Glendalough
Glendalough packs 2,628 residents into 0.72 square kilometres, creating a dense inner-north pocket where apartments and renters shape daily life. The median age is 34, or 6 years below the national comparison, while 65.2% of residents were born overseas, 43.6 percentage points above the national figure. Housing is unusually compact: 56.8% live in apartments and only 7.6% in separate houses, helping explain the 63.9% renting share and 11.5% vacancy rate. Compared with nearby Mount Hawthorn and Wembley, the suburb suits people prioritising smaller dwellings and access over detached-house space. Overseas migration drives growth, with a 1.3% annual trend and gentrification rated Early signs at 33.
Local council: Stirling
Population
2,628
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,562/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
13
Glendalough suits buyers comfortable with compact housing and a renter-heavy environment. No suburb-wide median house price is available, so compare like-for-like apartments and semi-detached homes rather than applying a detached-house benchmark. Apartments account for 56.8% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 35.6%, and separate houses just 7.6%. The stock is concentrated in 2-bedroom homes at 59.2%, with 3-bedroom dwellings at 25.0%, which can limit options for larger households. A mortgage figure of $1,300 per month and mortgage-to-income of 19.2% indicate less pressure than a higher-burden market, while 63.9% renting shows the buyer pool competes with a large tenant base. Compared with detached-house areas around Wembley, Glendalough trades yard space for density and smaller entry formats.
For Buyers
Glendalough suits buyers comfortable with compact housing and a renter-heavy environment. No suburb-wide median house price is available, so compare like-for-like apartments and semi-detached homes rather than applying a detached-house benchmark. Apartments account for 56.8% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 35.6%, and separate houses just 7.6%. The stock is concentrated in 2-bedroom homes at 59.2%, with 3-bedroom dwellings at 25.0%, which can limit options for larger households. A mortgage figure of $1,300 per month and mortgage-to-income of 19.2% indicate less pressure than a higher-burden market, while 63.9% renting shows the buyer pool competes with a large tenant base. Compared with detached-house areas around Wembley, Glendalough trades yard space for density and smaller entry formats.
For Investors
Glendalough presents a rental-focused case, with 63.9% of dwellings rented and weekly rent at $280. The 11.5% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly held market, so investors should allow for longer leasing periods and sharper tenant competition rather than assuming scarcity. Apartment and semi-detached stock dominates, making smaller dwellings the main rental product. Development activity reached 13 applications over 12 months, enough to monitor added competition without suggesting a construction surge. The 1.3% annual growth trend, driven by overseas migration, supports a broad demand story, but 0.0% rent growth means income uplift is not currently the strongest argument. Compared with low-vacancy, owner-occupier suburbs, Glendalough is more exposed to vacancy swings and tenant turnover.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
13
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 Glendalough
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
CHRYSALIS MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Demographics
Glendalough's population profile is younger and more internationally connected than the national baseline. Median age is 34, 6 years below national, and 65.2% were born overseas, 43.6 percentage points above national. University qualification attainment is 54.6%, 24.5 points above the national comparison, while average household size is 2.1, 0.4 below national. That mix fits the apartment-heavy stock and helps explain 25.5% turnover, even though 74.5% stayed at the same address. English ancestry counts 533 and Indian ancestry 301, while Guj is spoken by 116 residents, followed by Nepali at 53 and Hindi at 38. No religion counts 705, Christianity 618 and Buddhism 600, showing why services need to work across several cultural groups. Compared with older, lower-density parts of the inner north, Glendalough is more mobile and compact because of its age, migration and housing mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
7.6%
Houses
35.6%
Townhouse
56.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Glendalough's housing profile is defined by apartments rather than detached homes. Apartments make up 56.8% of dwellings versus 7.6% separate houses, with semi-detached homes at 35.6%. Bedroom supply follows that pattern: 59.2% have 2 bedrooms, 25.0% have 3, and only 3.1% have 4 or more, so space is scarcer than in conventional family-house markets. Tenure is renter-led, with 63.9% renting, compared with 21.4% paying a mortgage and 13.1% owning outright. Weekly rent is $280, while rent-to-income is 17.9% and mortgage-to-income is 19.2%; the profile does not flag rent or mortgage stress at those ratios. Compared with detached-house suburbs such as Wembley, Glendalough is more accessible to smaller households but less suited to buyers seeking large floorplans or yards.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$280
Census 2021
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$848
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.5%
Unoccupied
148
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.9%
Couples with children
46.6%
Couples, no children
11.5%
Single parent
642
Total families
Economy & Employment
