Bedford
An inner-Perth suburb where 89.0% of dwellings are separate houses yet the median house price sits at just $497,000 is unusual, and that combination defines Bedford. Household income reaches the 78.0th percentile nationally, university qualifications run to 45.6%, which is 15.5 points above the national figure, and 34.0% of residents were born overseas, 12.4 points above national. The suburb scores decile 7 to 8 across the four SEIFA indexes, a comfortable middle-upper position rather than the top tier, and the median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below national. At 2.24 km2 holding 5,716 people, it offers detached living close to the city without inner-suburb apartment density.
Population
5,716
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,072/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Median House
$497K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $497,000 median is striking for an inner-Perth suburb where 89.0% of stock is separate houses, because detached living this close to the city usually carries a premium. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 51.9% and four-plus-bedroom homes make up 31.8%, so families have genuine choice rather than the two-bedroom apartments common in comparable city-fringe areas. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold and a sign that buyers here are not overextended. Owners with a mortgage (40.4%) outnumber outright owners (30.9%), pointing to an active purchasing market rather than a settled, debt-free one. With apartments at only 0.2% of dwellings, buyers wanting low-density family housing face little competition from investor-driven unit stock.
For Buyers
The $497,000 median is striking for an inner-Perth suburb where 89.0% of stock is separate houses, because detached living this close to the city usually carries a premium. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 51.9% and four-plus-bedroom homes make up 31.8%, so families have genuine choice rather than the two-bedroom apartments common in comparable city-fringe areas. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold and a sign that buyers here are not overextended. Owners with a mortgage (40.4%) outnumber outright owners (30.9%), pointing to an active purchasing market rather than a settled, debt-free one. With apartments at only 0.2% of dwellings, buyers wanting low-density family housing face little competition from investor-driven unit stock.
For Investors
A 28.7% renter share and weekly rent of $360 give landlords a moderate tenant pool, and against the $497,000 median that rent implies a gross yield near 3.8%, healthier than the sub-2% returns typical of premium inner-city suburbs. The 6.9% vacancy rate is elevated, which tempers the case and suggests tenants have options nearby. Demand support is real: net overseas migration adds 398 residents a year to the wider area against a net internal outflow of 46, and rent has grown 16.7% over the period. Development is light at 16 applications in 12 months, mostly building permits rather than new multi-dwelling supply, so stock additions stay limited. With 89.0% separate houses and almost no apartments, the investment case favours detached family rentals over unit yield plays, and the early-signs gentrification score of 32 hints at gradual capital upside.
Development Activity
Total DAs
18
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bedford iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Chisholm Catholic College
7-12 · 1738 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below the national figure, and the profile is broadly balanced rather than aging, with the senior share up just 1.4 points and the working-age share essentially flat at minus 0.1 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 34.0%, which is 12.4 points above national, and that diversity shows in ancestry led by English (1,790), Italian (651), Irish (622) and Scottish (435). The top non-English languages are Italian (72 speakers), Cantonese (55), Serbian (38), Mandarin (37) and Arabic (32), a Southern European and East Asian mix. University qualifications at 45.6% run 15.5 points above national, and average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure exactly. Couples with children (2,034 families) outnumber couples without (1,145), consistent with the three-bedroom, detached-house housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.0%
Houses
10.8%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward buyers paying down debt: 40.4% carry a mortgage, 30.9% own outright and 28.7% rent, so mortgage holders outnumber outright owners, a marker of an active purchasing market rather than long-settled wealth. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 89.0% separate houses, with semi-detached at 10.8% and apartments at a negligible 0.2%, which is why family-sized homes set the tone. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 51.9% and four-plus-bedroom homes 31.8%, leaving two-bedroom stock at only 14.5%. The $497,000 median against household income in the 78.0th percentile keeps affordability reasonable, with mortgage-to-income at 24.2% and rent-to-income at 17.4%, both comfortably below stress thresholds. That gap between solid incomes and modest prices is what makes the suburb accessible relative to its inner-Perth location.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$929
