Belmont
An 11.7% rental vacancy rate sits at the centre of Belmont's investment story, far above the tight markets that define most of Perth, yet the suburb stays accessible with a $440,000 median house price and a 45.8% renter share. The contrast is sharpened by SEIFA: an IER decile of 3 (low economic resources) runs well below the IEO decile of 6 for education and occupation, a gap that points to a renter-heavy population earning solid incomes but holding little property wealth. With 43.1% of residents born overseas, 21.5 points above the national share, and overseas migration adding 146 people a year against an internal outflow of 146, Belmont reads as a port of arrival rather than a settled family enclave 8 km from the Perth CBD.
Population
6,959
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,557/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$440K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $440,000 the median house price sits well below Perth's metropolitan benchmark, and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7% keeps repayments under the 30% stress threshold because local incomes (household median in the 49.6th percentile nationally) absorb the cost. The stock favours owner-occupiers in detached homes: 75.6% are separate houses against just 6.0% apartments, and three-bedroom dwellings make up 50.7% of homes with another 25.7% holding four or more bedrooms. That family-sized supply is mismatched with demand, though, since only 32.0% of residents carry a mortgage and 22.2% own outright, lower than the 45.8% who rent. Buyers get land and space at a price below comparable inner-Perth suburbs, but the high renter share signals limited owner-occupier competition.
For Buyers
At $440,000 the median house price sits well below Perth's metropolitan benchmark, and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7% keeps repayments under the 30% stress threshold because local incomes (household median in the 49.6th percentile nationally) absorb the cost. The stock favours owner-occupiers in detached homes: 75.6% are separate houses against just 6.0% apartments, and three-bedroom dwellings make up 50.7% of homes with another 25.7% holding four or more bedrooms. That family-sized supply is mismatched with demand, though, since only 32.0% of residents carry a mortgage and 22.2% own outright, lower than the 45.8% who rent. Buyers get land and space at a price below comparable inner-Perth suburbs, but the high renter share signals limited owner-occupier competition.
For Investors
Belmont's headline risk is an 11.7% vacancy rate, far higher than the sub-2% markets typical of Perth, which signals structural oversupply and weakens rent negotiating power. Against that, weekly rent of $350 on a $440,000 median produces a gross yield near 4.1%, materially higher than the sub-2% yields of premium inner-city suburbs. The 45.8% renter share gives a deep tenant pool, and rent grew 44.6% over the decade, outpacing wage growth. Demand is propped up by overseas migration of 146 people a year, but an equal internal outflow of 146 cancels that gain, leaving population growth at just 0.5% annually. With zero recorded DAs in the past 12 months, new competing supply is limited, but the slack vacancy rate remains the dominant signal for any investor.
Schools in Belmont iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Belmont Primary School
K-6 · 73 students
Belmont City College
7-12 · 1004 students
Demographics
Belmont skews young and migrant-driven. The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national median, and 43.1% of residents were born overseas, 21.5 points above national, making this one of Perth's more internationally mixed suburbs. English ancestry leads at 1,974, followed by Chinese (609) and Irish (515), while Mandarin (155), Cantonese (68) and Hindi (64) top the non-English languages, reflecting recent South and East Asian migration. University qualifications at 34.0% run 3.9 points above the national average, modestly higher than the country as a whole. Couples with children (1,823) outnumber couples without (1,433), and the average household size of 2.3 is 0.2 below national, consistent with a working-age population mixing young families and new arrivals.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.6%
Houses
18.4%
Townhouse
6.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renting: 45.8% rent against 32.0% with a mortgage and 22.2% owning outright, a renter share that helps explain the IER decile of 3 (low economic resources) despite mid-range incomes, because aggregate household wealth stays depressed when fewer residents own. The dwelling mix is detached-dominant, with 75.6% separate houses, 18.4% semi-detached and only 6.0% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 50.7% of stock and four-plus bedrooms 25.7%, so the suburb supplies family-sized housing more than it does the small units common closer to the CBD. Affordability is comfortable: mortgage-to-income at 25.7% and rent-to-income at 22.5% both sit below stress thresholds, and the $440,000 median is well below Perth's metropolitan average.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$865
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.7%
Unoccupied
380
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.5%
Couples, no children
4,706
