Butler
At 32 years, Butler skews 8 years younger than the national median, with 13,473 residents packed into 5.31 sq km at 2,536.7 people per sq km. Its character is strongly family and mortgage belt: 96.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 52.1% are being bought with a mortgage and 52.9% have 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with coastal Jindalee or Quinns Rocks, Butler reads more as a rail-linked, newer northern corridor base, helped by a 45.1% overseas-born share that sits 23.5 percentage points above the national level.
Population
13,473
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,710/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
For homebuyers, Butler is about house and land practicality rather than unit choice. Separate houses make up 96.1% of stock, while apartments are only 0.9% and semi-detached homes 3.0%, so buyers wanting low-maintenance strata options have fewer paths than in denser suburbs. The bedroom mix favours families, with 38.4% 3-bedroom and 52.9% 4-plus-bedroom homes. Monthly mortgage costs of $1,733 take 23.4% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household income sits in the 60.1 percentile.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Butler is about house and land practicality rather than unit choice. Separate houses make up 96.1% of stock, while apartments are only 0.9% and semi-detached homes 3.0%, so buyers wanting low-maintenance strata options have fewer paths than in denser suburbs. The bedroom mix favours families, with 38.4% 3-bedroom and 52.9% 4-plus-bedroom homes. Monthly mortgage costs of $1,733 take 23.4% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household income sits in the 60.1 percentile.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed setting. The renter base is meaningful at 35.2%, with median weekly rent of $340, but the 6.1% vacancy rate is higher than a tight landlord market and points to leasing competition. Demand is supported by 13,473 residents, 45.1% born overseas and 9.2% public transport commuting around Butler station. However, 0 recorded developments in 12 months suggests limited near-term uplift from new projects, so returns are more likely tied to family rental demand than redevelopment.
Schools in Butler iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School
PP-6 · 411 students
Irene McCormack Catholic College
7-12 · 665 students
John Butler Primary College
K-6 · 453 students
Butler Primary School
K-6 · 530 students
East Butler Primary School
K-6 · 244 students
Demographics
Butler's demographics are younger and more migrant-influenced than the national pattern. The median age is 32, 8 years below the national figure, and 45.1% of residents were born overseas, 23.5 percentage points above national. University attainment is 21.9%, which is 8.2 points lower than national, fitting a workforce with strong trades, care and service roles. English ancestry leads at 6,258 people, followed by Scottish 1,294 and Irish 1,213, while average household size is 2.8, 0.3 above national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.1%
Houses
3.0%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Butler's housing base ranks as almost entirely detached: 96.1% separate houses compared with just 0.9% apartments and 3.0% semi-detached homes. Ownership is mortgage-heavy, with 52.1% of homes being purchased, 12.7% owned outright and 35.2% rented. A median house price is not recorded, so affordability is better read through costs: mortgages average $1,733 per month and absorb 23.4% of income, while rent averages $340 per week and 19.9% of income. The large 4-plus-bedroom share of 52.9% explains the family tilt.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$340
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$785
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.1%
Unoccupied
301
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.3%
Couples, no children
11,149
Total families
Economy & Employment
Butler's economy leans into population-serving work, with Healthcare at 19.4% and 785 workers, followed by Construction at 11.4%, Education 10.5%, Retail 8.2% and Mining 7.9%. Occupations are broad: Community and Personal roles count 1,006, Professionals 944 and Clerical/Admin 817. Full-time work is 63.0%, participation 65.5% and unemployment 7.4%, above stronger labour markets. SEIFA shows the split: IEO decile 3, IER 5, IRSD 3 and IRSAD 3, meaning resources sit closer to average than education and advantage.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
29.6%
Participation
65.5%
Employed
6,229
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.9%
Postgraduate
4.1%
Born Overseas
45.1%
Dwellings
4,651
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for families needing schools, space and car access. Six schools cover Catholic and Government options, with ICSEA values from 965 to 1030; St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary leads at 1030, Irene McCormack Catholic College is 1013 and John Butler Primary College is 986. Commuting is still car-led, with 81.6% driving compared with 9.2% on public transport and 1.7% walking or cycling. IRSAD decile 3 is below the state top end, so amenity is practical rather than prestige-priced.
Drive
81.6%
Public Transport
9.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Butler compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Butler a good suburb to live in?
Butler suits families wanting space, schools and a younger resident base. It has 6 local schools, 96.1% separate houses and a median age of 32, which is 8 years below the national figure.
What is the median house price in Butler?
A current median house price is not recorded for Butler. Buyers can still gauge costs from $1,733 monthly mortgages, $340 weekly rent and mortgage payments at 23.4% of income.
What schools are in Butler?
Butler has 6 schools across Catholic and Government sectors. ICSEA values range from 965 to 1030, led by St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary at 1030 and Irene McCormack Catholic College at 1013.
Is Butler safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not published for Butler, so check current WA Police maps and inspect target streets. For context, the suburb has 13,473 residents and 6 schools.
Is Butler good for property investment?
Butler can suit family rental strategies: 35.2% of homes are rented and median rent is $340 per week. The caution is vacancy at 6.1%, higher than a tight market, plus 0 recorded developments in 12 months.
How is Butler's population changing?
Butler has a young, arrival-driven base of 13,473 residents. The median age is 32, 8 years below national, and 45.1% of residents were born overseas, 23.5 points above national.
What languages are spoken in Butler?
English is the main language setting, but overseas-born residents make up 45.1% of the population. Recorded non-English languages include Afrikaans with 137 speakers, Arabic 61, Punjabi 42, Hindi 29 and Mandarin 27.
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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