Northam
An affordable regional centre 100km east of Perth, Northam pairs a $322,000 median house price with household income in just the 27.6th percentile nationally, so the two facts reinforce each other: low incomes anchor low prices. The suburb is overwhelmingly detached, with 92.8% separate houses and only 0.5% apartments, spread thinly at 249 people per square kilometre across 26.78 square kilometres. The population of 6,679 carries a median age of 42, which is 2.0 years above the national figure, and university qualifications reach only 16.1%, fully 14.0 points below national. SEIFA places Northam in decile 2 on three of four indexes, marking it among the more disadvantaged suburbs in the country.
Population
6,679
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,246/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$322K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $322,000 median, Northam is one of the cheapest markets within commuting reach of Perth, and the entry price explains the buyer profile. Owner-occupiers dominate, with 36.1% owning outright and 32.9% holding a mortgage, well above the 31.1% who rent. Monthly mortgage repayments average just $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in only the 27.6th percentile. The stock suits families: 46.7% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 35.7% have four or more, while two-bedroom homes make up 15.0%. With 92.8% of housing being separate houses, buyers get land and space that would cost several times more closer to the coast.
For Buyers
At a $322,000 median, Northam is one of the cheapest markets within commuting reach of Perth, and the entry price explains the buyer profile. Owner-occupiers dominate, with 36.1% owning outright and 32.9% holding a mortgage, well above the 31.1% who rent. Monthly mortgage repayments average just $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in only the 27.6th percentile. The stock suits families: 46.7% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 35.7% have four or more, while two-bedroom homes make up 15.0%. With 92.8% of housing being separate houses, buyers get land and space that would cost several times more closer to the coast.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $250 against a $322,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, far higher than premium metro suburbs, which is the core appeal for income-focused investors. A 31.1% renter share gives a reasonable tenant pool for a regional town. The catch is a 15.2% vacancy rate, well above a balanced market, signalling that supply can outrun demand and that holding periods may carry empty weeks. Demand support comes from internal migration, which adds a net 168 residents a year and is the primary growth driver, against just 48 from overseas. Rent has grown 31.6% over the period, and with no development applications recorded in the past 12 months, new competing supply is limited, which supports existing landlords on rent escalation rather than yield compression.
Schools in Northam iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
PP-12 · 721 students
Northam Primary School
K-6 · 325 students
Northam Senior High School
7-12 · 669 students
West Northam Primary School
K-6 · 130 students
Avonvale Primary School
K-6 · 117 students
Demographics
Northam's median age of 42 is 2.0 years above national, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.7 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 1.5 points and the young share dropped 3.5 points. Only 16.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 5.1 points below the national figure, and ancestry leans strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,648), Scottish (562) and Irish (543). University qualifications at 16.1% run 14.0 points below national, consistent with a workforce built on trades and service roles rather than knowledge jobs. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, and 30.3% of families are couples without children, reflecting the older age profile. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 3,004 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.8%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is balanced toward ownership: 36.1% own outright, 32.9% carry a mortgage and 31.1% rent, so owner-occupiers clearly outnumber tenants. The stock is 92.8% separate houses with apartments at just 0.5% and semi-detached at 5.5%, a detached-dominant pattern typical of regional WA. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.7% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes 35.7%, leaving smaller two-bedroom stock at 15.0%. The median house price of $322,000 is modest, and affordability has stayed broadly stable, moving only from 36.8% in 2011 to 37.9% in 2021. Because household income sits in the 27.6th percentile yet the mortgage-to-income ratio is only 24.1%, the low purchase price keeps repayments manageable even on below-average earnings.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$653
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.2%
Unoccupied
444
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.3%
Couples, no children
4,622
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 19.0% of the workforce (279 workers), followed by Education at 12.5% (183) and Public Administration at 11.0% (162), a public-services tilt typical of a regional service hub. Construction (8.7%) and Retail (8.0%) round out the top five. By occupation, Labourers lead at 385, ahead of Professionals, Community and Personal Service, and Clerical workers, each near 344, which aligns with the decile 2 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment runs at 6.7%, above the metro norm, and participation is low at 49.7% because 1,961 residents are not in the labour force, reflecting the older population. SEIFA reads decile 2 on IRSAD, IRSD and IEO but decile 4 on IER, because affordable housing and strong outright ownership lift the economic resources measure above the other three.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
5,956
Unemployed
240
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.3%
Part-time
28.0%
Participation
49.7%
Employed
2,501
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.1%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
16.5%
Dwellings
2,475
Transport to Work
Northam is heavily car-dependent, with 83.7% of residents driving to work and only 0.7% using public transport, well below metro levels, a function of its regional location 100km from Perth. Active transport is modest at 7.0% walking or cycling. The suburb scores decile 2 on IRSAD, placing it among the more disadvantaged areas nationally, and 8.1% of residents (484 people) need daily assistance, above what the median age of 42 alone would suggest. Volunteering is healthy at 20.3%, a sign of community engagement common in smaller regional towns. No schools are recorded inside the 26.78 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so some families rely on institutions in the wider district, a practical consideration for a low-density area at 249 people per square kilometre.
Drive
83.7%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
7.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.91%/yr
(+116 people/yr)
EstablishedNortham is a steady-growth regional centre, with population rising 0.91% a year, or about 116 people, and a 7.6% increase over the past decade. Internal migration is the engine, adding a net 168 residents annually against 48 from overseas, so the town grows mainly by drawing people from elsewhere in WA rather than from abroad. Medium forecasts project continued expansion across the wider area through 2031. The gentrification reading is active with a score of 42, supported by signals including population up 18% since 2011 and accelerating internal migration, though real income growth of just 3.8% over the decade shows incomes are not climbing as fast as numbers. The aging trajectory, with the senior share up 5.7 points, tempers how fast the working-age base can expand.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+48
Net Internal / yr
+168
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +18% since 2011, Net internal migration +168/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 14%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Northam compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northam a good suburb to live in?
Northam suits buyers wanting affordability and space, with a $322,000 median house price and 92.8% separate houses. It is a regional service hub where Healthcare employs 19.0% of workers. The trade-offs are a SEIFA decile 2 ranking, among the more disadvantaged nationally, and heavy car dependence, with 83.7% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Northam?
The median house price in Northam is $322,000, one of the cheapest within commuting reach of Perth. Weekly rent averages $250 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household income in the 27.6th percentile.
What schools are in Northam?
No schools are recorded inside the 26.78 square kilometre Northam boundary in this dataset, so some families rely on schools in the wider district. The local workforce reflects a service-town profile, with Education employing 12.5% of workers and university qualifications at 16.1%, which is 14.0 points below national.
Is Northam safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Northam in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a lower tier, and 8.1% of its residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a regional area facing socioeconomic pressure rather than a measure of crime.
Is Northam good for property investment?
Rent of $250 a week against a $322,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, well above metro suburbs. The 31.1% renter share offers a decent tenant pool, but a 15.2% vacancy rate signals oversupply risk. Net internal migration of 168 a year supports demand and rent has grown 31.6%, favouring income over capital growth.
How is Northam's population changing?
Northam's population is growing 0.91% a year, about 116 people, and rose 7.6% over the past decade to 6,679 residents. Internal migration drives this, adding a net 168 people annually against 48 from overseas. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.7 points and the young share down 3.5 points.
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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