Northbridge
A median age of 31 and an apartment share of 86.9% define Northbridge as a compact inner-city market, with 1,420 residents across 0.45 square kilometres. Overseas-born residents account for 62.7%, 41.1 percentage points above the national figure, while 67.0% rent. Compared with nearby Highgate and East Perth, the suburb is more renter-oriented and vertically housed, supporting hospitality, retail and short-trip living. Its density of 3,147.9 people per square kilometre and 33.0% walking or cycling share reinforce that central pattern, although a 21.9% vacancy rate points to a fluid housing market.
Local council: Perth
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
5
Northbridge suits buyers prioritising an apartment lifestyle over a detached home. Apartments make up 86.9% of dwellings, much higher than the 3.0% separate-house share, and 69.4% of homes have 2 bedrooms. That mix can work for singles, couples and city workers, especially with average household size at 1.9, but it narrows options for larger households because only 10.5% have 3 bedrooms and 1.7% have 4 or more. Mortgage servicing is $1,690 per month, while rent is $400 per week and mortgage-to-income is 21.1%. Buyers should add strata, parking and maintenance costs when comparing apartments with nearby Highgate or East Perth.
For Buyers
Northbridge suits buyers prioritising an apartment lifestyle over a detached home. Apartments make up 86.9% of dwellings, much higher than the 3.0% separate-house share, and 69.4% of homes have 2 bedrooms. That mix can work for singles, couples and city workers, especially with average household size at 1.9, but it narrows options for larger households because only 10.5% have 3 bedrooms and 1.7% have 4 or more. Mortgage servicing is $1,690 per month, while rent is $400 per week and mortgage-to-income is 21.1%. Buyers should add strata, parking and maintenance costs when comparing apartments with nearby Highgate or East Perth.
For Investors
Northbridge's investor case is shaped by 67.0% renters, a $400 weekly rent and an 86.9% apartment share. Renting is higher than both outright ownership at 10.2% and mortgage tenure at 21.2%, creating a deep tenant pool, while hospitality, professional and healthcare employment account for 20.0%, 11.8% and 11.5% of the leading industries. The 21.9% vacancy rate makes tenant selection and leasing strategy important, and 47.1% turnover points to frequent moves. Four development applications in 12 months indicate small-scale commercial and use-change activity. Compare net returns after strata, insurance, maintenance and vacancy with nearby Highgate and Perth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
5
Last 12 Months
5
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 is young and internationally connected: the median age is 31, 9 years below the national comparison, and 62.7% of residents were born overseas, 41.1 points above the national figure. University attainment is 47.6%, 17.5 points above the national comparison, helping explain the concentration of Professionals at 251 and Managers at 110. Household size averages 1.9, 0.6 below the national figure, consistent with 69.7% of families being couples without children. English ancestry counts 320, Chinese 195 and Irish 81. Mandarin is the most recorded language at 44, followed by Korean at 29, while no religion is recorded for 683 residents compared with 330 identifying with Christianity. Turnover is 47.1%, supporting a more mobile profile than longer-established suburban areas.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
3.0%
Houses
10.1%
Townhouse
86.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Northbridge is an apartment-dominant, renter-majority market. Apartments account for 86.9% of dwellings, far higher than separate houses at 3.0% and semi-detached homes at 10.1%. Two-bedroom homes make up 69.4%, while 0-1 bedroom dwellings account for 18.3%, so the stock is concentrated toward smaller formats. Renting leads tenure at 67.0%, compared with 21.2% paying a mortgage and 10.2% owning outright. That structure reflects a mobile inner-city population, with 47.1% turnover, but owners should examine strata levies and building maintenance closely. The 21.9% vacancy rate is high relative to the 10.2% outright-owner share. Without a suburb-wide house-price median, apartment sales should be compared by building, condition, size and parking, with Highgate and East Perth useful local reference points.
