Coolbellup
Affordability is the defining feature here: a $391,000 median house price sits well below most metropolitan WA markets, and household income lands in the 39.1st percentile nationally, a working-class profile rather than a wealthy one. Detached houses dominate at 73.3% of dwellings, three-bedroom homes account for 61.6% of stock, and the median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below the national figure. The suburb scores decile 5 on both IRSAD and IRSD, squarely mid-range. Overseas-born residents reach 31.7%, which is 10.1 points above national, and 40.7% of households carry a mortgage, the largest tenure group in this 3.11 km2 footprint.
Population
5,698
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,378/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$391K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $391,000 median house price makes Coolbellup one of the more accessible detached-house markets in metropolitan Perth, and the stock supports that: 73.3% are separate houses against just 14.0% apartments, so buyers compete for genuine family homes rather than units. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 61.6% of all housing and 4-plus bedroom homes only 16.1%, so larger families face thinner supply. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, which is why no mortgage stress flag is recorded despite incomes in the 39.1st percentile. Mortgage holders (40.7%) outnumber outright owners (21.1%) almost two to one, a sign of recent buyers entering on the back of affordability rather than long-held wealth.
For Buyers
The $391,000 median house price makes Coolbellup one of the more accessible detached-house markets in metropolitan Perth, and the stock supports that: 73.3% are separate houses against just 14.0% apartments, so buyers compete for genuine family homes rather than units. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 61.6% of all housing and 4-plus bedroom homes only 16.1%, so larger families face thinner supply. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, which is why no mortgage stress flag is recorded despite incomes in the 39.1st percentile. Mortgage holders (40.7%) outnumber outright owners (21.1%) almost two to one, a sign of recent buyers entering on the back of affordability rather than long-held wealth.
For Investors
A 38.3% renter share and weekly rent of $300 give landlords a steady tenant pool in an affordable bracket. Against the $391,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 4.0%, materially higher than premium inner-city suburbs where yields sit closer to 1.3%. The 9.0% vacancy rate is elevated and points to softer demand than the headline rent suggests. Rent grew 8.8% over the period, and rent-to-income at 21.8% leaves tenants comfortable, supporting affordability. Demand is driven by overseas migration, which adds about 121 residents a year versus 34 from internal moves. Development is thin at 8 applications in 12 months, mostly carports, demolitions and subdivision works rather than new dwellings, so the investment case rests on yield and steady tenancy more than capital growth from new supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
16
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Coolbellup iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Coolbellup Community School
K-6 · 153 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below national, and the trajectory is declining young: the young-adult share fell 2.1 points while the senior share rose 2.4 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 31.7%, which is 10.1 points above national, giving the suburb a more international profile than most affordable WA markets. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,161), Irish (575) and Scottish (538), and the top non-English languages are Mandarin (47), Portuguese (31) and Cantonese (24). University qualifications at 36.1% run 6.0 points above national. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, consistent with the mix of couples without children (28.5% of families) alongside couples with children (1,437 families).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.3%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
14.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward borrowers: 40.7% carry a mortgage, 38.3% rent and only 21.1% own outright, so mortgage holders outnumber outright owners nearly two to one, the mark of a market still drawing in recent buyers. The stock is 73.3% separate houses with apartments at 14.0% and semi-detached at 12.7%, a detached-dominant profile rare in higher-density Perth suburbs. Three-bedroom homes account for 61.6% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom only 16.1%, so the supply skews toward modest family homes. The $391,000 median is affordable relative to most metropolitan markets, and affordability improved from 47.2% in 2011 to 39.0% in 2021. Mortgage-to-income at 26.8% and rent-to-income at 21.8% both stay below stress thresholds, which is why neither stress flag is triggered despite incomes in the 39.1st percentile.
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$772
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
248
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.5%
Couples, no children
3,889
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans on people-facing sectors: Healthcare leads at 18.7% (369 workers), Education follows at 15.0% (296) and Construction at 8.7% (171), with Public Admin at 8.0% and Professional/Tech at 7.9%. By occupation, Professionals (703) lead, followed by Community/Personal workers (382) and Clerical/Admin (326), a spread consistent with the decile 6 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment sits at 6.9%, above the national rate, and the full-time employment rate is 63.3%. Participation reads 60.1%, with 1,440 residents not in the labour force. The SEIFA picture is mid-range: decile 5 on IRSAD and IRSD but decile 4 on IER for economic resources, the lowest of the four, because the 38.3% renter base and modest $1,378 household weekly income depress aggregate wealth measures.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
5,679
Unemployed
301
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
29.8%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
2,672
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.1%
Postgraduate
8.3%
Born Overseas
31.7%
Dwellings
2,513
Transport to Work
Transport is overwhelmingly car-based: 88.5% drive, while only 5.0% take public transport and 1.8% walk or cycle, well below the public-transport share of denser inner suburbs and consistent with the detached, lower-density layout at 1,834 residents per km2. No schools are recorded inside the 3.11 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the lower-density setting. Detailed crime statistics are not available, but the suburb scores decile 5 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, a mid-range result, and 6.4% of residents (344 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering runs at 15.3%, and rent-to-income at 21.8% keeps tenants comfortable in an affordable market.
Drive
88.5%
Public Transport
5.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.0%/yr
(+96 people/yr)
EstablishedCoolbellup is growing modestly: annual population growth registers about 1.0%, roughly 96 residents a year, and the 10-year change is 9.8%, classifying it as an established suburb with steady rather than explosive expansion. Overseas migration is the primary driver, adding about 121 residents a year against 34 from net internal moves. Medium forecasts lift the wider area population on a trend-continuation path through 2031. The gentrification stage reads early signs, with a score of 21 to 23 and signals including population up 18% since 2011 and an accelerating turnover pattern. Real incomes grew 7.0% over the decade and affordability improved from 47.2% to 39.0%, so the suburb is upgrading gradually from a low base rather than pricing residents out.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+121
Net Internal / yr
+34
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +18% since 2011, Accelerating: 3% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Coolbellup compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coolbellup a good suburb to live in?
Coolbellup scores decile 5 on both IRSAD and IRSD, a mid-range result nationally, with a median age of 37, which is 3.0 years below national. Its main appeals are affordability, a $391,000 median house price, and a detached-house profile at 73.3% of dwellings, though unemployment at 6.9% runs above the national rate.
What is the median house price in Coolbellup?
The median house price is $391,000, affordable relative to most metropolitan Perth markets. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Coolbellup?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.11 km2 Coolbellup boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is moderately educated, with university qualifications at 36.1%, which is 6.0 points above the national figure.
Is Coolbellup safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Coolbellup in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 5 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a mid-range result, and 6.4% of its residents, about 344 people, need daily assistance.
Is Coolbellup good for property investment?
Rent of $300 a week against a $391,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, well above the 1.3% typical of premium suburbs. A 38.3% renter share supports demand, but the 9.0% vacancy rate is elevated, so returns lean on yield rather than capital growth.
How is Coolbellup's population changing?
Population growth is about 1.0% annually, roughly 96 residents a year, with a 9.8% rise over 10 years. Overseas migration is the main driver, adding about 121 residents a year against 34 from internal moves, and the profile is trending slightly older.
What languages are spoken in Coolbellup?
About 31.7% of residents were born overseas, 10.1 points above the national figure. English is the dominant language, with Mandarin (47 speakers), Portuguese (31), Cantonese (24) and French (24) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a small but international resident mix.
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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