WA 6084 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Lower Chittering

A 118.02 sq km footprint houses 2,408 residents, giving Lower Chittering a low density of 20.4 people per sq km. The median age is 41, or 1.0 year above the national comparison, while 82.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms. Household income sits at the 93.7th percentile, yet 72.4% of households are paying a mortgage, pointing to a high-income mortgage-belt profile. Compared with nearby Bullsbrook, the suburb is more strongly defined by detached, semi-rural living and car dependence than by compact housing. Its main trade-off is access: 79.8% drive to work and only 1.5% use public transport.

Local council: Chittering

Lower Chittering urban fabric map

Population

2,408

Median Age

41.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,612/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

0

118.02 km²· 20.4 people/km²· Family income $2,682/wk

House hunters should approach Lower Chittering as a large-lot, detached-home market rather than an apartment search. Separate houses account for 100.0% of dwellings, and 82.0% have four or more bedrooms, so the stock suits families needing space, sheds or home offices. A current median house price is unavailable, making recent comparable sales and land size important checks. The reported monthly mortgage figure is $2,271, while rent is $463 a week; mortgage costs represent 20.1% of household income, higher than the 17.7% rent-to-income ratio. With 72.4% of homes mortgaged and 21.9% owned outright, buyer demand is tied closely to finance conditions compared with a lower-debt market.

For Buyers

House hunters should approach Lower Chittering as a large-lot, detached-home market rather than an apartment search. Separate houses account for 100.0% of dwellings, and 82.0% have four or more bedrooms, so the stock suits families needing space, sheds or home offices. A current median house price is unavailable, making recent comparable sales and land size important checks. The reported monthly mortgage figure is $2,271, while rent is $463 a week; mortgage costs represent 20.1% of household income, higher than the 17.7% rent-to-income ratio. With 72.4% of homes mortgaged and 21.9% owned outright, buyer demand is tied closely to finance conditions compared with a lower-debt market.

For Investors

Lower Chittering has a small rental base: 5.7% of occupied dwellings are rented, versus 72.4% with a mortgage. That can limit tenant depth compared with suburbs where renting is a larger part of the tenure mix, although it may support a family-house rental niche. Weekly rent is $463 and vacancy is 8.2%, so investors should stress-test leasing time and property management costs rather than assume automatic scarcity. No development activity was recorded in the past 12 months, reducing near-term supply pressure but also limiting new stock. The wider growth signal is 2.34% annually, with internal migration the primary driver, which supports demand more than a static established market.

Schools in Lower Chittering

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

IMMACULATE HEART COLLEGE

NON-GOVT SCHOOLS Non-Government

Demographics

Lower Chittering's median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national comparison, and the average household contains 3.2 people, 0.7 above the national figure. Families are prominent: 51.5% of families are couples with children, compared with 39.5% couples without children, while 8.7% are one-parent families. Overseas-born residents account for 29.2%, 7.6 percentage points above the national comparison, although university attainment is 15.7%, 14.4 points below national. English ancestry is reported by 1,202 people, followed by Scottish 272 and Irish 207. A 79.9% stay rate suggests more settled households than a high-turnover area, consistent with the suburb's aging trajectory.

Age Distribution

0-14
20.8%
15-24
13.1%
25-44
21.1%
45-64
32.9%
65+
12.3%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
1.3%
2 bed
3.3%
3 bed
13.5%
4+ bed
82.0%

Dwelling Structure

100.0%

Houses

0.0%

Townhouse

0.0%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 21.9% Mortgage 72.4% Rent 5.7%

Detached housing is the defining feature: 100.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 82.0% contain four or more bedrooms, far higher than a compact apartment market. Tenure is heavily leveraged, with 72.4% mortgaged compared with 21.9% owned outright and 5.7% rented. The reported mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.1%, above the 17.7% rent-to-income ratio, so interest rates matter more to local household budgets than rent movements. Vacancy is 8.2%, which can give buyers more negotiating context than a tightly occupied market. No current median house price is stated, so land size, dwelling condition and recent comparable sales should drive valuation rather than bedroom count alone.

Mortgage / mo

$2,271

Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.

