Gosnells
Gosnells stands out for a mix of affordability pressure and migration depth: 39.1% of residents were born overseas, 17.5 percentage points above the national comparison, while household income sits at the 27.9 percentile. Between Maddington, Huntingdale and Southern River, it reads as the established detached option because 81.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 40.3% are mortgaged. The suburb's 21,149 residents live at 1,353.9 people per sq km, so it has suburban space but not fringe-newness; that matters for buyers seeking lower-cost houses with rail-road access rather than apartment density.
Population
21,149
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,254/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$373K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers should treat Gosnells as a house-first market rather than an apartment market. A current median house price is not quoted, but the ownership signals are clear: 81.0% separate houses, 15.8% semi-detached homes and only 3.0% apartments. Family-sized stock dominates, with 53.9% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 32.0% having 4 or more. Repayment load is moderate rather than stretched because the typical mortgage is $1,500 a month and mortgage-to-income sits at 27.6%, while rent-to-income is 23.1%.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should treat Gosnells as a house-first market rather than an apartment market. A current median house price is not quoted, but the ownership signals are clear: 81.0% separate houses, 15.8% semi-detached homes and only 3.0% apartments. Family-sized stock dominates, with 53.9% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 32.0% having 4 or more. Repayment load is moderate rather than stretched because the typical mortgage is $1,500 a month and mortgage-to-income sits at 27.6%, while rent-to-income is 23.1%.
For Investors
Investors get a lower-price, tenant-present setting, but not a scarcity story. Renters make up 32.8% of households, higher than the 27.0% owned outright share, and median rent is $290 a week. Vacancy is 7.3%, so leasing risk is higher than in a tight market and due diligence on street, presentation and transport access matters. With 0 development approvals in the past 12 months, new competing supply is limited, while net overseas migration of 344 people a year and internal gain of 63 support underlying demand.
Schools in Gosnells iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Munchin's Catholic School
PP-6 · 388 students
Gosnells Primary School
K-6 · 434 students
Southern River College
7-12 · 1209 students
Ashburton Drive Primary School
K-6 · 434 students
Wirrabirra Primary School
K-6 · 366 students
Demographics
Gosnells is younger than the national benchmark by 2.0 years, with a median age of 38 and an average household size of 2.5. Its migrant profile is more pronounced than Australia overall: 39.1% were born overseas, 17.5 percentage points above the national comparison. University attainment is lower at 20.2%, 9.9 points below national, which lines up with a workforce tilted to trades, care and driving roles. English ancestry is the largest count at 7,330, while Punjabi 148, Urdu 131, Arabic 122 and Mandarin 115 add everyday cultural variety.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.0%
Houses
15.8%
Townhouse
3.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing form is the clearest part of the Gosnells market because detached stock dominates: 81.0% separate houses compared with 3.0% apartments and 15.8% semi-detached homes. The tenure mix is mortgage-belt rather than retiree-heavy, with 40.3% mortgaged, 32.8% renting and 27.0% owned outright. Bedroom supply reinforces the family focus, as 53.9% are 3 bedroom homes and 32.0% have 4 or more bedrooms. A suburb median sale price is not quoted, so mortgage burden is the cleaner affordability gauge at 27.6% of income.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$635
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
618
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.0%
Couples, no children
15,707
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy leans toward essential and blue-collar work, which helps explain incomes below the Perth middle. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.4% and 884 workers, followed by construction at 9.7%, education at 8.6%, retail at 8.5% and manufacturing at 7.2%. Labourers number 1,323 and machinery or driver roles 1,243, both above professionals at 897. Unemployment is 9.4% with participation at 53.0%. SEIFA is consistently low: IEO decile 1, IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 1, while IER decile 2 shows economic resources are slightly higher than education and occupation scores.
Unemployment
11.2%
Labour Force
11,803
Unemployed
1,319
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.4%
Part-time
26.2%
Participation
53.0%
Employed
8,086
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.2%
Postgraduate
4.3%
Born Overseas
39.1%
Dwellings
7,873
Transport to Work
Daily life in Gosnells is car-led because 86.9% of commuters drive, far higher than the 5.0% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. Schooling is practical rather than prestige-focused: 6 local schools span ICSEA 907 to 995, led by St Munchin's Catholic School at 995 with 388 students, Gosnells Primary at 950 with 434, and Southern River College at 941 with 1,209. The mix of Catholic and Government options helps families stay local, while IRSAD decile 1 signals fewer socio-economic advantages than higher-decile suburbs.
Drive
86.9%
Public Transport
5.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.17%/yr
(+281 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive. The trend forecast adds 281 people a year, or 1.17% annually, taking the medium path from 23,767 in 2026 to 25,172 in 2031. Migration is the key reason: overseas migration is the primary driver at 344 net people a year, higher than internal migration at 63. The longer shift is mixed, with population up 10.3% over 10 years but real income growth at -6.3%. Gentrification is only in early signs territory, with a score of 39, so change is more population-led than prestige-led.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+344
Net Internal / yr
+63
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +19% since 2011, Net internal migration +63/yr, Strong overseas inflow +344/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gosnells compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gosnells a good suburb to live in?
Gosnells suits buyers wanting detached housing and moderate repayments: 81.0% of dwellings are separate houses and mortgage payments take 27.6% of income. Car dependence is high at 86.9%, so it works best for households comfortable driving compared with inner Perth suburbs.
What is the median house price in Gosnells?
A current median house price is not quoted for Gosnells. Use related cost signals instead: median rent is $290 per week, typical mortgage payments are $1,500 per month, and 40.3% of homes are being purchased with a mortgage.
What schools are in Gosnells?
Gosnells has 6 local schools, led by St Munchin's Catholic School with ICSEA 995 and 388 students, Gosnells Primary at 950, and Southern River College at 941 with 1,209 students. The mix covers Catholic and Government options.
Is Gosnells safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available, so safety should be checked by street and time of day. The resident base is 21,149, public transport commuting is 5.0%, and 86.9% drive, so station areas and main roads can differ from quieter residential pockets.
Is Gosnells good for property investment?
It has investor relevance through 32.8% renting, $290 weekly rent and overseas-led population inflow of 344 people a year. The caution is vacancy at 7.3% and 0 recent development approvals, which points to stock selection being more important than broad scarcity.
How is Gosnells's population changing?
Gosnells is forecast to add about 281 people a year, or 1.17% annually. The medium path moves from 23,767 in 2026 to 25,172 in 2031, with overseas migration the main driver at 344 net people a year.
What languages are spoken in Gosnells?
English remains central, but the overseas-born share is 39.1%, which is 17.5 percentage points above the national comparison. Common non-English language counts include Punjabi 148, Urdu 131, Arabic 122, Mandarin 115 and Persian 62.
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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