Lake Coogee
Detached houses dominate here to a degree rare even in outer Perth: 93.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 60.4% carry four or more bedrooms, against just 1.4% apartments. That stock shapes everything else. The median house price of $506,000 stays affordable because household income sits in the 81.8th percentile nationally while land remains plentiful, and 53.3% of households carry a mortgage versus 30.8% who own outright, the signature of a young, family-buying market. The median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below national, overseas-born residents reach 30.0% (8.4 points above national), and the population has grown 30.5% over the decade.
Population
4,768
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,147/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$506K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Buyers come for space at a price. The $506,000 median house price is affordable relative to an 81.8th-percentile household income, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5% sits well below the 30% stress threshold, so repayments of about $2,000 a month leave headroom. The trade-off is dwelling type, not budget: 93.1% of homes are separate houses and only 1.4% apartments, so there is almost no entry-level unit option. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 60.4% of stock and three-bedroom 34.9%, meaning the market is built for families rather than singles or downsizers. With 53.3% of households on a mortgage against 30.8% owning outright, this is a working buyer's suburb where most owners are still paying down recent purchases.
For Buyers
Buyers come for space at a price. The $506,000 median house price is affordable relative to an 81.8th-percentile household income, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5% sits well below the 30% stress threshold, so repayments of about $2,000 a month leave headroom. The trade-off is dwelling type, not budget: 93.1% of homes are separate houses and only 1.4% apartments, so there is almost no entry-level unit option. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 60.4% of stock and three-bedroom 34.9%, meaning the market is built for families rather than singles or downsizers. With 53.3% of households on a mortgage against 30.8% owning outright, this is a working buyer's suburb where most owners are still paying down recent purchases.
For Investors
The case rests on yield and growth rather than tenant depth. Weekly rent of $400 against the $506,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, stronger than premium inner-city suburbs where yields fall below 2%. Renters are only 15.9% of households, a thin tenant pool because 53.3% carry mortgages and 30.8% own outright, so vacancy at 5.7% reflects limited rental stock more than weak demand. Population growth of 1.71% a year, driven by balanced migration of 104 overseas and 68 internal arrivals annually, supports rent escalation, and rent has risen 7.2% over the period. Development is light at 7 applications in 12 months, mostly single dwellings and pools, so new supply will not undercut existing landlords. The investment thesis is capital growth plus reasonable yield in a family-housing market with constrained rental availability.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
9
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 Lake Coogee iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Jerome's Primary School
PP-6 · 468 students
Demographics
The profile is young and family-oriented. The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below national, and households average 2.7 people, 0.2 above national, consistent with couples raising children: 1,832 families are couples with children against 917 couples without. Overseas-born residents reach 30.0%, which is 8.4 points above national, with ancestry led by English (1,651), Italian (734) and Irish (382). The top non-English languages are Italian (68 speakers), Croatian (53) and Portuguese (49), reflecting a southern European heritage unusual for Perth. University qualifications sit at 26.5%, 3.6 points below national, which fits a workforce weighted toward trades and services rather than knowledge professions. Christianity dominates religion at 2,700 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.1%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tells the story of a young buyer's market: 53.3% of households carry a mortgage, 30.8% own outright and only 15.9% rent. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners is the reverse of established wealthy suburbs and points to recent purchasing activity. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 93.1% separate houses, with 5.5% semi-detached and 1.4% apartments. Bedroom counts skew large: 60.4% have four or more bedrooms and 34.9% have three, so two-bedroom and smaller dwellings are scarce at under 5%. The median house price of $506,000 stays accessible because the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5% and rent-to-income of 18.6% both sit well below stress levels, supported by household income in the 81.8th percentile. Affordability has improved from 57.7% in 2011 to 44.6% in 2021.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$951
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.7%
Unoccupied
104
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.0%
Couples, no children
3,991
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment leans toward services and trades rather than corporate sectors. Healthcare leads at 15.9% of workers (269 people), followed by Construction at 12.1% (205) and Education at 11.4% (193), with Manufacturing at 9.2% and Public Admin at 6.6%. By occupation, Professionals (467) and Clerical/Admin (383) lead, ahead of Managers (306) and Labourers (226). Unemployment is low at 3.4% and the participation rate is 66.7%, with a full-time employment rate of 65.5%. The SEIFA scores explain the mixed picture: economic resources rank in decile 9 (high household wealth from dual-income families) while education and occupation sit at decile 6, below the wealth tier, because university qualifications at 26.5% run 3.6 points under national. Real incomes grew 12.8% over the decade.
