Glenfield
A population of just 1,009 in 8.16 square kilometres makes Glenfield one of WA's smaller residential pockets, yet household income sits in the 74th percentile nationally, well above the state average for a suburb of its size. Nearly 98% of dwellings are separate houses, the dominant tenure is mortgagee or renter rather than outright owner, and three-quarters of households have 4 or more bedrooms. The median age of 35 is 5 years below the national figure, pointing to a young working-age base. SEIFA scores position Glenfield solidly in the middle deciles, with an IRSAD decile of 6 indicating moderate relative advantage compared to the national distribution.
Population
1,009
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,973/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$416K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $416,000 is well below the national median for detached houses, making Glenfield relatively affordable for buyers seeking a standalone home. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 97.7%, with 75.2% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, so buyers get generous space. Semi-detached dwellings account for the remaining 2.3% and there are effectively no apartments. Outright owners represent 29.9% of households, mortgage holders 35.3% and renters 34.8%, a relatively balanced tenure split. For families seeking a large detached home at a price lower than most capital city alternatives, the affordability equation here is notably favourable.
For Buyers
The median house price of $416,000 is well below the national median for detached houses, making Glenfield relatively affordable for buyers seeking a standalone home. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 97.7%, with 75.2% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, so buyers get generous space. Semi-detached dwellings account for the remaining 2.3% and there are effectively no apartments. Outright owners represent 29.9% of households, mortgage holders 35.3% and renters 34.8%, a relatively balanced tenure split. For families seeking a large detached home at a price lower than most capital city alternatives, the affordability equation here is notably favourable.
For Investors
Renters make up 34.8% of Glenfield households, providing a steady tenant pool against a $320 weekly rent. The vacancy rate of 10.4% is elevated compared to typical WA benchmarks, which warrants caution about near-term yield compression. Overseas migration is the primary population growth driver, averaging 166 net arrivals annually, which tends to support rental demand more than owner-occupier demand. Internal migration runs negative at minus 95 per year, reflecting net departures to other areas. Rent grew 44.8% over the recent period, indicating strong underlying demand, though the current high vacancy rate suggests that supply may have caught up. New development activity in the past 12 months is negligible, so the pipeline does not add further pressure.
Schools in Glenfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Leaning Tree Steiner School
PP-9 · 111 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 sits 5 years below the national figure, skewing the population toward working-age residents and young families. Overseas-born residents account for 17.5% of the population, which is 4.1 percentage points below the national average. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English leads at 424 residents, followed by Irish (98), Scottish (90) and German (51). University qualifications reach 19.7%, which is 10.4 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the suburb's blue-collar and community-service employment base. Average household size is 2.7, marginally above the national figure by 0.2 persons. Couples with children are the dominant family type at 351 households, compared to 224 couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.7%
Houses
2.3%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Glenfield's housing stock is almost entirely separate detached houses at 97.7%, with semi-detached dwellings filling the remaining 2.3% and no apartments recorded. The bedroom profile is skewed large: 75.2% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, and 22.2% have 3 bedrooms, leaving only 2.6% at 2 bedrooms or fewer. The median house price of $416,000 is estimated from rent data for 2025, placing Glenfield well below eastern-state capital city medians. Tenure splits across owners outright (29.9%), mortgagees (35.3%) and renters (34.8%), suggesting a community still building equity rather than one dominated by long-held debt-free properties. Rent-to-income at 16.2% and mortgage-to-income at 19.9% both sit comfortably below standard stress thresholds, indicating housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$945
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.4%
Unoccupied
41
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.5%
Couples, no children
814
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 20.1% of the workforce (65 workers), followed by Education at 13.6% (44), Construction at 12.0% (39), Public Administration at 9.6% (31) and Mining at 9.0% (29). The Mining sector's presence, even at 9%, connects Glenfield to WA's broader resources economy, which tends to support higher incomes. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers lead at 88, then Professionals (77), Clerical and Administrative (73), Machinery Operators and Drivers (52) and Managers (51). The unemployment rate is low at 3.1%, and the full-time employment rate of 62.7% reflects a predominantly working-age population. Household income in the 74th percentile nationally is above average despite university qualification rates that are 10.4 points below the national figure, consistent with trade and resource-sector wages elevating incomes.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
6,386
Unemployed
226
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.7%
Part-time
34.2%
Participation
67.8%
Employed
502
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.7%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
17.5%
Dwellings
353
Transport to Work
Transport is overwhelmingly car-dependent: 85.6% of residents drive to work, which is higher than the national average for urban areas, while only 2.2% use public transport. Walking and cycling account for 4.0%, suggesting limited active transport infrastructure. No schools are recorded within Glenfield's boundary in the dataset, so families rely on surrounding suburbs for schooling. The IRSAD decile of 6 places the suburb slightly above the national midpoint for relative advantage, and the SEIFA IEO decile of 7 indicates above-average access to education and occupation resources compared to most Australian suburbs. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income sits at 16.2% and mortgage-to-income at 19.9%, both well below stress benchmarks. Volunteering participation at 13.4% and an assistance need rate of 4.1% (39 residents) suggest a mostly self-sufficient community.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
2.2%
Walk / Cycle
4.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.65%/yr
(+177 people/yr)
EstablishedGlenfield's broader local area population has grown 39.4% over 10 years and 38% since 2011 according to gentrification signals, placing it firmly in the top tier of WA growth localities. Annual growth is forecast at 1.65%, adding approximately 177 people per year. The medium population forecast reaches 12,190 by 2031, up from the 2025 base of about 10,758. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 166 net arrivals annually, while internal migration runs at minus 95, suggesting some residents are relocating to larger centres. Gentrification is classified as not actively occurring despite the strong population growth, because economic and educational indicators have not shifted upward to match the numeric expansion. Affordability has worsened modestly, moving from 47.5% in 2011 to 49.8% in 2021, in line with the national trend.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+166
Net Internal / yr
-95
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +38% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenfield a good suburb to live in?
Glenfield offers affordable detached housing at a $416,000 median with low housing stress: rent-to-income at 16.2% and mortgage-to-income at 19.9% are both well below stress thresholds. Household income sits in the 74th percentile nationally. The main drawback is high car dependence, with 85.6% of residents driving to work and public transport use at just 2.2%.
What is the median house price in Glenfield?
The median house price is $416,000, estimated from rent data for 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700. Weekly rent runs at $320, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.9% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, making purchase costs manageable relative to local household incomes.
What schools are in Glenfield?
No schools are recorded within Glenfield's boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding suburbs. The suburb's SEIFA IEO decile of 7 indicates above-average access to education and occupation resources compared to the national distribution, suggesting nearby schooling options are reasonably accessible.
Is Glenfield safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Glenfield in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSAD decile 6, above the national midpoint for relative advantage, and only 4.1% of residents (39 people) require daily assistance. Unemployment is low at 3.1%, which is generally associated with lower property crime rates.
Is Glenfield good for property investment?
Rent grew 44.8% over the recent period and overseas migration adds 166 net residents annually, supporting rental demand. However, the 10.4% vacancy rate is elevated compared to typical WA averages, which could pressure yields on a $416,000 purchase price against $320 weekly rent. The population growth forecast of 1.65% annually points to improving fundamentals over the medium term.
How is Glenfield's population changing?
The broader local area grew 39.4% over 10 years. Annual growth is forecast at 1.65%, adding roughly 177 people per year, with the medium projection reaching 12,190 by 2031. Overseas migration drives growth at 166 net arrivals annually, while internal migration runs negative at minus 95 per year.
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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