Mortgage / mo
$1,690
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
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
18.8%
Couples with children
69.7%
Couples, no children
8.7%
Single parent
277
Total families
Economy & Employment
Northbridge combines a 71.8% participation rate with 5.2% unemployment and 64.3% full-time employment, giving the local economy a strong working-age base. Hospitality is the largest industry at 20.0% with 139 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 11.8% and 82, Healthcare at 11.5% and 80, Mining at 7.6% and 53, and Retail at 7.0% and 49. Occupations are led by Professionals at 251, Trades at 138, Community/Personal services at 128, Managers at 110 and Labourers at 98, so employment is broader than a purely hospitality-led market. Household income is $1,853 per week at the 67th percentile, above the national midpoint. SEIFA shows a split: education and occupation ranks in decile 9, economic resources in decile 1, IRSD in decile 7 and IRSAD in decile 9. This indicates strong capability alongside uneven access to resources.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
964
Unemployed
50
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.3%
Part-time
29.9%
Participation
71.8%
Employed
914
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.6%
Postgraduate
12.3%
Born Overseas
62.7%
Dwellings
602
Transport to Work
Northbridge supports short-trip living: 33.0% of residents walk or cycle to work, compared with 39.7% who drive and 14.1% using public transport; 7.9% work from home. That transport mix reflects a dense setting of 3,147.9 people per square kilometre across 0.45 square kilometres, where access to shops, dining and central employment can reduce car dependence. Families should check the exact address for school enrolment zones and nearby options, including sector and school type, because boundaries do not follow suburb names. A suburb-level crime rate is not stated, so safety decisions should rely on current official incident information and street-level checks. An IRSAD decile of 9 and IRSD decile of 7 rank above the midpoint, while the IER decile of 1 is lower and points to uneven economic resources. Compared with lower-density settings, walking and cycling are more practical here, but apartment noise, late-night activity and parking should be assessed in person.
Drive
39.7%
Public Transport
14.1%
Walk / Cycle
33.0%
Work from Home
7.9%
Growth Outlook
Northbridge is forecast to grow at 3.35% a year, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area runs at 55.2% over 10 years, so demand is likely to remain sensitive to international arrivals, rental conditions and central-city employment. The trajectory is labelled Mixed: affordability is marked as improving from 40.7 in 2011 to 34.9 in 2021, while real income growth is -13.5% and rent growth is -8.9%. Gentrification signals are also mixed, with a score of 25 and stage Early signs, while the shift reading records a score of 0 and stage Not gentrifying. The 3.35% annual trend is above zero, but the mixed indicators support measured expectations rather than assuming every apartment building will re-rate at the same pace.
Population trend: Perth council area
Northbridge sits in the Perth council area. These are the council area's residents, not Northbridge's.
Residents 2025
35,673
Growth, 5 yr average
+3.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+2.1%
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 Northbridge compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northbridge a good suburb to live in?
Northbridge can suit residents who value apartment living, hospitality and walkable access to central jobs. The median age is 31, 33.0% walk or cycle to work and 67.0% rent. Compared with lower-density suburbs, it is less suited to buyers seeking large detached homes, quiet streets or extensive private outdoor space.
What is the median house price in Northbridge?
A suburb-wide median house price is not stated. Buyers should compare recent apartment sales by building, bedroom count, parking and condition, especially because 86.9% of dwellings are apartments and 69.4% have 2 bedrooms. Allow for the $1,690 monthly mortgage figure, strata costs and building maintenance.
What schools are in Northbridge?
School choices should be checked by exact address, enrolment zone, sector and year level. Northbridge covers 0.45 square kilometres, so nearby options may sit across suburb boundaries. Families should confirm travel routes, placement rules and available year levels before signing a lease or purchase contract.
Is Northbridge safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not stated, so use current official incident information and inspect the exact streets at different times. Northbridge has a density of 3,147.9 people per square kilometre and a 20.0% hospitality industry share, meaning late-night activity and conditions can vary by block.
Is Northbridge good for property investment?
Northbridge can suit investors seeking apartment and rental exposure: 67.0% of residents rent, weekly rent is $400 and apartments represent 86.9% of dwellings. The 21.9% vacancy rate is a key risk, so compare net returns after strata, insurance, maintenance and vacancy rather than relying on gross rent alone.
How is Northbridge's population changing?
Growth is strong but not uniform. The annual trend is 3.35%, overseas migration is the primary driver and population change across the wider area is 55.2% over 10 years. The trajectory is Mixed, while the gentrification score is 25 at the Early signs stage, so rental and apartment demand may change unevenly.
What languages are spoken in Northbridge?
Northbridge has a migrant-majority profile, with 62.7% of residents born overseas. Mandarin is recorded for 44 residents, Korean for 29, Canton for 21 and French for 12. English ancestry is recorded for 320 people and Chinese ancestry for 195, indicating a broad cultural and language 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).
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