Glendalough's employment base leans strongly toward services. Healthcare is the largest industry at 26.6% and 312 workers, above administration at 13.1% and 154, followed by retail at 11.1% and 130, hospitality at 9.4% and 110, and professional and technology work at 8.6% and 101. Occupations are more mixed: 348 labourers, 299 professionals, 292 community and personal workers, 164 trades workers and 115 in sales. A 71.5% participation rate and 4.1% unemployment rate indicate an active labour market, while personal income is $848 weekly and household income $1,562, near the 49.8th household-income percentile. Healthcare and service work support local resilience, but the spread across lower and higher skilled occupations means earnings are less uniform than in a professional-only employment base.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
1,623
Unemployed
66
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.9%
Part-time
42.6%
Participation
71.5%
Employed
1,557
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.6%
Postgraduate
20.4%
Born Overseas
65.2%
Dwellings
1,138
Transport to Work
Glendalough's 0.72 square kilometres and density of 3,633.3 people per square kilometre create a compact, apartment-led setting. Transport use is mixed: 68.8% drive a car, compared with 15.7% using public transport, 3.9% walking or cycling and 4.5% working from home. The higher public-transport share than active travel suggests daily convenience depends more on transit and road access than on walking and cycling alone. One local school is listed, Chrysalis Montessori School, in the non-government sector; families should check nearby government and non-government options and confirm enrolment zones for the exact address. No local crime rate is quoted, so safety should be assessed with current official information and at different times of day. Compared with lower-density suburbs, the compact form may suit singles and couples, but households needing school choice or larger outdoor space should inspect the immediate surrounds carefully.
Drive
68.8%
Public Transport
15.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.9%
Work from Home
4.5%
Growth Outlook
Glendalough's growth outlook is steady but not one-directional. The annual trend is 1.3%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, which fits the suburb's 65.2% overseas-born share and apartment-heavy rental base. Across the wider area, population change is 15.3% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Mixed. Affordability improved from 36.1 in 2011 to 28.4 in 2021, and real income growth reached 3.2%, supporting some capacity for demand. Gentrification signals are mixed: the current rating is Early signs at 33, while the broader shift stage is Not gentrifying at 19. Compared with a flat 0.0% rent-growth result, population momentum is the clearer near-term signal. New demand is more likely to be absorbed by apartments and rentals because those formats dominate the existing stock.
Population trend: Stirling council area
Glendalough sits in the Stirling council area. These are the council area's residents, not Glendalough's.
Residents 2025
254,821
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.6%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glendalough compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glendalough a good suburb to live in?
Glendalough can suit residents who prefer compact, apartment-led living and access to a highly multicultural area. It has 2,628 residents, a median age of 34 and 63.9% renting. The trade-offs are an 11.5% vacancy rate, limited detached housing at 7.6%, and only 1 locally listed school, so inspect the exact street and nearby services before deciding.
What is the median house price in Glendalough?
A suburb-wide median house price is not available for Glendalough. Its housing is mainly apartments at 56.8% and semi-detached dwellings at 35.6%, while separate houses account for 7.6%. Buyers should compare recent 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom sales like-for-like, because those formats represent 59.2% and 25.0% of homes.
What schools are in Glendalough?
1 school is listed within Glendalough: Chrysalis Montessori School, classified as Non-Government. Because the local listing is limited to 1 provider, families should also check nearby government and non-government schools, enrolment zones, transport times and out-of-area application rules for the exact address.
Is Glendalough safe?
No local crime rate is quoted for Glendalough, so a definitive safety comparison would be misleading. Use current official WA sources and inspect the street at different times, especially around apartment access points and busy roads. The suburb has 3,633.3 people per square kilometre, with 68.8% driving and 15.7% using public transport, so street experience can vary across a compact area.
Is Glendalough good for property investment?
Glendalough may suit investors seeking a renter-majority, apartment-focused market, but the numbers call for caution. Renting is 63.9%, weekly rent is $280 and vacancy is 11.5%, which is higher than a tightly held market. The annual growth trend is 1.3%, driven by overseas migration, while rent growth is 0.0%. Compare yield, strata costs and vacancy exposure before buying.
How is Glendalough's population changing?
Glendalough has 2,628 residents today. Across the wider area, population change is 15.3% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.3% and overseas migration as the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while gentrification is rated Early signs at 33. These signals point to ongoing change, but not a uniform transformation across every street.
What languages are spoken in Glendalough?
Glendalough has a strong overseas-born population at 65.2%, or 43.6 percentage points above the national comparison. The most recorded additional languages are Guj with 116 speakers, Nepali 53, Hindi 38, Mandarin 22 and Punjabi 22. The ancestry profile also includes 533 English and 301 Indian responses, reflecting a broad cultural 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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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