WA 6153 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Brentwood

With 50.8% of residents holding university qualifications, Brentwood sits 20.7 percentage points above the national average, making it one of the more educated pockets in Perth's southern corridor. At 0.89 square kilometres and a density of 2,420 people per km2, it functions as a compact, walkable suburb with a population of 2,153. The median age of 38 runs 2 years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age skew. Household income places at the 59.8th percentile nationally, which is solidly middle ground rather than aspirational, and that combination of high education without premium income signals a suburb of knowledge workers who have not yet been fully repriced by the market.

Brentwood urban fabric map

Population

2,153

Median Age

38.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,707/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

0

Median House

$482K

Estimated from rent (2025)

0.89 km²· 2,419.6 people/km²· Family income $2,426/wk

The median house price in Brentwood is approximately $482,000, estimated from 2025 rental data, which is affordable by Perth metropolitan standards and well below the WA state median for similar-sized suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,100, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 28.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here carry manageable debt loads compared to many Perth coastal suburbs. Separate houses make up 68.9% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 30.4% and apartments at just 0.7%. Three-bedroom homes account for 52.6% of stock, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 28.4%, so families have genuine choice. Ownership is split roughly equally: 27.7% own outright, 30.7% carry mortgages, and 41.6% rent, higher than average nationally.

For Buyers

The median house price in Brentwood is approximately $482,000, estimated from 2025 rental data, which is affordable by Perth metropolitan standards and well below the WA state median for similar-sized suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,100, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 28.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here carry manageable debt loads compared to many Perth coastal suburbs. Separate houses make up 68.9% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 30.4% and apartments at just 0.7%. Three-bedroom homes account for 52.6% of stock, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 28.4%, so families have genuine choice. Ownership is split roughly equally: 27.7% own outright, 30.7% carry mortgages, and 41.6% rent, higher than average nationally.

For Investors

A renter share of 41.6% is above the national average and gives landlords a reliably deep tenant pool. Weekly rent averages $350, and rent-to-income at 20.5% is well below the 30% stress threshold, indicating tenants can sustain rent without financial pressure. The 5.8% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants attention, pointing to some supply-demand slack in the rental market compared to tighter Perth suburbs. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term pressure. The suburb's high university-educated workforce at 50.8% and dominant healthcare and professional industries support stable, white-collar tenancy, lower turnover risk relative to lower-skilled suburbs.

Schools in Brentwood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Brentwood Primary School

ICSEA 1116 Primary Government

K-6 · 331 students

Demographics

Brentwood's overseas-born share of 35.5% sits 13.9 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting genuine multicultural composition. English ancestry leads at 720 residents, followed by Chinese at 345 and Scottish at 172. The main non-English language speakers are Mandarin (68) and Cantonese (29), consistent with a Chinese-heritage community of meaningful size. The median age of 38 is 2 years younger than the national median, and couples with children make up 736 of 1,662 recorded families, compared to 336 couples without children, suggesting a family-formation rather than empty-nester profile. The volunteering rate of 22.3% is relatively high, indicating community participation above the baseline for a metropolitan suburb.

Age Distribution

0-14
20.1%
15-24
13.4%
25-44
25.6%
45-64
25.5%
65+
15.7%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
4.5%
2 bed
14.6%
3 bed
52.6%
4+ bed
28.4%

Dwelling Structure

68.9%

Houses

30.4%

Townhouse

0.7%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 27.7% Mortgage 30.7% Rent 41.6%

Brentwood's tenure structure leans toward renting: 41.6% of residents rent, 30.7% hold mortgages, and 27.7% own outright. The 27.7% outright-owner share is lower than many established Perth suburbs, consistent with an identity signal of affordability rather than long-held wealth. The stock is dominated by three-bedroom separate houses at 52.6%, with four-plus bedroom homes adding another 28.4%, so larger family configurations are well represented. Semi-detached dwellings at 30.4% offer an entry point between house and apartment, while apartments at 0.7% are almost non-existent. The estimated median price of $482,000 and average monthly mortgage of $2,100 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.4%, below stress levels, making Brentwood one of the more accessible suburban markets south of the Perth CBD.

