Beckenham
Early gentrification signals (score 34) are reshaping Beckenham, driven by overseas migration of 585 net per year offset by internal outflow of -238, a pattern that indicates international arrivals are replacing domestic residents seeking cheaper options elsewhere. The $434,000 estimated median house price and IRSAD decile 3 place it in Perth's affordable lower tier, yet household incomes sit at the 58th percentile ($1,667/week), slightly above what the SEIFA readings would suggest. The migrant share at 52.4% is 30.8 points above national, with Chinese (853) and Indian (707) ancestry groups forming significant communities. Residential turnover at 24.2% is moderate, suggesting a mix of settled owners and transient renters.
Population
9,092
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,667/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$434K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $434,000 estimated median, Beckenham offers affordable entry with 80.7% detached houses. Three-bedroom homes at 48.4% dominate, with 4+ bedrooms at 37.4%, providing family-suitable stock. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 23.5% indicate an established base of longer-term residents. The semi-detached share at 13.9% provides townhouse alternatives. Beckenham Primary School (ICSEA 992, 391 students) scores marginally below the national 1,000 benchmark. Public transport usage at 8.3% is moderate for Perth's southern suburbs, higher than many comparable areas, and car dependency at 83.4% is below the Perth average.
For Buyers
At $434,000 estimated median, Beckenham offers affordable entry with 80.7% detached houses. Three-bedroom homes at 48.4% dominate, with 4+ bedrooms at 37.4%, providing family-suitable stock. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 23.5% indicate an established base of longer-term residents. The semi-detached share at 13.9% provides townhouse alternatives. Beckenham Primary School (ICSEA 992, 391 students) scores marginally below the national 1,000 benchmark. Public transport usage at 8.3% is moderate for Perth's southern suburbs, higher than many comparable areas, and car dependency at 83.4% is below the Perth average.
For Investors
Renters at 36.7% provide a solid tenant pool, above the national average. Weekly rent of $340 against a $434,000 estimated median gives gross yield around 4.1%, competitive by Perth standards. The 7.7% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants monitoring, as it suggests some supply-demand imbalance. No DAs were lodged in 12 months, meaning zero new supply pipeline, which could help absorb vacancy over time. Net overseas migration of 585 per year provides strong ongoing demand. The gentrification score of 34 (early signs) with population acceleration from 5% to 20% suggests the suburb may be approaching a tipping point for capital growth.
Schools in Beckenham iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Beckenham Primary School
K-6 · 391 students
Demographics
The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national median. Overseas-born at 52.4% is 30.8 points above national, with English ancestry at 1,875 alongside Chinese (853) and Indian (707) forming a multicultural profile. Punjabi (256), Mandarin (211) and Hindi (112) lead non-English languages. University qualifications at 37.2% sit 7.1 points above the national rate, higher than the IEO decile 3 would suggest, indicating recent graduate arrivals shifting the education profile. Average household size of 2.7 is close to national. Couples with children (3,283) are the largest family type, outnumbering couples without children (1,642). Christianity (3,449), Islam (987) and Hinduism (510) reflect the suburb's religious diversity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.7%
Houses
13.9%
Townhouse
5.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Mortgage holders at 39.8% lead tenure, with renters at 36.7% and outright owners at 23.5%. The stock is 80.7% detached houses, 13.9% semi-detached and 5.4% apartments. Three-bedroom homes at 48.4% dominate, with 4+ bedrooms at 37.4%. The bedroom distribution shows limited stock at the smaller end: studios/one-bedrooms at just 2.6% and two-bedrooms at 11.6%. The SEIFA IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 3 indicate below-average socio-economic conditions. Mortgage-to-income at 24.0% and rent-to-income at 20.4% are both below stress thresholds, suggesting that while the suburb ranks low on SEIFA, individual housing costs remain manageable relative to incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$796
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
269
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.4%
Couples, no children
7,015
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 18.8% (570 workers), followed by Professional/Tech at 8.1% (244), Construction at 8.0% (243), Hospitality at 7.5% (227) and Retail at 7.4% (224). The diversified sector mix reduces dependence on any single employer. Professionals (762) are the largest occupation, with Community/Personal (624) and Labourers (577) close behind, reflecting a working-class economy with a growing professional segment. Unemployment at 6.6% is above the national average, and participation at 62.3% is moderate. Full-time employment at 66.0% is reasonable. The IEO decile 3 against IER decile 4 confirms a suburb where both education levels and economic resources are below average, though the gentrification signals suggest this mix is evolving.