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 15.5% (378 workers), with Mining a notable second at 10.0% (243), Professional/Tech at 9.3% (226), Construction at 8.5% (207) and Education at 7.4% (181). The Mining share reflects Belmont's role housing fly-in fly-out and resources-sector workers near Perth Airport. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 713, ahead of Clerical/Admin (443) and Community/Personal (433). Full-time employment runs at 66.7% and unemployment at 6.6% sits above the national rate, a soft spot consistent with the suburb's mixed economic profile. SEIFA confirms this split: an IEO decile of 6 for education and occupation outranks an IER decile of 3 for economic resources, showing skills present but wealth thin. Real incomes grew 23.0% over the decade.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
8,396
Unemployed
351
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.7%
Part-time
26.7%
Participation
61.9%
Employed
3,405
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.0%
Postgraduate
8.5%
Born Overseas
43.1%
Dwellings
2,852
Transport to Work
Belmont is car-dependent: 81.9% of commuters drive, well above the share using public transport at 8.5%, and only 2.9% walk or cycle, reflecting a low-density layout at 1,591 people per km2 across 4.37 km2. Proximity to Perth Airport, 8 km from the CBD, supports the suburb's resources and aviation workforce but adds noise and traffic. On disadvantage, the IRSAD decile of 5 places Belmont at the national midpoint, neither advantaged nor deprived, with the IRSD decile of 4 sitting just below average. The volunteering rate of 12.7% and a need-for-assistance share of 4.9% indicate moderate community engagement and support needs. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on neighbouring catchments for education.
Drive
81.9%
Public Transport
8.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.5%/yr
(+76 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow at 0.5% per year (about 76 persons), with a 10-year change of 10.2%, well below the high-growth corridors on Perth's fringe. The driver is overseas migration of 146 people annually, but an internal outflow of 146 cancels it exactly, leaving net movement flat and the trajectory classified as stable. The gentrification picture is mixed: the shift indicator scores 50 (active), driven by 44.6% rent growth and 23.0% real income growth, yet the standalone gentrification score reads 0 because of the net internal outflow. The working-age share rose 0.9 points while the senior share fell 0.8, a modest renewal. Affordability improved slightly, from 45.8% in 2011 to 43.8% in 2021, a contrast to the deterioration seen across much of metropolitan Perth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+146
Net Internal / yr
-146
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -146/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Belmont compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belmont a good suburb to live in?
Belmont suits renters and value buyers: the $440,000 median house price is well below Perth's average and rent-to-income at 22.5% stays under stress thresholds. The IRSAD decile of 5 places it at the national midpoint. The trade-offs are heavy car dependence (81.9% drive), an 11.7% vacancy rate, and no schools recorded within the suburb.
What is the median house price in Belmont?
The median house price is $440,000 (estimated from rent, 2025), well below Perth's metropolitan benchmark. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and weekly rent is $350, producing a gross rental yield near 4.1%, higher than premium inner-city suburbs. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.7%, below the 30% stress line.
What schools are in Belmont?
No schools are recorded within the Belmont suburb boundary in this dataset (0 listed), so families rely on neighbouring catchments. With three-bedroom homes making up 50.7% of stock and 43.1% of residents born overseas, demand for nearby schooling is real, but education provision sits outside the suburb itself.
Is Belmont safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Belmont in this dataset, so a safety rating cannot be quoted with a figure. Context: the IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national midpoint for socioeconomic conditions, and the IRSD disadvantage decile of 4 sits just below average, neither of which points to severe deprivation.
Is Belmont good for property investment?
The case is mixed. A $350 weekly rent on a $440,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%, above inner-city suburbs, and the 45.8% renter share is a deep tenant pool. But the 11.7% vacancy rate signals oversupply and weak rent power, and population growth of just 0.5% per year limits demand upside.
How is Belmont's population changing?
Growth is slow at 0.5% per year, around 76 people, with a 10-year change of 10.2%, well below Perth's fringe corridors. Overseas migration adds 146 residents annually but an internal outflow of 146 cancels it. The median age of 36 is 4 years below national, and the working-age share rose 0.9 points.
How multicultural is Belmont?
Belmont is notably international: 43.1% of residents were born overseas, 21.5 points above the national share. English ancestry leads at 1,974, followed by Chinese (609) and Irish (515). The top non-English languages are Mandarin (155), Cantonese (68) and Hindi (64), reflecting recent South and East Asian migration.
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 Belmont on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map