Mortgage / mo

$2,100

Rent / wk

$350

HH Size

2.5

Personal Income / wk

$785

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

5.8%

Unoccupied

53

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.5%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

28.4%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
68
Canton
29
Japan
11

Ancestry

English
720
Chinese
345
Other
340
Scottish
172
Irish
149
Ancestry NS
85

Household Composition

20.2%

Couples, no children

1,662

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is the dominant employer at 19.2% of workers (147 residents), followed by Professional and Technical services at 13.2% (101) and Education at 12.6% (96). Public administration employs 7.1% and Mining 6.3%, the latter reflecting WA's broader resource economy feeding into even suburban professional workforces. By occupation, Professionals account for 366 workers and Managers 146, together representing the clear majority of employed residents. The full-time employment rate of 60.4% and unemployment of 7.1% are above the national average for unemployment, partly explained by the suburb's high student and part-time workforce given the 50.8% university qualification rate. Household income at the 59.8th percentile nationally positions Brentwood as solidly middle-income, not affluent, despite its knowledge-sector employment base.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Full-time

60.4%

Part-time

32.5%

Participation

61.9%

Employed

992

Occupations

Professionals 366
Managers 146
Clerical/Admin 115
Community/Personal 105
Labourers 76
Sales 71
Machinery/Drivers 38

Top Industries

Healthcare 19.2%
Professional/Tech 13.2%
Education 12.6%
Public Admin 7.1%
Mining 6.3%

University

50.8%

Postgraduate

15.0%

Born Overseas

35.5%

Dwellings

854

Transport to Work

Car dependency is high: 79.4% of residents drive to work, compared to 11.4% using public transport. Walking and cycling account for just 2.1%, consistent with a suburban layout more than 10 kilometres from the Perth CBD. No schools are recorded inside Brentwood's boundary, so families rely on institutions in adjacent suburbs. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb in the current dataset, limiting direct safety comparison. The rent-to-income ratio of 20.5% and mortgage-to-income of 28.4% both sit below stress thresholds, indicating residents are not financially stretched by housing costs. Households needing daily assistance total 125 people, representing 6.0% of the population, slightly above the national average, which may reflect the subset of an aging component within the family-aged residential mix.

Drive

79.4%

Public Transport

11.4%

Walk / Cycle

2.1%

Work from Home

N/A

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Brentwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 21%
Household Income
Top 40%
Rent Level
Top 28%
Apartments
Bottom 15%
Renters
Top 14%
Uni Educated
Top 8%
Public Transport
Top 9%
Born Overseas
Top 9%
Density
Top 6%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brentwood a good suburb to live in?

Brentwood suits working-age households and families. University qualifications reach 50.8%, which is 20.7 percentage points above the national average. Rent-to-income sits at 20.5% and mortgage-to-income at 28.4%, both below stress thresholds. The main limitations are no recorded schools inside the boundary and a 5.8% vacancy rate indicating some rental market softness.

What is the median house price in Brentwood?

The median house price is approximately $482,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,100, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.4%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $350, which is affordable relative to the household income at the 59.8th percentile nationally.

What schools are in Brentwood?

No schools are recorded inside Brentwood's 0.89 km2 boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, Brentwood's resident population is highly educated, with 50.8% holding university qualifications, which is 20.7 percentage points above the national figure.

Is Brentwood safe?

Detailed crime statistics for Brentwood are not available in the current dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb's housing stress metrics are low, with rent-to-income at 20.5% and mortgage-to-income at 28.4%, both below national stress thresholds, and 6.0% of residents (125 people) need daily assistance. Prospective residents should consult WA Police crime mapping for suburb-level data.

Is Brentwood good for property investment?

The 41.6% renter share is above national average, providing a broad tenant pool. Weekly rent of $350 and rent-to-income of 20.5% suggest tenants are not financially stretched. However, the 5.8% vacancy rate is elevated and indicates some supply slack. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is not an immediate concern against the $482,000 median.

How is Brentwood's population changing?

No formal population forecast is available for Brentwood in the brief. The current population of 2,153 occupies 0.89 km2 at a density of 2,420 people per km2, leaving limited scope for major infill growth. A residential turnover rate of 21.3% indicates moderate household movement. The 35.5% overseas-born share, which is 13.9 points above the national figure, suggests migration has been a historic driver of population renewal.

What languages are spoken in Brentwood?

About 35.5% of Brentwood residents were born overseas, which is 13.9 percentage points above the national average. Mandarin is the most common non-English language (68 speakers), followed by Cantonese (29) and Japanese (11), reflecting a notable Chinese-heritage community alongside the English and Scottish ancestry groups that lead ancestry counts.

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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