Unemployment
7.2%
Labour Force
12,697
Unemployed
914
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.0%
Part-time
27.4%
Participation
62.3%
Employed
4,258
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.2%
Postgraduate
9.6%
Born Overseas
52.4%
Dwellings
3,240
Transport to Work
Car dependency at 83.4% is below Perth's suburban average, with public transport at 8.3% and walking/cycling at 1.0%. Beckenham Primary School (ICSEA 992, 391 students, government) is the only school, scoring marginally below the national 1,000 benchmark. The IRSAD decile 3 indicates below-average socio-economic conditions. Rent-to-income at 20.4% is comfortable, and mortgage-to-income at 24.0% is below the stress line. The 4.0% needing assistance rate is close to average. Volunteering at 12.6% is moderate. The 7.7% vacancy rate, while a concern for investors, gives renters more negotiating power and choice in the suburb.
Drive
83.4%
Public Transport
8.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.42%/yr
(+331 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 1.42% per year (331 persons), with the 10-year change at 15.1%. The ERP reached 23,337 in 2025, and medium forecasts project 24,776 by 2031. Overseas migration at 585 per year is the primary driver, while internal migration runs at -238, creating a replacement pattern where international arrivals fill spots vacated by domestic departures. The gentrification score of 34 (early signs) reflects population acceleration from 5% to 20%. The senior share expanded by 2.6 points over the decade, and affordability improved from 53.5% in 2011 to 45.1% in 2021. Real income growth of 2.9% barely kept pace with inflation.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+585
Net Internal / yr
-238
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +26% since 2011, Net internal outflow -238/yr, Strong overseas inflow +585/yr, Accelerating: 5% → 20%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Beckenham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beckenham a good suburb to live in?
Beckenham offers affordable housing at an estimated $434,000 median, with 80.7% detached houses and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.0%. The IRSAD decile 3 is below the national midpoint, and Beckenham Primary (ICSEA 992) sits marginally below the 1,000 benchmark. Early gentrification (score 34) suggests the suburb is beginning to transition.
What is the median house price in Beckenham?
The estimated median is $434,000 (derived from rent data, 2025). Weekly rent averages $340 and monthly mortgage repayments are $1,733. Gross rental yield sits around 4.1%, competitive for Perth's southern suburbs. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.0% is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Beckenham?
Beckenham Primary School is the sole school, a government primary with ICSEA 992 (slightly below the 1,000 national benchmark) and 391 students. Secondary schooling requires travel to neighbouring suburbs. The near-benchmark ICSEA score is consistent with the suburb's mid-range demographic profile.
Is Beckenham safe?
Crime data is not available for Beckenham in the current dataset. The IRSD decile 3 indicates above-average disadvantage, which typically correlates with higher crime rates. The 6.6% unemployment rate is above the national average. However, the 75.8% residential stability rate suggests a reasonably settled community.
Is Beckenham good for property investment?
Gross yield of approximately 4.1% ($340/week on $434,000) is competitive. The 36.7% renter share provides a solid tenant pool, but the 7.7% vacancy rate signals some oversupply. Zero DAs in 12 months means no new supply pipeline. Net overseas migration of 585 per year provides strong demand, and early gentrification (score 34) suggests potential for future capital growth.
How is Beckenham's population changing?
Growth runs at 1.42% per year (331 persons), with a 15.1% increase over 10 years. The ERP reached 23,337 in 2025. Overseas migration (+585/year) offsets internal outflow (-238/year). The median age of 34 is 6 years below national. Gentrification shows early signs (score 34), with population acceleration from 5% to 20%.
What languages are spoken in Beckenham?
With 52.4% born overseas (30.8 points above national), Beckenham has strong linguistic diversity. Punjabi leads at 256 speakers, followed by Mandarin (211), Hindi (112), Arabic (89) and Sinhala (69). Chinese ancestry at 853 and Indian ancestry at 707 form significant cultural communities alongside the English ancestry majority of 1,875.
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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