Northbridge
A 21.9% vacancy rate in a suburb where 68.1% of residents rent is the central tension in Northbridge's property story. Despite sitting in SEIFA decile 9 for education and advantage, the IER decile of 1 signals that residents are highly educated but asset-light. The population of 1,420 skews young at a median age of 31, which is 9 years below the national figure, and 62.7% were born overseas, some 41 points above the national average. The suburb covers just 0.45 square kilometres at a density of 3,148 people per square kilometre, making it one of Perth's most compact urban neighbourhoods.
Population
1,420
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,853/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$470K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $470,000, the median house price in Northbridge is accessible compared to many inner-Perth suburbs, supported by a rent-to-income ratio of just 21.6% and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.1%, both well below stress thresholds. The stock is almost entirely apartments, with 86.9% of dwellings in that category and only 3.0% separate houses. Two-bedroom apartments dominate at 69.4% of all dwellings, giving buyers limited scope for larger family homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,690. With outright ownership at only 10.3% and mortgage holders at 21.5%, the suburb is overwhelmingly a rental market, which limits the sense of established owner-occupier community that some buyers seek.
For Buyers
At $470,000, the median house price in Northbridge is accessible compared to many inner-Perth suburbs, supported by a rent-to-income ratio of just 21.6% and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.1%, both well below stress thresholds. The stock is almost entirely apartments, with 86.9% of dwellings in that category and only 3.0% separate houses. Two-bedroom apartments dominate at 69.4% of all dwellings, giving buyers limited scope for larger family homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,690. With outright ownership at only 10.3% and mortgage holders at 21.5%, the suburb is overwhelmingly a rental market, which limits the sense of established owner-occupier community that some buyers seek.
For Investors
The rental market in Northbridge is large but under pressure. Some 68.1% of residents rent, which is well above the national owner-occupier norm, yet the 21.9% vacancy rate indicates genuine oversupply in the apartment segment that makes up 86.9% of dwellings. Weekly rent of $400 against a $470,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.4%, better than premium Sydney or Melbourne suburbs but constrained by vacancy risk. Annual resident turnover sits at 47.1%, which means nearly half the rental population changes each year, keeping leasing costs high. Development activity was minimal at only 2 applications in the past 12 months, so new supply pressure is low.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
3
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
Demographics
Northbridge carries a distinctly international, youthful profile. The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, and 62.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 41.1 percentage points above national. English (320), Chinese (195) and Irish (81) lead the ancestry categories, and Mandarin (44 speakers), Korean (29) and Cantonese (21) are the most common non-English languages, consistent with a large East Asian student and migrant presence. University qualifications reach 47.6%, some 17.5 points above national. The average household size of 1.9 is 0.6 below national, reflecting a population dominated by single adults and couples without children, with couples-no-children forming 61.3% of all families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
3.0%
Houses
10.1%
Townhouse
86.9%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure structure in Northbridge is nearly the inverse of a typical suburban market: only 10.3% own outright, 21.5% hold a mortgage, and 68.1% rent. That renter majority is explained by the 86.9% apartment share and the youthful, transient population with a 47.1% annual turnover rate. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 69.4% of all homes, with studio and one-bedroom units making up 18.3%, which positions the market firmly at single-occupant and couple renters rather than families. The median house price is estimated at $470,000 and weekly rent averages $400, giving a rent-to-income ratio of 21.6%, below the 30% stress benchmark. Just 3.0% of dwellings are separate houses, so freestanding property buyers have almost no options within the suburb boundary.
Mortgage / mo
$1,690
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,049
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
21.9%
Unoccupied
169
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
61.3%
Couples, no children
622
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hospitality dominates local employment at 20.0% of workers (139 people), which is disproportionately high and reflects the suburb's role as Perth's nightlife and entertainment precinct. Professional and Technical services follow at 11.8% (82 workers) and Healthcare at 11.5% (80), while Mining contributes 7.6% despite the suburb's urban location, reflecting Perth's mining-sector spillover. The full-time employment rate is 68.3% and the unemployment rate sits at 5.5%, above typical metropolitan levels. SEIFA scores present an interesting split: the IEO decile of 9 signals high education and occupation status, while the IER decile of 1 is extremely low, because the renter-majority population holds almost no property assets. Household income sits in the 67th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.3%
Part-time
26.2%
Participation
67.9%
Employed
861
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.6%
Postgraduate
12.3%
Born Overseas
62.7%
Dwellings
602
Transport to Work
Active transport use is exceptionally high for a Perth suburb: 35.9% of residents walk or cycle, well above the national average, and 15.3% use public transport, reflecting proximity to the Perth CBD. Only 43.1% rely on a car as their main mode, considerably lower than typical suburban rates. The IRSAD decile of 9 places Northbridge among the more advantaged suburbs nationally on a combined measure of advantage and disadvantage. Rent stress is absent at 21.6% rent-to-income, and mortgage stress is equally low at 21.1%. No schools are recorded within the 0.45 square kilometre boundary, so families with children depend on nearby suburbs. Just 0.2% of residents (3 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 31.
Drive
43.1%
Public Transport
15.3%
Walk / Cycle
35.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Northbridge compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northbridge a good suburb to live in?
Northbridge scores decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO, placing it among the more advantaged Perth suburbs nationally. The median age of 31, active-transport culture (35.9% walk or cycle) and 15.3% public transport use suit young urban renters. The 21.9% vacancy rate and 47.1% annual turnover reflect a transient population, which may not suit those seeking a stable neighbourhood feel.
What is the median house price in Northbridge?
The median house price in Northbridge is estimated at $470,000, with weekly rent averaging $400. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,690, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Only 3.0% of dwellings are separate houses, so most of the market is apartments.
What schools are in Northbridge?
No schools are recorded within the 0.45 square kilometre Northbridge boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, the suburb has high educational attainment, with 47.6% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 17.5 percentage points above the national average.
Is Northbridge safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Northbridge are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on IRSAD, a high-advantage tier nationally. Only 3 residents (0.2%) need daily assistance, consistent with the young, healthy population at a median age of 31.
Is Northbridge good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $400 against a $470,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.4%, higher than many inner-city markets. However, the 21.9% vacancy rate signals real oversupply in a market that is 86.9% apartments. Annual resident turnover of 47.1% keeps leasing active but re-letting costs high. Investors should model vacancy carefully.
How is Northbridge's population changing?
Northbridge has a population of 1,420 across just 0.45 square kilometres. The 47.1% annual resident turnover suggests high churn rather than organic growth, and the 62.7% overseas-born share ties demand to migration policy cycles. Development was minimal at 2 applications in the past 12 months, indicating little new supply pressure.
What languages are spoken in Northbridge?
Some 62.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 41.1 percentage points above the national average. Mandarin (44 speakers), Korean (29) and Cantonese (21) are the leading non-English languages, reflecting a strong East Asian community. English and Chinese ancestry groups together account for over 500 residents in a suburb of 1,420.
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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