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
164
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.8%
Couples, no children
4,608
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in services rather than trades: Healthcare leads at 16.3% (355 workers), Education follows at 13.1% (284) and Professional/Tech at 12.6% (273), with Public Admin at 9.2% and Construction at 9.0%. By occupation, Professionals (944) and Managers (437) dominate, which aligns with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation, the suburb's strongest SEIFA measure. Unemployment is low at 4.5% and the participation rate reads 64.4%, with full-time employment at 63.4%. Real incomes grew 14.6% over the decade. One anomaly stands out: the IER economic-resources score sits at decile 6, below the decile 7 to 8 readings on the other three indexes, because the 28.7% renter base and active mortgage cohort depress aggregate household-wealth measures relative to the area's education and income strength.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
16,869
Unemployed
468
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.4%
Part-time
32.1%
Participation
64.4%
Employed
2,849
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.6%
Postgraduate
10.4%
Born Overseas
34.0%
Dwellings
2,202
Transport to Work
Bedford leans on cars more than transit: 78.3% drive to work while 13.2% take public transport and only 2.6% walk or cycle, so the suburb rewards households comfortable with driving despite its inner-Perth position. It scores decile 7 on both IRSAD and IRSD, a low-disadvantage tier where few residents face deprivation, and only 5.0% (278 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering runs at 16.5% and residential stability is high, with 79.1% of residents having stayed put and turnover at just 20.9%, a sign of a settled population rather than a transient one. No schools are recorded inside the 2.24 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, though the highly educated base, with university qualifications 15.5 points above national, points to strong demand for nearby schooling.
Drive
78.3%
Public Transport
13.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.24%/yr
(+337 people/yr)
EstablishedBedford is classed as an established suburb, but it is far from static: the population has risen 15.6% over the past decade and trend growth runs at 1.24% a year, faster than many built-out inner suburbs. Overseas migration is the primary driver, adding about 398 residents annually to the wider area, while net internal migration removes 46, a pattern typical of a city-fringe area drawing new arrivals. The gentrification reading is early signs at a score of 32, supported by a population up 21% since 2011 and an accelerating young-resident inflow. Affordability has improved from 43.9% in 2011 to 36.3% in 2021, an unusual gain for an inner suburb, which keeps the area open to first and family buyers even as demand builds. Rent growth of 16.7% over the period confirms the upward pressure.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+398
Net Internal / yr
-46
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +398/yr, Accelerating: 6% → 14%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bedford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bedford a good suburb to live in?
Bedford scores decile 7 to 8 across the four SEIFA indexes, a low-disadvantage tier, with household income in the 78.0th percentile and university qualifications at 45.6%, which is 15.5 points above national. The main draw is detached family housing close to the city, with 89.0% separate houses and a median of $497,000.
What is the median house price in Bedford?
The median house price is $497,000, modest for an inner-Perth suburb. Weekly rent averages $360 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold against incomes in the 78.0th percentile.
What schools are in Bedford?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.24 km2 Bedford boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 45.6%, which is 15.5 points above the national figure.
Is Bedford safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bedford in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a low-disadvantage tier, and only 5.0% of its residents, 278 people, need daily assistance, both consistent with a stable area.
Is Bedford good for property investment?
Rent of $360 a week against a $497,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.8%, well above the sub-2% returns of premium inner suburbs, though the 6.9% vacancy rate tempers it. Net overseas migration of about 398 a year supports demand, and rent has grown 16.7% over the period.
How is Bedford's population changing?
Population has risen 15.6% over the past decade and trend growth runs at 1.24% a year. Overseas migration is the main driver, adding about 398 residents annually to the area, while net internal migration removes 46. The gentrification reading is early signs at a score of 32.
What languages are spoken in Bedford?
About 34.0% of residents were born overseas, 12.4 points above national. English dominates, with Italian (72 speakers), Cantonese (55), Serbian (38), Mandarin (37) and Arabic (32) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a Southern European and East Asian resident mix.
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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