Unemployment
2.3%
Labour Force
6,496
Unemployed
151
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.5%
Part-time
31.1%
Participation
66.7%
Employed
2,435
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.5%
Postgraduate
3.7%
Born Overseas
30.0%
Dwellings
1,732
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-dependent by design. Some 90.9% of residents drive to work while only 3.5% use public transport and 1.0% walk or cycle, far above the national car reliance, a function of the low-density detached layout at 1,384 people per km2. No schools are recorded inside the 3.45 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off of the newer estate setting. On disadvantage measures the suburb is comfortable: it ranks in decile 8 on IRSD and decile 7 on IRSAD, both above the national midpoint, and only 3.9% of residents (176 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering runs at 13.1% and housing stress is low, with rent-to-income at 18.6%, supporting a stable family-suburb feel.
Drive
90.9%
Public Transport
3.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.71%/yr
(+189 people/yr)
EstablishedThis is one of Perth's faster-expanding established suburbs. The population has risen 30.5% over the past decade and continues at 1.71% a year, adding roughly 189 residents annually, well above the flat trajectories of mature inner suburbs. Growth is balanced rather than reliant on one source: net overseas migration adds 104 residents a year and net internal migration 68, a sign of genuine relocation demand rather than just international arrivals. The gentrification stage reads early signs at a score of 36, with internal migration accelerating from 14% to 21% of the inflow. Affordability improving from 57.7% in 2011 to 44.6% in 2021 alongside 12.8% real income growth indicates rising household prosperity rather than displacement, a healthier growth pattern than late-stage gentrification.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+104
Net Internal / yr
+68
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +38% since 2011, Net internal migration +68/yr, Accelerating: 14% → 21%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lake Coogee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lake Coogee a good suburb to live in?
Lake Coogee suits families seeking space affordably. It ranks in decile 8 on IRSD and decile 7 on IRSAD, both above the national midpoint, with household income in the 81.8th percentile. The median house price is $506,000 and 93.1% of homes are separate houses, though the area is heavily car-dependent at 90.9% driving.
What is the median house price in Lake Coogee?
The median house price is $506,000, affordable relative to an 81.8th-percentile household income. The mortgage-to-income ratio is just 21.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, and weekly rent averages $400. Repayments run about $2,000 a month, leaving most family buyers with comfortable headroom.
What schools are in Lake Coogee?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.45 km2 Lake Coogee boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The area is family-heavy, with 1,832 couple-with-children families and a median age of 37, which is 3.0 years below the national figure.
Is Lake Coogee safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lake Coogee in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb ranks in decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the national midpoint, and only 3.9% of its residents (176 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Lake Coogee good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $400 against the $506,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than inner-city suburbs below 2%. Renters are only 15.9% of households, a thin pool, but population growth of 1.71% a year and balanced migration of 104 overseas arrivals support rent escalation and capital growth.
How is Lake Coogee's population changing?
The population has grown 30.5% over the past decade and continues at 1.71% a year, adding about 189 residents annually, faster than most established Perth suburbs. Growth is balanced, with net overseas migration of 104 and internal migration of 68 a year driving genuine relocation demand.
What languages are spoken in Lake Coogee?
About 30.0% of residents were born overseas, 8.4 points above the national figure. English is dominant, while the most common non-English languages are Italian (68 speakers), Croatian (53) and Portuguese (49), reflecting a southern European heritage that is unusual for the Perth metropolitan area.
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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