WA 6122 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Cardup

Household income at the 94.3rd percentile nationally, yet only 1,163 residents across 11 square kilometres: Cardup is a low-density outer suburb of Perth that punches well above its size on income while maintaining one of the lowest renter shares in the region. Nearly all dwellings, 99.2%, are separate houses, and 80.8% have 4 or more bedrooms, making it one of the most family-oriented housing stocks in WA. The median age of 40 is exactly equal to the national figure, but average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above national, pointing to families choosing space over proximity. With only 2.8% using public transport, the suburb runs almost entirely on car travel, which is consistent with its semi-rural character southeast of Perth.

Cardup urban fabric map

Population

1,163

Median Age

40.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,645/wk

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

0

Median House

$619K

Estimated from rent (2025)

11.07 km²· 105 people/km²· Family income $2,795/wk

The median house price sits at $619,000, estimated from rental data for 2025, and is more accessible than most Perth suburbs given that household income is in the 94.3rd percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,383, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability is significant because 69.8% of dwellings carry a mortgage, meaning most buyers are actively servicing debt without financial stress. The stock is almost entirely 4-plus bedroom separate houses at 80.8%, so buyers are getting substantial space. With only 5.0% of dwellings rented and outright ownership at 25.1%, the market is dominated by owner-occupiers who stay, which limits the frequency at which homes come to market.

For Buyers

The median house price sits at $619,000, estimated from rental data for 2025, and is more accessible than most Perth suburbs given that household income is in the 94.3rd percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,383, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability is significant because 69.8% of dwellings carry a mortgage, meaning most buyers are actively servicing debt without financial stress. The stock is almost entirely 4-plus bedroom separate houses at 80.8%, so buyers are getting substantial space. With only 5.0% of dwellings rented and outright ownership at 25.1%, the market is dominated by owner-occupiers who stay, which limits the frequency at which homes come to market.

For Investors

At 5.0% renting, Cardup has one of the smallest tenant pools found in Perth's outer suburbs, which limits rental demand and constrains yield. Weekly rent runs at $500, and against the $619,000 median that implies a gross yield close to 4.2%. The vacancy rate of 3.5% is moderate and does not signal chronic oversupply, but the thin rental market means prolonged vacancies are a realistic risk. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, signalling a fully established suburb with no new-supply pressure but also little speculative growth catalyst. With 82.8% of residents staying put from one year to the next versus a turnover rate of 17.2%, demand is stable but not driven by the high-churn population flows that typically inflate rental demand in growth corridors.

Demographics

The median age of 40 sits at exactly the national average, unlike many outer suburbs that skew younger or older. Average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above national, consistent with the dominant couples-with-children profile: 466 families are couples with children compared to 270 couples without. Ancestry skews strongly Anglo-Celtic, with English (495), Scottish (119), Dutch (111) and Irish (94) the top four groups. At 21.4% overseas-born, the suburb is marginally below the national average of 21.6%, giving it a more domestically rooted composition than many Perth suburbs closer to the city. University qualifications at 19.6% are 10.5 points below the national benchmark, which aligns with the construction and trades-heavy occupational base.

Age Distribution

0-14
19.9%
15-24
14.2%
25-44
21.8%
45-64
32.2%
65+
11.7%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.8%
2 bed
3.4%
3 bed
14.9%
4+ bed
80.8%

Dwelling Structure

99.2%

Houses

N/A

Townhouse

0.8%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 25.1% Mortgage 69.8% Rent 5.0%

The housing stock is almost entirely single detached houses at 99.2%, with apartments at just 0.8%, which is far from the national norm. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 80.8% of dwellings, indicating large-format family housing rather than entry-level or downsizer product. Tenure is dominated by mortgage holders at 69.8%, with outright owners at 25.1% and renters at only 5.0%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.8% and rent-to-income of 18.9% are both comfortably below stress thresholds, meaning the suburb is genuinely affordable relative to its income base. At the $619,000 median, Cardup sits below the Perth metro median, offering detached family housing at a lower price than inner and middle-ring alternatives.

