Como
At 14,786 residents, Como combines a density of 2,298.1 people per square kilometre with an unusually high 11.1% vacancy rate. Its median age of 38 is 2 years below the national comparison, while 52.9% hold a university qualification, 22.8 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 36.4%, or 14.8 points above national, helping explain why overseas migration is the main growth driver. Nearby South Perth is a useful comparison point for buyers, because Como combines 52.6% semi-detached dwellings with 14.5% apartments rather than relying on detached homes alone. The result is a dense inner-south suburb with a renter presence and an unusually varied housing mix, although the vacancy rate warrants street-by-street checking.
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
117
Homebuyers need to assess Como by dwelling type because a single median house price is not available and the suburb is not dominated by detached homes. Semi-detached dwellings account for 52.6%, apartments 14.5% and separate houses 32.9%, so buyers can compare townhouse, villa and apartment options rather than assume a conventional house market. The indicative mortgage figure is $2,041 a month, while weekly rent is $350. Mortgage costs represent 26.5% of household income, higher than the 19.7% rent-to-income share, making deposit size and rate buffers important. Ownership is split between 27.8% outright owners and 28.1% mortgagors, with 40.7% renting. Two-bedroom and 3-bedroom stock, at 34.4% and 41.6%, is more prominent than 4-plus-bedroom homes at 20.1%, suiting smaller households and downsizers.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to assess Como by dwelling type because a single median house price is not available and the suburb is not dominated by detached homes. Semi-detached dwellings account for 52.6%, apartments 14.5% and separate houses 32.9%, so buyers can compare townhouse, villa and apartment options rather than assume a conventional house market. The indicative mortgage figure is $2,041 a month, while weekly rent is $350. Mortgage costs represent 26.5% of household income, higher than the 19.7% rent-to-income share, making deposit size and rate buffers important. Ownership is split between 27.8% outright owners and 28.1% mortgagors, with 40.7% renting. Two-bedroom and 3-bedroom stock, at 34.4% and 41.6%, is more prominent than 4-plus-bedroom homes at 20.1%, suiting smaller households and downsizers.
For Investors
Como has a sizeable renter base, with 40.7% renting compared with 27.8% owning outright, which supports a broad tenant pool. Weekly rent is $350 and vacancy is 11.1%, so investors should allow for leasing competition and verify demand by property type and micro-location. Development activity totals 120 applications in 12 months, increasing the need to check whether nearby projects add competing supply or improve amenity. The main growth driver is overseas migration, while the annual forecast trend is 0.85%, pointing to measured rather than rapid expansion. Rent growth of 6.7% may support income growth, but returns should be stress-tested against mortgage costs of $2,041 per month rather than inferred from rent alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
356
Last 12 Months
117
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-3.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Como
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
MCDOUGALL PARK COMMUNITY KINDERGARTEN INC
PENRHOS COLLEGE
COLLIER PRIMARY SCHOOL
COMO PRIMARY SCHOOL
COMO SECONDARY COLLEGE
Demographics
Como's 14,786 residents form a relatively educated and internationally connected population. The median age is 38, which is 2 years below the national comparison, and 52.9% have a university qualification, 22.8 percentage points above national. The overseas-born share is 36.4%, 14.8 points higher than national, with Mandarin recorded for 213 residents and Cantonese for 86. English ancestry is most common at 5,311, followed by Other at 2,316, Irish at 1,427, Scottish at 1,414 and Chinese at 1,231. No religion, at 6,267, is slightly above Christianity at 6,116. Household size averages 2.1 people, 0.4 below the national comparison, because couples without children make up 48.5% of families. Resident stability is also substantial, with 70.1% staying at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
32.9%
Houses
52.6%
Townhouse
14.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Como's housing stock is more attached and apartment-oriented than a detached-house suburb: 52.6% is semi-detached, 32.9% separate houses and 14.5% apartments. The semi-detached share is higher than the separate-house share, which explains why buyers and renters encounter more villas, townhouses and compact dwellings than in a conventional detached market. The bedroom profile leans to 2 and 3 bedrooms, at 34.4% and 41.6%, while 4-plus-bedroom dwellings account for 20.1%. Tenure is comparatively renter-heavy, with 40.7% renting versus 28.1% paying a mortgage and 27.8% owning outright. Mortgage costs equal 26.5% of household income, higher than the 19.7% rent-to-income share. Compared with nearby South Perth, this gives Como a varied dwelling base for households weighing space, maintenance and access.
