Brookdale
With a median age of 30 and 54% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms, Brookdale tells a story about young families buying in at the affordable end of Perth's southeast. The median house price sits around $373,000, well below the WA state median, and the suburb ranks in SEIFA decile 1 on both IRSD and IRSAD, placing it in the bottom 10% nationally for socioeconomic advantage. At 2,968 residents across just 1.2 square kilometres, density runs at 2,473 per km2. The household income sits at the 39.9th percentile nationally, and 10.2% unemployment underlines that financial stress, not wealth accumulation, shapes daily life here.
Population
2,968
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,396/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$373K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $373,000 positions Brookdale as one of Perth's more accessible entry points, attractive to first-home buyers who cannot stretch further toward the inner ring. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 98.3%, with 54% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and only 40.4% having 3 bedrooms, which suits growing families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,438, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.8%, below the standard 30% stress threshold despite household incomes at the 39.9th percentile nationally. Some 56.5% of residents carry a mortgage compared to just 14.1% who own outright, reflecting a suburb where recent purchase rather than long-held wealth is the norm. The 5.2% vacancy rate is elevated, suggesting some softness in demand that buyers can use to negotiate.
For Buyers
The median house price of $373,000 positions Brookdale as one of Perth's more accessible entry points, attractive to first-home buyers who cannot stretch further toward the inner ring. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 98.3%, with 54% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and only 40.4% having 3 bedrooms, which suits growing families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,438, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.8%, below the standard 30% stress threshold despite household incomes at the 39.9th percentile nationally. Some 56.5% of residents carry a mortgage compared to just 14.1% who own outright, reflecting a suburb where recent purchase rather than long-held wealth is the norm. The 5.2% vacancy rate is elevated, suggesting some softness in demand that buyers can use to negotiate.
For Investors
Brookdale's investment case is driven by affordability and renter demand rather than yield compression. Weekly rent of $300 against a $373,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.2%, stronger than many inner-Perth postcodes. The renter share at 29.4% provides a steady tenant base, though the 5.2% vacancy rate is above typical thresholds and warrants attention. Unemployment at 10.2% is high compared to state and national averages, which means some tenants face income instability. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply pressure is absent. The suburb sits in SEIFA decile 1, which historically correlates with lower capital growth but stable rental demand from households priced out of better-resourced areas.
Schools in Brookdale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Australian Christian College - Darling Downs
PP-10 · 201 students
Demographics
The median age of 30 is 10 years below the national figure, making Brookdale one of Perth's younger suburbs. The overseas-born share at 27.2% is 5.6 percentage points above national, with ancestry led by English (1,141), Scottish (225) and Irish (159), and smaller communities speaking Malayalam, Hindi and Arabic. University qualifications reach only 16.2%, which is 13.9 percentage points below the national average, consistent with an SEIFA IEO decile 1 classification reflecting low educational advantage. Average household size is 2.9, above the national average by 0.4 persons, fitting the family-oriented profile. Couples with children (1,113 families) dominate the household mix, and 80.5% of residents have stayed in the same address over the preceding five years, indicating community stability despite economic pressures.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.3%
Houses
1.7%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Detached houses account for 98.3% of dwellings, one of the highest rates you will find in metropolitan Perth, with semi-detached at just 1.7% and no meaningful apartment stock. The bedroom mix skews large: 54% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 40.4% have 3, which suits families but limits the pool of smaller-dwelling buyers. Tenure splits 56.5% with mortgage, 14.1% own outright and 29.4% renting, meaning almost three in five households are paying down a loan. The rent-to-income ratio of 21.5% keeps renters below the 30% stress benchmark, and the mortgage-to-income ratio at 23.8% does the same for buyers. Housing stress, while not severe on the ratios, exists in the background given the household income sitting at only the 39.9th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,438
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$620
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
54
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
14.9%
Couples, no children
2,409
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local employment mix at 18.8% (116 workers), followed by Retail at 9.7%, Education at 8.9%, Public Admin at 7.4% and Construction at 7.3%. By occupation, Labourers (190) and Machinery/Drivers (177) are the largest groups, reflecting a blue-collar and trades workforce more than professional services. Full-time employment runs at 64.2% for those in work, but the overall unemployment rate of 10.2% is well above national levels, and the participation rate of 56.4% indicates a significant portion of working-age residents are outside the labour force entirely. The suburb scores SEIFA IEO decile 1, the bottom tier nationally for education and occupation, and IRSD decile 1 for relative disadvantage, which together explain the income distribution sitting at the 39.9th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.2%
Part-time
25.6%
Participation
56.4%
Employed
1,086
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.2%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
27.2%
Dwellings
975
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total at 86.9% of residents driving to work, compared to just 2.9% using public transport and 2.1% walking or cycling. This is well above national car-reliance levels and reflects the suburb's outer-metropolitan location where rail and bus access are limited. No schools are recorded inside the 1.2 square kilometre boundary, so families depend on nearby institutions in adjacent suburbs. Crime data is not available in this dataset, though as an indirect indicator the IRSD decile 1 classification nationally signals elevated relative disadvantage, which typically correlates with higher crime rates in comparable suburbs. Volunteering runs at 12.0% and 7.4% of residents (204 people) need daily assistance, slightly above average. Housing stress ratios remain below the stress threshold at 21.5% rent-to-income and 23.8% mortgage-to-income.
Drive
86.9%
Public Transport
2.9%
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 Brookdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brookdale a good suburb to live in?
Brookdale suits families seeking affordable, large detached homes in Perth's southeast. The median house price is around $373,000, well below the Perth median, and 54% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms. Trade-offs include a 10.2% unemployment rate, SEIFA decile 1 ranking nationally (bottom 10% for advantage), heavy car dependence at 86.9%, and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Brookdale?
The median house price in Brookdale is approximately $373,000, based on 2025 estimates derived from rental data. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,438, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes at the 39.9th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Brookdale?
No schools are recorded inside the Brookdale suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs within the City of Armadale area. University qualifications locally reach only 16.2%, which is 13.9 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the suburb's SEIFA IEO decile 1 classification.
Is Brookdale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Brookdale in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb ranks in SEIFA IRSD decile 1 nationally, the bottom 10% for relative disadvantage, which typically correlates with higher crime rates than better-resourced areas. Unemployment at 10.2% adds additional context. Residents considering safety should review WA Police crime mapping for the 6112 postcode.
Is Brookdale good for property investment?
Brookdale offers a gross yield around 4.2% based on $300 weekly rent against a $373,000 median, stronger than many inner-Perth suburbs. However, the 5.2% vacancy rate is elevated, and unemployment at 10.2% means some tenants face income instability. No development applications in 12 months suggests no new supply risk. It suits investors seeking yield over capital growth, given the decile 1 SEIFA ranking.
How is Brookdale's population changing?
Brookdale has 2,968 residents in a 1.2 square kilometre footprint, indicating a fully built-out suburb with limited room for population growth from new housing. The resident turnover rate is 19.5%, with 80.5% of residents having stayed in the same address. The median age of 30, which is 10 years below the national figure, points to a young and relatively stable family base.
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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