WA 6122 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Byford

A 150.9% population rise over 10 years defines Byford more than any single amenity. With 18,878 residents, a median age of 31, and 98.8% separate houses, it functions as a young family growth corridor compared with nearby Mundijong and older Armadale fringe suburbs. The 70.1% mortgage share is high because new estates have pulled in owner-occupiers, while household income sits at the 77.2 percentile nationally.

Byford urban fabric map

Population

18,878

Median Age

31.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,059/wk

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

0

Median House

$480K

Estimated from rent (2025)

19.58 km²· 964.1 people/km²· Family income $2,184/wk

Byford suits buyers seeking space rather than apartment choice: 98.8% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with just 0.1% apartments and 1.1% semi-detached homes. Family-sized stock dominates, with 73.3% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and 24.8% having 3. Mortgage costs average $1,898 a month, and mortgage payments take 21.3% of income, so the suburb remains more manageable for dual-income families than many higher-price Perth locations.

For Buyers

Byford suits buyers seeking space rather than apartment choice: 98.8% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with just 0.1% apartments and 1.1% semi-detached homes. Family-sized stock dominates, with 73.3% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and 24.8% having 3. Mortgage costs average $1,898 a month, and mortgage payments take 21.3% of income, so the suburb remains more manageable for dual-income families than many higher-price Perth locations.

For Investors

Byford is not a classic high-renter market: 15.6% of homes are rented, compared with 70.1% under mortgage. Weekly rent is $380 and rent takes 18.5% of income, which supports affordability for tenants but limits premium-rent positioning. Vacancy is 6.3%, so near-term leasing risk is higher than in tighter markets. The investment case is mainly population-led, with forecast growth of 4.21% a year and internal migration adding an average 858 people annually.

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

Salvado Catholic College

ICSEA 1035 Combined Catholic

PP-11 · 867 students

Byford John Calvin School

ICSEA 1033 Primary Independent

PP-6 · 208 students

Woodland Grove Primary School

ICSEA 993 Primary Government

K-6 · 781 students

West Byford Primary School

ICSEA 992 Primary Government

K-6 · 817 students

Byford Secondary College

ICSEA 971 Secondary Government

7-12 · 1419 students

Demographics

Byford is notably young, with a median age of 31, which is 9.0 years below the national figure. Overseas-born residents make up 28.7%, or 7.1 percentage points above national, while university attainment is 19.1%, 11.0 points below national. The mix reflects a trades, services and family-estate profile rather than an inner-city professional one. Household size is 3.0, 0.5 above national, and Punjabi is the largest listed non-English language with 268 speakers.

Age Distribution

0-14
28.9%
15-24
10.9%
25-44
35.0%
45-64
17.9%
65+
7.3%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.2%
2 bed
1.7%
3 bed
24.8%
4+ bed
73.3%

Dwelling Structure

98.8%

Houses

1.1%

Townhouse

0.1%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 14.2% Mortgage 70.1% Rent 15.6%

With no published median house price, Byford's housing story is best read through tenure, dwelling type and stress measures. It is strongly mortgage-led: 70.1% of homes are mortgaged compared with 14.2% owned outright and 15.6% rented. Separate houses account for 98.8% of dwellings vs 0.1% apartments, so downsizer and unit options are scarce. The 21.3% mortgage-to-income ratio and 18.5% rent-to-income ratio suggest costs are contained because incomes are relatively high for the area.

Mortgage / mo

$1,898

Rent / wk

$380

HH Size

3.0

Personal Income / wk

$947

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

6.3%

Unoccupied

400

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

18.5%

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

21.3%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Punjabi
268
Afrikaans
93
Malayalam
68
Mandarin
41
Hindi
38
Urdu
33

Ancestry

English
8,062
Other
2,610
Scottish
1,465
Irish
1,235
Ancestry NS
903
Indian
707

Household Composition

17.4%

Couples, no children

16,172

Total families

Economy & Employment

Byford's workforce is practical and services-based. Healthcare leads at 17.0% of workers, followed by construction at 11.0%, education at 9.3%, mining at 8.6% and manufacturing at 7.8%. Occupations are spread across clerical/admin roles with 1,264 workers, community/personal roles with 1,222 and machinery/drivers with 1,190. SEIFA is mixed: IER is in decile 9, above most areas for economic resources, while IEO is decile 3, reflecting lower education and occupation scores.

Unemployment

3.7%

Labour Force

14,722

Unemployed

542

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

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

Overall advantage
5
Disadvantage
6
Economic resources
9
Education & occupation
3

Full-time

67.8%

Part-time

27.6%

Participation

68.0%

Employed

8,708

Occupations

Clerical/Admin 1,264
Community/Personal 1,222
Machinery/Drivers 1,190
Professionals 1,158
Labourers 921
Managers 810
Sales 770

Top Industries

Healthcare 17.0%
Construction 11.0%
Education 9.3%
Mining 8.6%
Manufacturing 7.8%

University

19.1%

Postgraduate

3.6%

Born Overseas

28.7%

Dwellings

5,980

Transport to Work

Daily life in Byford is car-oriented, with 89.8% of commuters driving compared with 3.1% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling. School choice is a strength for families: 8 local schools span an ICSEA range of 961 to 1035, led by Salvado Catholic College at 1035 with 867 students and Byford John Calvin School at 1033 with 208 students. Byford Secondary College adds a large government option with 1,419 enrolments, supporting local access as the population grows.

Drive

89.8%

Public Transport

3.1%

Walk / Cycle

1.5%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+4.21%/yr

(+1,140 people/yr)

High Growth

Byford is in a high-growth phase rather than a mature replacement cycle. Forecast annual growth is 4.21%, equal to about 1,140 additional residents a year, and the medium path rises from 27,521 in 2026 to 33,222 in 2031 compared with 27,064 in 2025. Migration is the engine: internal migration averages 858 net people a year, above overseas migration at 251. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is New development, so growth is estate-led rather than renovation-led.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Internal Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+251

Net Internal / yr

+858

0

Gentrification Signal

New development

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

How Byford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 1%
Household Income
Top 23%
Rent Level
Top 21%
Apartments
Bottom 0%
Renters
Bottom 35%
Uni Educated
Bottom 34%
Public Transport
Bottom 48%
Born Overseas
Top 15%
Density
Top 16%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Byford a good suburb to live in?

Byford is a strong fit for households wanting newer family housing, with 98.8% separate houses and 73.3% of homes offering 4 or more bedrooms. It is car-dependent at 89.8% driving, so it suits residents comfortable with commuting by vehicle.

What is the median house price in Byford?

A current median house price is not published for Byford. The local affordability picture is instead visible through housing costs: mortgage payments average $1,898 a month, weekly rent is $380, and mortgage costs take 21.3% of income.

What schools are in Byford?

Byford has 8 local schools across Catholic, Independent and Government sectors. Leading ICSEA results include Salvado Catholic College at 1035 and Byford John Calvin School at 1033, while Byford Secondary College has 1,419 enrolments.

Is Byford safe?

A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Byford, so safety should be assessed through street-level checks and recent local reports. The suburb has 18,878 residents and a young median age of 31, with schools and family housing shaping much of the daily activity.

Is Byford good for property investment?

Byford's investment appeal is growth-led. Rent is $380 a week and only 15.6% of homes are rented, but population growth is forecast at 4.21% a year. Vacancy is 6.3%, so investors should allow for leasing competition.

How is Byford's population changing?

Byford is growing quickly, with a 150.9% population change over 10 years. Forecast growth is 4.21% a year, or about 1,140 people annually, with internal migration the main driver at an average 858 net people each year.

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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