Mortgage / mo
$2,041
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
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
34.8%
Couples with children
48.5%
Couples, no children
12.3%
Single parent
3,780
Total families
Economy & Employment
Como's employment base is concentrated in service and knowledge industries. Healthcare leads with 1,111 workers, 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 Administration at 376 and 6.1%. This aligns with 3,045 Professionals and 1,113 Managers, while Clerical/Admin adds 957. Labour-force participation is 65.7%, unemployment is 4.6% and full-time employment is 61.9%, supporting household income of $1,780 weekly at the 62.8th percentile. Socioeconomic measures are uneven: IEO is decile 9, IRSAD and IRSD are both decile 8, but IER is decile 4. The higher education and occupation rankings alongside the lower economic-resources decile suggest strong skills do not translate evenly into disposable resources.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
8,438
Unemployed
389
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.9%
Part-time
32.7%
Participation
65.7%
Employed
8,049
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.9%
Postgraduate
13.9%
Born Overseas
36.4%
Dwellings
6,529
Transport to Work
Como provides practical access for car commuters, with 69.7% driving compared with 11.9% using public transport and 3.1% walking or cycling; 10.7% work from home. This car-led pattern means exact access to routes, parking and local services matters more than assuming a fully transit-oriented lifestyle. Five education options span 2 government primary schools, 1 government senior high school, 1 government community kindergarten and 1 non-government school, so families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Socioeconomic conditions are above the midpoint overall, with IRSAD decile 8, IRSD decile 8 and IEO decile 9, although IER is lower at decile 4. That mix supports strong education and occupation access but does not remove household-level affordability differences. Public transport use is higher than walking and cycling, reinforcing the need to assess daily travel patterns street by street.
Drive
69.7%
Public Transport
11.9%
Walk / Cycle
3.1%
Work from Home
10.7%
Population Forecast
+0.85%/yr
(+138 people/yr)
EstablishedComo is an established suburb with a forecast annual trend of 0.85%, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 8.8% over 10 years, indicating steady expansion rather than a short surge. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share has risen 4.8 percentage points while the working share has fallen 2.7 points, so future demand is likely to favour accessible homes and established services. Gentrification signals are mixed. The forecast gentrification score is 29 at the Early signs stage, while the shift measure records a score of 17 and labels Como Not gentrifying. The senior-share increase is higher than the 1.7-point young-share increase, reinforcing the aging direction. Rent growth of 6.7% is also higher than real income growth of 1.9%, pointing to possible housing-cost pressure.
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?
Como can suit residents who value established inner-south access and mixed housing. It has 14,786 residents, a median age of 38 and 11.9% public-transport use. The 11.1% vacancy rate is higher than in a tightly held market, so inspect the exact street, dwelling type and parking situation before deciding.
What is the median house price in Como?
There is no current median house price to quote for Como, so compare recent settled sales across its mixed stock rather than rely on one figure. Semi-detached dwellings account for 52.6%, separate houses 32.9% and apartments 14.5%. The $2,041 monthly mortgage figure can help test whether repayments are higher than your budget allows.
What schools are in Como?
Como includes 5 named education options: 2 government primary schools, 1 government senior high school, 1 government community kindergarten and 1 non-government school. Enrolment zones can differ by address, so confirm eligibility and transport before signing a lease or contract. The sector mix is more varied than a single-school catchment.
Is Como safe?
A definitive safety rating should not be inferred without a current suburb crime rate. Check recent police incident information for the exact streets and compare day and night conditions before choosing a home. Como has 14,786 residents across 6.43 square kilometres, making a street-level check more useful than relying on a suburb label alone.
Is Como good for property investment?
Como can appeal to investors because 40.7% of dwellings are rented, compared with 27.8% owned outright, and weekly rent is $350. However, vacancy is 11.1%, while development activity totals 120 applications over 12 months. Check competing supply carefully, and test returns against the 6.7% rent-growth rate and all holding costs.
How is Como's population changing?
Como's wider-area forecast points to steady growth rather than a rapid surge: the annual trend is 0.85% and population change over 10 years is 8.8%. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The senior-share increase of 4.8 percentage points is higher than the 1.7-point young-share increase, supporting an Aging trajectory.
What languages are spoken in Como?
Overseas-born residents make up 36.4% of Como, which is 14.8 percentage points above the national comparison. Mandarin is recorded for 213 residents and Cantonese for 86, alongside Persian, Italian and Arabic. English ancestry remains the largest listed ancestry at 5,311, so local services should cater to both established and newer language needs.
Is Como undergoing much development?
Development activity totals 120 applications in 12 months, so buyers and renters should inspect nearby approvals, construction timing, parking and likely traffic changes. Projects include works at Como Secondary College and other development approvals. This activity is higher than a low-change established pocket, although the forecast annual trend is 0.85%, indicating measured rather than explosive growth.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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