$463

Census 2021

HH Size

3.2

Personal Income / wk

$904

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

8.2%

Unoccupied

63

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

17.7%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.1%

Community Profile

Ancestry

English
1,202
Scottish
272
Irish
207
Ancestry NS
150
Other
137
German
87

Household Composition

51.5%

Couples with children

39.5%

Couples, no children

8.7%

Single parent

664

Total families

Economy & Employment

Household income is a standout: $2,612 a week places it at the 93.7th percentile nationally, while personal income is $904 and family income $2,682. Employment is relatively firm, with unemployment at 3.0%, participation at 67.6% and full-time work at 61.3%. Construction leads local industries at 14.4% or 109 people, followed by mining at 14.3% or 108 and healthcare at 11.8% or 89; trades are the largest occupation group at 293. SEIFA is mixed: economic resources rank in decile 10, but education and occupation rank in decile 4, while IRSAD is decile 6. That gap suggests household resources are higher than formal education and occupational measures, compared with a uniformly high-decile area.

Unemployment

3.0%

Labour Force

1,287

Unemployed

39

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
6
Disadvantage
6
Economic resources
10
Education & occupation
4

Full-time

61.3%

Part-time

30.6%

Participation

67.6%

Employed

1,248

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Trades 293
Clerical/Admin 185
Managers 160
Professionals 148
Community/Personal 132
Machinery/Drivers 119
Labourers 112
Sales 90

Top Industries

Construction 14.4%
Mining 14.3%
Healthcare 11.8%
Public Admin 8.2%
Education 8.1%

University

15.7%

Postgraduate

2.1%

Born Overseas

29.2%

Dwellings

713

Transport to Work

Livability is best suited to households comfortable with driving. Car drivers account for 79.8% of commuting, compared with only 1.5% using public transport and 1.7% walking or cycling; 11.5% work from home. One identified local school, Immaculate Heart College, is non-government, so families should check enrolment zones and transport arrangements against the exact address. No local crime rate is available for a firm safety comparison, so current police and council updates deserve attention. IRSAD sits in decile 6, above the midpoint but below the top decile, while density is just 20.4 people per sq km across 118.02 sq km. Compared with denser suburbs, space is the benefit and services are less convenient.

Drive

79.8%

Public Transport

1.5%

Walk / Cycle

1.7%

Work from Home

11.5%

Growth Outlook

Population change across the wider area is 33.8% over 10 years, while the current trend model indicates 2.34% annual growth. Internal migration is the primary driver, making the outlook more dependent on households relocating within the region than on overseas inflows. The trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has risen 4.3 percentage points and the young share has fallen 3.2 points. Gentrification signals are mixed but positive, with an Active score of 56, higher than the shift indicator's Early signs score of 41. Affordability indicators are 53.3 in 2011 and 40.1 in 2021, while the affordability trend is labelled Improving.

Population trend: Chittering council area

Lower Chittering sits in the Chittering council area. These are the council area's residents, not Lower Chittering's.

Residents 2025

7,039

Growth, 5 yr average

+3.4%/yr

2020 to 2025

Growth, last year

+3.9%

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 Lower Chittering compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 20%
Household Income
Top 6%
Rent Level
Top 8%
Apartments
Bottom 0%
Renters
Bottom 25%
Uni Educated
Bottom 21%
Public Transport
Bottom 32%
Born Overseas
Top 15%
Density
Top 36%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lower Chittering a good suburb to live in?

Yes, if you value space and a quieter semi-rural setting. Lower Chittering has 100.0% separate houses, 82.0% with 4 or more bedrooms and a median age of 41, but 79.8% commute by car, so it suits drivers more than transit-dependent households.

What is the median house price in Lower Chittering?

A suburb-level median house price is not available, so avoid relying on a single estimate. Compare recent sales by land size, dwelling condition and bedroom count, especially because 82.0% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and all identified dwellings are separate houses at 100.0%.

What schools are in Lower Chittering?

Immaculate Heart College is the identified local school and is a non-government school. Families should confirm enrolment zones, year levels and travel times for the exact address, because Lower Chittering covers 118.02 sq km and public transport use is only 1.5%.

Is Lower Chittering safe?

There is not enough local crime-rate information to give a firm safety rating. Lower Chittering's density is 20.4 people per sq km and 79.8% of commuters drive, so residents should check current police advice and practical travel conditions rather than assume safety from low density alone.

Is Lower Chittering good for property investment?

It may suit investors targeting larger family homes, but it is not a straightforward yield story. Rent is $463 a week, vacancy is 8.2% and only 5.7% of dwellings are rented, while 2.34% annual growth and internal migration provide supportive demand signals. Compare borrowing costs carefully.

How is Lower Chittering's population changing?

Growth is positive but the population profile is aging. The wider area recorded 33.8% population change over 10 years, with a 2.34% annual trend driven primarily by internal migration. The senior share rose 4.3 percentage points while the young share fell 3.2 points, so future demand may favour established family and downsizer housing more than youth-oriented stock.

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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