Mortgage / mo

$2,383

Rent / wk

$500

HH Size

3.1

Personal Income / wk

$953

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

3.5%

Unoccupied

13

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

18.9%

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

20.8%

Community Profile

Ancestry

English
495
Scottish
119
Dutch
111
Irish
94
Other
85
Ancestry NS
44

Household Composition

26.2%

Couples, no children

1,030

Total families

Economy & Employment

Construction leads as the top industry at 15.2% of employed residents (57 workers), followed by Healthcare at 12.6% and Public Administration and Education each at 10.2%. This mix is less knowledge-intensive than higher-income suburbs, which explains why university qualifications at 19.6% run 10.5 points below national despite household income sitting in the 94.3rd percentile: tradespeople and skilled workers in construction and public services command strong wages without university degrees. The full-time employment rate is 63.9% and unemployment is low at 2.9%, below the national average. By occupation, Professionals (95) and Managers (82) lead, but Machinery/Drivers (66) at fifth place reflects the trades and logistics character of the local workforce.

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

Full-time

63.9%

Part-time

33.2%

Participation

70.0%

Employed

631

Occupations

Professionals 95
Managers 82
Community/Personal 79
Clerical/Admin 78
Machinery/Drivers 66
Labourers 62
Sales 53

Top Industries

Construction 15.2%
Healthcare 12.6%
Public Admin 10.2%
Education 10.2%
Manufacturing 9.4%

University

19.6%

Postgraduate

2.8%

Born Overseas

21.4%

Dwellings

359

Transport to Work

Car dependency is near-total at 89.7% of commuters driving, well above national averages, because Cardup sits in a semi-rural setting with minimal public transport coverage: only 2.8% use public transit. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families rely on nearby centres, which is a practical trade-off for semi-rural lot sizes. Volunteering runs at 17.7%, above typical suburban rates, and only 4.6% of residents need daily assistance, pointing to a healthy, self-sufficient population. Crime data is not available in this dataset. Housing stress is low on both measures: mortgage repayments at 20.8% of income and rent at 18.9% of income are both below the 30% threshold, giving residents more financial headroom than most Perth suburbs.

Drive

89.7%

Public Transport

2.8%

Walk / Cycle

1.6%

Work from Home

N/A

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

How Cardup compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 27%
Household Income
Top 6%
Rent Level
Top 6%
Apartments
Bottom 17%
Renters
Bottom 3%
Uni Educated
Bottom 36%
Public Transport
Bottom 45%
Born Overseas
Top 27%
Density
Top 26%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cardup a good suburb to live in?

Cardup suits families seeking large detached homes with low financial stress. Household income sits at the 94.3rd percentile nationally, and mortgage repayments average 20.8% of income, well below the 30% stress mark. The trade-off is near-total car dependency at 89.7% of commuters and no schools recorded inside the suburb.

What is the median house price in Cardup?

The median house price is $619,000 (estimated from rental data, 2025). Weekly rent is $500 and monthly mortgage repayments average $2,383. With household income at the 94.3rd percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.8%, making Cardup more affordable than the Perth metro median relative to local incomes.

What schools are in Cardup?

No schools are recorded within the Cardup suburb boundary in this dataset. With 1,163 residents and a semi-rural character, families typically access schools in nearby centres. The suburb has 466 couples-with-children families and average household size of 3.1, so school access in adjacent suburbs is a practical consideration.

Is Cardup safe?

Crime statistics are not available for Cardup in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb has a low unemployment rate of 2.9%, housing stress below 21% of income, and a high residential stability rate of 82.8% of residents staying year to year, all consistent with low-risk community conditions.

Is Cardup good for property investment?

At $500 per week rent against a $619,000 median, the estimated gross yield is around 4.2%, which is reasonable for a Perth outer suburb. However, only 5.0% of dwellings are rented, limiting the tenant pool. Zero development applications in 12 months confirms no new supply competition, but also no strong speculative growth signal.

How is Cardup's population changing?

Cardup has 1,163 residents across 11 square kilometres at a density of 105 per km2. No forecast data is available for this suburb. Annual residential turnover is 17.2%, meaning roughly 200 residents move each year, generating steady housing demand. The dominant profile is couples with children, with average household size 0.6 above the national average.

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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