Ferndale
At 38% born overseas, Ferndale sits 16.4 percentage points above the national figure for overseas-born residents, yet its median house price of $412,000 places it well below Perth's broader market. The suburb scores decile 5 across all four SEIFA indexes, sitting precisely at the national midpoint on advantage, disadvantage and economic resources. Household income falls at the 48.3rd percentile nationally, just below average. Detached houses dominate at 82.3% of the 4,457-person suburb, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6% confirms that buyers who get in face manageable repayments relative to earnings.
Population
4,457
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,533/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$412K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $412,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data) makes Ferndale one of the more accessible entry points in metropolitan Perth. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6%, which sits below the conventional 30% stress threshold. Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 82.3%, with semi-detached dwellings at 17.4% and apartments at just 0.3%. Bedroom distribution favours family buyers: 51.5% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms and 38.2% have 4 or more, compared to higher-density suburbs where 2-bedroom product dominates. Outright owners account for 36.5% of households, a sign of a relatively stable, long-held ownership base.
For Buyers
The median house price of $412,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data) makes Ferndale one of the more accessible entry points in metropolitan Perth. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6%, which sits below the conventional 30% stress threshold. Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 82.3%, with semi-detached dwellings at 17.4% and apartments at just 0.3%. Bedroom distribution favours family buyers: 51.5% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms and 38.2% have 4 or more, compared to higher-density suburbs where 2-bedroom product dominates. Outright owners account for 36.5% of households, a sign of a relatively stable, long-held ownership base.
For Investors
Renters make up 22.2% of Ferndale households, a moderate base for a suburb where 41.3% still carry a mortgage. Weekly rent sits at $314, and against the $412,000 median that implies a gross yield around 4.0%, above most inner-city benchmarks. The vacancy rate of 7.8% is elevated and signals some oversupply relative to demand, so investors should factor in the risk of longer letting periods. The suburb's detached-dominant stock (82.3% separate houses) tends to attract family tenants rather than transient renters, supporting tenure stability. No significant development pipeline is recorded, limiting new supply pressure on the near-term rental pool.
Schools in Ferndale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Fountain College
PP-12 · 608 students
Demographics
Ferndale's overseas-born share of 38.0% runs 16.4 percentage points above the national average, one of the most notable characteristics of its population. The median age of 41 is close to the national figure, just 1 year above. University qualifications reach 33.8% of residents, which is 3.7 points higher than national. The most common ancestries are English (1,692 residents), Irish (425) and Scottish (386), with Chinese (365) the largest non-Anglo group. Average household size of 2.4 is 0.1 below the national figure. Couples with children (1,335 families) outnumber couples without children (997), and volunteering stands at 17.6% of residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.3%
Houses
17.4%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers dominate: 36.5% own outright and 41.3% carry a mortgage, leaving just 22.2% renting, lower than the national average. The stock leans heavily toward separate houses at 82.3%, with semi-detached at 17.4% and virtually no apartments (0.3%). Three-bedroom dwellings account for 51.5% of all homes and 4-plus bedroom homes for 38.2%, a profile that suits families more than singles or couples. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700 against a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6%, below the 30% stress level. Renters face a rent-to-income ratio of 20.5%, also below stress thresholds, meaning affordability is manageable on both sides of the tenure divide. The weekly rent of $314 reflects the suburb's position as a more affordable WA option.
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wk
$314
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$745
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
145
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.4%
Couples, no children
3,392
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local employment mix at 17.9% (267 workers), followed by Education at 12.8% (190) and Professional/Technical services at 8.8% (131). Construction and Public Administration each account for roughly 7-8% of workers. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 497, ahead of Community/Personal workers (285) and Clerical/Admin (254). The unemployment rate is 5.5%, with full-time employment at 62.0% of those in work. The labour force participation rate of 56.0% is moderate, with 1,253 residents not in the labour force. All four SEIFA indexes score at decile 5, placing Ferndale exactly at the national median on education, occupation and economic resources.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.0%
Part-time
32.5%
Participation
56.0%
Employed
1,973
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.8%
Postgraduate
6.8%
Born Overseas
38.0%
Dwellings
1,728
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 88.6% of residents commuting by car, while public transport accounts for 4.1% and walking or cycling 2.0%, below the national averages for active and public transport use. Rent-to-income of 20.5% and mortgage-to-income of 25.6% both sit below standard stress thresholds, meaning financial pressure on households is lower than in many parts of Perth. The suburb scores decile 5 on IRSAD, the national median for relative advantage and disadvantage. The need-for-assistance rate is 6.6% (277 residents), in line with suburbs at the national midpoint. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas.
Drive
88.6%
Public Transport
4.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ferndale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ferndale a good suburb to live in?
Ferndale scores decile 5 across all four SEIFA indexes, placing it exactly at the national median for advantage and disadvantage. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6% and rent-to-income of 20.5% are both below standard stress thresholds. At $412,000 median house price, it offers accessible entry into the Perth market, with 82.3% of stock being detached houses.
What is the median house price in Ferndale?
The median house price is estimated at $412,000 based on 2025 rent data. Weekly rent averages $314, implying a gross yield of approximately 4.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6%, below the typical 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Ferndale?
No schools are recorded within the Ferndale suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population shows a university qualification rate of 33.8%, which is 3.7 percentage points above the national average, reflecting a well-educated resident base.
Is Ferndale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Ferndale in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 5 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, at the national median. The need-for-assistance rate is 6.6% (277 people), consistent with a suburb at the midpoint of advantage nationally.
Is Ferndale good for property investment?
Ferndale's 22.2% renter share and weekly rent of $314 imply a gross yield of around 4.0% against the $412,000 median, above inner-city benchmarks. The vacancy rate of 7.8% is elevated and suggests some oversupply risk. The detached-dominant stock at 82.3% tends to attract stable family tenants, and no new development supply is recorded.
How is Ferndale's population changing?
Ferndale shows strong residential stability, with 82.7% of residents staying at their current address in the reference period and a turnover rate of only 17.3%. The overseas-born share of 38.0% is 16.4 percentage points above national, indicating ongoing contribution from international migration. The current population is 4,457 across a 3.19 km2 area.
What languages are spoken in Ferndale?
About 38.0% of residents were born overseas, which is 16.4 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is the most common non-English language with 100 speakers, followed by Cantonese (24), Arabic (17), Korean (17) and Punjabi (15). English dominates, with Chinese (365 residents) the largest non-Anglo ancestry group.
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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