Kardinya
A 42-year median age makes Kardinya older than the national figure by 2.0 years, while 38.2% of residents were born overseas, 16.6 percentage points above the national share. Its 9,137 residents live at 2,084.6 people per square kilometre, and household income sits at the 72.1st percentile. The suburb is detached-home led, with 86.3% separate houses, and its 43.6% outright ownership rate is higher than the 34.5% mortgage share. Compared with nearby Murdoch and Winthrop, Kardinya reads as an established, family-oriented area with an aging trajectory. Chinese, Italian and English ancestry are prominent, while overseas migration remains the main growth driver. That combination supports stable demand, but the 0.6% annual forecast points to gradual rather than rapid expansion.
Population
9,137
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,927/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Kardinya suits buyers seeking established detached housing rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 86.3% of dwellings, compared with 3.5% apartments and 10.2% semi-detached homes; 58.2% of homes have four or more bedrooms, while 34.4% have three. The typical monthly mortgage repayment is $2,003, and mortgage costs equal 24.0% of household income, higher than the 20.2% rent-to-income measure. Household income is at the 72.1st percentile, above the midpoint, which may support borrowing capacity, although buyers still need to test repayments against rates, insurance and maintenance. Compare recent house sales by street, bedroom count and property condition rather than relying on a broad suburb estimate. The larger-home profile is more suited to families than to buyers specifically seeking compact apartment living.
For Buyers
Kardinya suits buyers seeking established detached housing rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 86.3% of dwellings, compared with 3.5% apartments and 10.2% semi-detached homes; 58.2% of homes have four or more bedrooms, while 34.4% have three. The typical monthly mortgage repayment is $2,003, and mortgage costs equal 24.0% of household income, higher than the 20.2% rent-to-income measure. Household income is at the 72.1st percentile, above the midpoint, which may support borrowing capacity, although buyers still need to test repayments against rates, insurance and maintenance. Compare recent house sales by street, bedroom count and property condition rather than relying on a broad suburb estimate. The larger-home profile is more suited to families than to buyers specifically seeking compact apartment living.
For Investors
Investor demand has a practical rental base: 20.7% of occupied dwellings are rented, with weekly rent at $390 and vacancy at 6.0%. The renting share is lower than the 34.5% mortgage share and the 43.6% outright ownership share, indicating a market weighted toward established owners rather than renters or mortgaged households. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, which can broaden tenant demand, while the 0.6% annual growth trend points to measured capital-growth expectations. There were 0 recorded developments across the latest 12-month window, so new supply is not currently a visible local pressure. Investors should focus on dwelling condition, tenant appeal and leasing evidence, using recent comparable sales to set an entry price. Mortgage costs are 24.0% of household income, compared with rent at 20.2%, so holding costs need careful testing.
Schools in Kardinya
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
KARDINYA PRIMARY SCHOOL
NORTH LAKE SENIOR CAMPUS
Demographics
Kardinya combines an older age profile with high cultural and educational diversity. The median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above the national comparison, and 38.2% of residents were born overseas, 16.6 percentage points higher than the national share. University-qualified residents account for 43.6%, 13.5 points above the national comparison, helping explain the strong professional presence. English ancestry counts 2,945 people, followed by Other at 1,315, Chinese at 1,091, Italian at 939 and Scottish at 796. Mandarin is the largest of the named language groups at 179 people, ahead of Italian at 127 and Canton at 95. Christianity accounts for 4,548 people and no religion for 3,359, so the suburb includes both faith-based and secular households. Household size is 2.6, only 0.1 above the national comparison, while 79.3% stayed at the same address, indicating more continuity than turnover.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.3%
Houses
10.2%
Townhouse
3.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Kardinya's housing profile is firmly detached and relatively settled. Separate houses make up 86.3% of dwellings, much higher than the 3.5% apartment share and the 10.2% semi-detached share. Four or more bedrooms account for 58.2% of homes, compared with 34.4% for three-bedroom dwellings and 6.7% for two-bedroom homes. Ownership is also stronger than renting: 43.6% own outright, 34.5% hold a mortgage and 20.7% rent. Weekly rent is $390, while mortgage repayments average $2,003 per month. Housing costs appear manageable in aggregate, with mortgage-to-income at 24.0% and rent-to-income at 20.2%, although the former is higher than the latter and individual households will vary. Buyers should compare recent transactions for similar four-bedroom houses rather than use a broad suburb estimate, particularly when weighing Kardinya against nearby Murdoch and Winthrop.
