, reflecting a settled, family-oriented community that prioritises ownership over renting: 35.8% own outright and only 9.5% rent, well below state and national averages. Community cohesion is strong, with 79.9% of residents remaining in place over the measured period and a volunteering rate of 14.2%.
Local council: Northam
Population
1,276
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,531/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Every dwelling in the suburb is a separate house, and 50% have 4 or more bedrooms, meaning buyers get genuine family-sized homes rather than compact product. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,800, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.2%, below the conventional 30% stress threshold. The 54.7% of households on a mortgage compared to 35.8% owning outright suggests an active buying market. The relatively high vacancy rate of 12.7% means buyers are not competing for scarce stock, which moderates price pressure and gives purchasers more negotiating room than tighter metro markets.
For Buyers
Every dwelling in the suburb is a separate house, and 50% have 4 or more bedrooms, meaning buyers get genuine family-sized homes rather than compact product. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,800, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.2%, below the conventional 30% stress threshold. The 54.7% of households on a mortgage compared to 35.8% owning outright suggests an active buying market. The relatively high vacancy rate of 12.7% means buyers are not competing for scarce stock, which moderates price pressure and gives purchasers more negotiating room than tighter metro markets.
For Investors
Rental demand in Bakers Hill is thin, with only 9.5% of households renting, well below the national average. The vacancy rate of 12.7% is elevated and signals that rental supply exceeds current demand, making void periods a realistic risk for landlords. The suburb recorded zero development applications in the past 12 months, indicating no new supply pressure but also limited growth momentum. With 79.9% of residents long-term stayers and no notable migration driver apparent from the data, investors should treat this as a capital-stable, low-yield hold rather than a high-growth or high-income play.
Schools in Bakers Hill
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
BAKERS HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national average, consistent with the owner-occupier, long-tenure profile where 79.9% of residents did not move in the reference period. The population skews Anglo-Celtic in ancestry: English (569 residents), Scottish (139) and Irish (132) are the top three groups, with German (45) also notable. Overseas-born residents make up 19.0%, which is 2.6 percentage points below the national figure, a lower immigrant share than most Australian suburbs. University qualifications stand at 11.0%, which is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the trade, services and community workforce that dominates the local economy. Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national, consistent with the prevalence of family households and 4-plus bedroom homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Bakers Hill is entirely composed of separate houses, with no apartments or semi-detached dwellings recorded. Half of all dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, and 36.5% have 3 bedrooms, making this one of the more spacious housing stocks you will find in any suburb. Tenure is owner-dominant: 35.8% own outright and 54.7% carry a mortgage, leaving only 9.5% renting, far lower than the national renter share of around 31%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,800 sit at 27.2% of median household income, below the stress threshold and more sustainable than many outer Perth corridors.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$310
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$697
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.7%
Unoccupied
63
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.5%
Couples with children
46.9%
Couples, no children
14.7%
Single parent
354
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is spread across three leading industries: Healthcare (13.7%, 41 workers), Mining (13.4%, 40 workers) and Public Administration (13.0%, 39 workers), with Education adding 11.0%. The Mining share reflects the Goldfields and wider WA resources sector drawing workers from peri-urban towns like Bakers Hill. By occupation, Community and Personal service workers lead (83), followed by Professionals (71), Machinery and Drivers (64) and Clerical and Administrative workers (60). The full-time employment rate is 65.3% and the unemployment rate is 5.5%, above the national average, with a participation rate of 51.3% that sits below national norms, partly because 347 residents are not in the labour force in a community where the median age of 44 includes many near-retirement households. Household income ranks at the 48th percentile nationally, close to the median.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
571
Unemployed
29
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.8%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
55.8%
Employed
542
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.0%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
19.0%
Dwellings
423
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high even by WA standards: 88.8% of residents drive to work, while only 2.1% use public transport and 3.1% walk or cycle, reflecting the rural scale of 82.78 square kilometres with limited transit infrastructure. The volunteering rate of 14.2% indicates active community participation for a town of 1,276 people. Crime statistics are not available in the current dataset. Housing stress indicators are below stress thresholds: rent-to-income is 20.2% and mortgage-to-income is 27.2%, both below the conventional 30% stress benchmark, meaning residents are generally managing housing costs better than many higher-cost state suburbs. The need-for-assistance rate is 4.9%, or 55 people, broadly in line with comparable small towns.
Drive
80.5%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
9.4%
Growth Outlook
Bakers Hill has no forecast or growth trend data available in the current brief, limiting forward projections. The static indicators point to a stable rather than expanding community: 79.9% of residents did not relocate in the reference period, turnover is low at 20.1%, and development applications over the past 12 months numbered zero. The small population of 1,276 makes the suburb sensitive to even modest shifts in household formation. Growth, if it comes, is more likely to be driven by WA resources sector employment than by residential development activity.
Population trend: Northam council area
Bakers Hill sits in the Northam council area. These are the council area's residents, not Bakers Hill's.
Residents 2025
12,758
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+2.5%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bakers Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bakers Hill a good suburb to live in?
Bakers Hill suits buyers seeking affordable detached housing in a low-density, owner-occupier setting 80 kilometres from Perth.
What is the median house price in Bakers Hill?
Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,800. At 27.2% of household income, the mortgage burden is below the 30% stress threshold, making it one of the more affordable detached-house markets in WA.
What schools are in Bakers Hill?
Families travel to neighbouring towns for primary and secondary education. University qualifications among residents stand at 11.0%, which is 19.1 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a trade and services-oriented workforce.
Is Bakers Hill safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bakers Hill in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low: mortgage-to-income is 27.2% and rent-to-income is 20.2%, both below stress thresholds. Only 4.9% of residents (55 people) need daily assistance. The high rate of long-term residents (79.9% did not move in the reference period) also suggests a settled, stable community.
Is Bakers Hill good for property investment?
The investment case is moderate. The vacancy rate of 12.7% is high and signals soft rental demand, with only 9.5% of households renting. Zero development applications in 12 months limits upside but also means no new supply pressure.
How is Bakers Hill's population changing?
No forward population forecast data is available for Bakers Hill. The current population is 1,276, and the static indicators point to stability rather than growth: 79.9% of residents are long-term stayers, turnover is 20.1%, and no development applications were lodged in the past 12 months. The small population base means even minor changes in household formation would shift the numbers.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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