Como
Como's most distinctive marker is not riverfront glamour but churn: 42.1% of homes are rented and the vacancy rate sits at 11.1%, higher than many inner Perth suburbs. The suburb holds 14,786 residents in 6.43 sq km, with 52.6% semi-detached housing rather than the detached profile found more often around Manning. Compared with South Perth, Como reads as more mixed and practical, because rentals, townhouses and strong education access sit beside above-national university attainment of 52.9%.
Population
14,786
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,780/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
144
Median House
$476K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers should treat Como as a townhouse-led market rather than a detached-house suburb: 52.6% of dwellings are semi-detached, 32.9% separate houses and 14.5% apartments. Serviceability looks manageable compared with higher-stress markets; typical mortgage payments are $2,041 a month, equal to 26.5% of income and below common stress thresholds. With 41.6% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 34.4% having 2, buyers get more compact stock than outer Perth.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should treat Como as a townhouse-led market rather than a detached-house suburb: 52.6% of dwellings are semi-detached, 32.9% separate houses and 14.5% apartments. Serviceability looks manageable compared with higher-stress markets; typical mortgage payments are $2,041 a month, equal to 26.5% of income and below common stress thresholds. With 41.6% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 34.4% having 2, buyers get more compact stock than outer Perth.
For Investors
Investors see a renter-heavy suburb, with 42.1% renting compared with 28.8% owned outright and 29.1% under mortgage. Weekly rent is $350 and the vacancy rate is 11.1%, so leasing assumptions need caution because supply can absorb demand faster than lower-vacancy markets. The 116 development applications in 12 months point to active renewal, while overseas migration is the forecast primary driver, adding an average 379 people a year and supporting tenant demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
353
Last 12 Months
144
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+12.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Como iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Penrhos College
PP-12 · 1033 students
Como Primary School
K-6 · 460 students
Collier Primary School
K-6 · 298 students
Como Secondary College
7-12 · 838 students
Demographics
Como is educated and internationally tilted: 52.9% of residents have a university qualification, 22.8 percentage points above the national level, and 36.4% were born overseas, 14.8 points higher than nationally. Median age is 38, about 2.0 years below Australia, while household size averages 2.1, lower by 0.4. English ancestry leads at 5,311 people, followed by Irish 1,427, Scottish 1,414 and Chinese 1,231, with Mandarin the largest listed non-English language at 213 speakers. The smaller household pattern fits because 2 and 3 bedroom dwellings dominate local stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
32.9%
Houses
52.6%
Townhouse
14.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Como's housing structure is more attached than the Perth suburban norm, with 52.6% semi-detached dwellings compared with 32.9% separate houses and 14.5% apartments. Ownership is split: 28.8% own outright, 29.1% have a mortgage and 42.1% rent, so turnover and tenant demand matter more than in lower-rental family suburbs such as Manning. The $2,041 monthly mortgage burden is 26.5% of income, below stress settings, because household income sits at the 62.8 percentile.
Mortgage / mo
$2,041
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,001
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.1%
Unoccupied
819
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.8%
Couples, no children
9,819
Total families
Economy & Employment
Como's workforce leans professional, which helps explain its higher income profile: household income sits at the 62.8 percentile and the education and occupation indexes rank in decile 9. Healthcare employs 1,111 people or 18.1%, followed by Professional/Tech at 884 and 14.4%, Education at 806 and 13.1%, Mining at 465 and 7.6%, and Public Admin at 376 and 6.1%. Professionals number 3,045 and Managers 1,113, while unemployment is 4.9% with a 62.3% participation rate. The resource index is lower in decile 4, showing good qualifications but more mixed household balance sheets.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
10,070
Unemployed
253
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.5%
Part-time
29.6%
Participation
62.3%
Employed
7,614
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.9%
Postgraduate
13.9%
Born Overseas
36.4%
Dwellings
6,529
Transport to Work
Livability is anchored by education and inner-south access. Four local schools span ICSEA 1056 to 1143, led by Penrhos College at 1143 with 1,033 enrolments, Como Primary at 1140 with 460, and Government secondary coverage through Como Secondary College at 1056. Public transport commuting is 13.4%, below car driving at 78.0%, so convenience still depends on road access because daily trips are car-led. Socio-educational advantage is strong, with IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 8, higher than average disadvantage settings.
Drive
78.0%
Public Transport
13.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.85%/yr
(+138 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive: the forecast trend is 0.85% a year, about 138 people annually, lifting the medium path from 16,063 in 2026 to 16,753 in 2031. Migration is the engine because overseas inflow averages +379 a year while internal migration averages -102, so local demand is refreshed from abroad more than from Perth movers. The age trajectory is aging, with senior share up 4.8 points, but gentrification is only Early signs with a score of 29, below a rapid-change reading.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+379
Net Internal / yr
-102
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal outflow -102/yr, Strong overseas inflow +379/yr, Accelerating: 2% → 11%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Como compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Como a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for buyers who value inner-south access, education and compact housing. Como has 14,786 residents, 4 local schools and IRSAD decile 8, which is higher than average. The main trade-off is car reliance, with 78.0% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Como?
A current median house price is not published for Como, so it is safer to assess affordability through repayments and incomes. Typical mortgage payments are $2,041 a month, equal to 26.5% of income, below common stress thresholds.
What schools are in Como?
Como has 4 local schools: Penrhos College, Como Primary School, Collier Primary School and Como Secondary College. ICSEA values range from 1056 to 1143, with Independent and Government options, so school choice sits above average academically.
Is Como safe?
No current suburb-level crime rate is published for Como, so safety should be checked through recent WA Police releases and street-level inspection. For context, Como has 14,786 residents and 4 schools, with IRSD decile 8 indicating lower disadvantage than average.
Is Como good for property investment?
Como has investment appeal because 42.1% of dwellings are rented and weekly rent is $350, both pointing to an established tenant market. The caution is the 11.1% vacancy rate, which is higher than tight rental markets, plus 116 development applications that may add competition.
How is Como's population changing?
Como is growing steadily rather than rapidly. The forecast trend is 0.85% a year, or about 138 people annually, with the medium path reaching 16,753 by 2031. Overseas migration is the main driver at an average +379 people a year, compared with -102 internal migration.
What languages are spoken in Como?
English is dominant, but Como has a sizeable overseas-born population at 36.4%, which is 14.8 percentage points above the national level. Listed non-English languages include Mandarin with 213 speakers, Canton with 86, Persian with 73, Italian with 68 and Arabic with 66.
Is there much development happening in Como?
Yes. Como recorded 116 development applications over 12 months, which is high enough to signal active renewal compared with quieter established suburbs. That matters because 52.6% of dwellings are semi-detached and the area is already suited to incremental infill.
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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