Mortgage / mo
$2,003
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$390
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$808
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.0%
Unoccupied
221
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.9%
Couples with children
42.8%
Couples, no children
13.1%
Single parent
2,654
Total families
Economy & Employment
Kardinya's employment base is led by healthcare at 17.8% of industry employment, followed by education at 14.1%, professional and technical work at 11.3%, construction at 8.5% and public administration at 7.1%. That mix links local household demand to care, education, government and skilled services rather than one narrow sector. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,352 people, ahead of clerical and administrative workers at 686, trades at 655, managers at 590 and community and personal service workers at 538. Labour-force participation is 64.7%, unemployment is 4.6% and full-time employment is 56.8%, while household income ranks at the 72.1st percentile. SEIFA places Kardinya in decile 7 for education and occupation, economic resources and overall advantage, with IRSD higher at decile 8, indicating relative disadvantage is lower than its broader advantage ranking. This decile pattern supports a stronger socioeconomic position than the middle of the national distribution, but not the top decile.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
5,092
Unemployed
232
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.8%
Part-time
38.1%
Participation
64.7%
Employed
4,860
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.6%
Postgraduate
11.0%
Born Overseas
38.2%
Dwellings
3,451
Transport to Work
Kardinya is practical for residents who drive, work from home or need access to nearby education. Car driving accounts for 79.4% of travel to work, compared with 4.7% using public transport, while 9.1% work from home and 1.7% walk or cycle. Two local government schools cover primary and senior secondary stages, giving families access to more than one school type, but enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. The suburb's socioeconomic position is above the middle range, with IRSAD at decile 7 and IRSD at decile 8. For safety, check recent WA Police information and visit streets at different times before deciding. With a median age of 42, 58.2% of homes containing four or more bedrooms and 43.6% owned outright, Kardinya may suit households seeking established, lower-turnover surroundings more than highly transient areas, supported by the 79.3% address-retention rate.
Drive
79.4%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
9.1%
Population Forecast
+0.6%/yr
(+86 people/yr)
EstablishedKardinya's growth outlook is established and gradual. The annual trend is 0.6%, above zero but modest, and overseas migration is the primary driver, so expansion is more likely to come through steady demand than a rapid development cycle. The wider area records 3.1% population change over 10 years. Its shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share increased by 7.6 percentage points, while the young share fell by 1.2 points and the working share fell by 1.4 points. Affordability moved from 68.0 in 2011 to 54.1 in 2021, despite real income growth of 10.6%, so the later position is lower than the earlier one. A gentrification score of 29 sits at Early signs, while the shift score is 13 with a Not gentrifying label. Together these signals point to incremental change, with overseas migration supporting population turnover while older household composition limits a faster trajectory.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+381
Net Internal / yr
-6
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +12% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +381/yr, Accelerating: -1% → 12%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kardinya compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kardinya a good suburb to live in?
Kardinya can suit households wanting established, detached housing and access to government primary and senior secondary schooling. The median age is 42, 86.3% of dwellings are separate houses and 79.3% of residents stayed at the same address, so the suburb has a settled profile. Car access is important because 79.4% drive to work.
What is the median house price in Kardinya?
Check recent Kardinya sales for the current median house price. Useful context is weekly rent of $390, average monthly mortgage repayments of $2,003 and a housing mix where 86.3% of dwellings are separate houses. Compare like-for-like homes by bedroom count, land, renovation level and condition.
What schools are in Kardinya?
Kardinya has 2 local government schools covering different stages: Kardinya Primary School and North Lake Senior Campus. The mix includes a government primary school and a government senior college. Families should confirm current catchments, places and transport for the exact address, since school access can differ across nearby streets.
Is Kardinya safe?
Use current WA Police information and inspect the immediate streets at different times before deciding, as suburb-level conditions can change. Kardinya has 9,137 residents and a 20.7% renting share, so conditions may vary between established owner-occupied pockets and rental properties. Check lighting, traffic and nearby amenities as well as reported incidents.
Is Kardinya good for property investment?
Kardinya may suit a long-term investor seeking established houses, but the case depends on purchase price and property condition. Weekly rent is $390, vacancy is 6.0% and 20.7% of dwellings are rented. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the annual forecast is 0.6%, pointing to measured rather than rapid growth. Review recent comparable sales and leasing times before committing.
How is Kardinya's population changing?
Kardinya's population is changing slowly rather than surging. The suburb currently has 9,137 residents, while the wider area's 10-year population change is 3.1% and the annual trend is 0.6%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 7.6 percentage points and the young share fell 1.2 points. That points to gradual growth with an older household profile.
What languages and cultures are represented in Kardinya?
Kardinya has an overseas-born share of 38.2%, higher than the national comparison by 16.6 percentage points. English, Chinese and Italian ancestry are prominent. Mandarin is the largest named language group at 179 people, followed by Italian at 127 and Canton at 95, adding to the suburb's 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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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