Safety Bay
An estimated median house price of $407,000 against household income in the 43rd percentile makes Safety Bay one of Perth's more accessible coastal suburbs, but the economics reveal tension. University qualifications at 19.8% sit 10.3 points below the national average, unemployment at 6.8% runs above the national rate, and the IRSAD decile 4 places the suburb in the bottom 40% nationally. Yet 41.7% own outright, the highest ownership rate in this batch, because long-term residents bought in decades ago. The aging trajectory (median age 44, senior share up 3.3 points) and 32.2% couples without children confirm a maturing lifecycle profile.
Population
7,662
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,445/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$407K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated $407,000 median is affordable by Perth metro standards. Monthly mortgage of $1,679 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the stress threshold. Detached houses dominate at 93.7%, with 51.2% having 4+ bedrooms and 40.8% having 3 bedrooms. Outright ownership at 41.7% is well above average, reflecting long-term holdership. Mortgage holders at 38.3% and renters at 20.0% complete the tenure split. Car dependency is high at 88.1%, with public transport at 4.5%. Two schools serve the area: Safety Bay Primary (government, ICSEA 1,000, 592 students) sits at the national benchmark, while Safety Bay Senior High (government, ICSEA 966, 1,148 students) scores below it.
For Buyers
The estimated $407,000 median is affordable by Perth metro standards. Monthly mortgage of $1,679 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the stress threshold. Detached houses dominate at 93.7%, with 51.2% having 4+ bedrooms and 40.8% having 3 bedrooms. Outright ownership at 41.7% is well above average, reflecting long-term holdership. Mortgage holders at 38.3% and renters at 20.0% complete the tenure split. Car dependency is high at 88.1%, with public transport at 4.5%. Two schools serve the area: Safety Bay Primary (government, ICSEA 1,000, 592 students) sits at the national benchmark, while Safety Bay Senior High (government, ICSEA 966, 1,148 students) scores below it.
For Investors
Renters at 20.0% form a smaller tenant pool than many comparable suburbs. Weekly rent of $310 against the $407,000 estimated median delivers gross yield of approximately 4.0%, above Perth's inner-suburb average. The 9.6% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants caution, suggesting some oversupply or seasonal factors. Zero development applications in 12 months indicates no new supply pipeline. Population grows at 0.83% per year (110 persons), with balanced migration: 154 internal and 107 overseas per year. Early gentrification signs (score 38) with population accelerating from 0% to 12% growth could signal future price appreciation, but the low IRSAD decile 4 limits the upside.
Schools in Safety Bay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Safety Bay Primary School
K-6 · 592 students
Safety Bay Senior High School
7-12 · 1148 students
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national median. University qualifications at 19.8% are 10.3 points below the national average. Overseas-born at 30.5% is 8.9 points above national, though the ancestry profile is overwhelmingly Anglo: English (3,989), Scottish (873), Irish (767). Top non-English languages are German (13), Polish (13) and Portuguese (13), all in very small numbers. Average household size of 2.4 is slightly below national. Couples without children at 32.2% outnumber couples with children (2,240). Labour force participation at 52.4% is well below average, consistent with the older demographic and the 2,445 people not in the labour force.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.7%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
6.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners at 41.7% lead tenure, followed by mortgage holders at 38.3% and renters at 20.0%. The 80.0% combined ownership rate is among the highest in this dataset. Stock is 93.7% detached houses, with apartments at 6.3% and no recorded semi-detached dwellings. Large homes dominate: 51.2% have 4+ bedrooms. Mortgage-to-income at 26.8% is below the stress threshold, and rent-to-income at 21.5% is also comfortable. The IRSD decile 4 and IRSAD decile 4 place Safety Bay in the lower-middle range nationally, indicating moderate socioeconomic disadvantage despite the high ownership rates.
Mortgage / mo
$1,679
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$704
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.6%
Unoccupied
324
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.2%
Couples, no children
6,021
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 17.0% (371 workers), followed by Education at 13.7% (298), Construction at 11.6% (253), Public Admin at 9.2% (201) and Manufacturing at 8.9% (195). The manufacturing presence at 8.9% is higher than most coastal suburbs. The occupational mix is diverse: Professionals (549), Community/Personal (474), Clerical/Admin (388), Labourers (326) and Machinery/Drivers (315) are the top 5. Unemployment at 6.8% is above the national rate, and participation at 52.4% is below average. Full-time employment at 62.3% is moderate. The IEO decile 4 confirms below-average educational and occupational outcomes relative to national benchmarks.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
6,756
Unemployed
355
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
30.9%
Participation
52.4%
Employed
3,081
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.8%
Postgraduate
3.4%
Born Overseas
30.5%
Dwellings
3,052
Transport to Work
Two schools serve Safety Bay: Safety Bay Primary (government, ICSEA 1,000, 592 students) sits at the national benchmark, and Safety Bay Senior High (government, ICSEA 966, 1,148 students) falls below it. Car dependency at 88.1% is high, with public transport at 4.5% and walking/cycling at 1.7%. The IRSAD decile 4 places the suburb below national median advantage. No crime data is available. Volunteering at 13.4% is below the national average. Need for assistance at 5.7% (419 people) is moderate. The 79.3% residential stability rate (stayed in place) is above average, indicating settled community roots.
Drive
88.1%
Public Transport
4.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.83%/yr
(+110 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grows at 0.83% per year (110 persons), above replacement rate. The 10-year change was 7.1%. Medium forecasts project 13,729 by 2031 from 13,307 in 2025. Migration is balanced: 154 net internal and 107 overseas per year. Gentrification signals are emerging (score 38, early signs), with population growth accelerating from 0% to 12%. Affordability improved from 49.8% in 2011 to 43.2% in 2021, with rent growing 11.1% over the decade, the lowest rent growth in this batch. Real income growth of 4.3% was minimal, suggesting stagnant wages. The aging trajectory continues: senior share up 3.3 points, young share down 0.2 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+107
Net Internal / yr
+154
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +12% since 2011, Net internal migration +154/yr, Accelerating: 0% → 12%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Safety Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Safety Bay a good suburb to live in?
Safety Bay offers coastal affordability with an estimated $407,000 median house price. Outright ownership at 41.7% reflects strong community stability, and 79.3% of residents stayed in place between censuses. The IRSAD decile 4, however, places it below the national median, and university qualifications at 19.8% are 10.3 points below average.
What is the median house price in Safety Bay?
The estimated median house price is $407,000 (2025 rent-derived). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,679, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%. Weekly rent is $310, with a rent-to-income ratio of 21.5%. Both ratios sit below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Safety Bay?
Two government schools serve the suburb: Safety Bay Primary (ICSEA 1,000, 592 students) sits at the national benchmark, and Safety Bay Senior High School (ICSEA 966, 1,148 students) scores below it. Combined enrolment of 1,740 students makes these significant local institutions.
Is Safety Bay safe?
No crime rate data is currently available for Safety Bay. The IRSD decile 4 indicates moderate socioeconomic disadvantage. The suburb's population of 7,662 lives at 1,659 per km2, a moderate density for a coastal Perth suburb.
Is Safety Bay good for property investment?
Gross yield of approximately 4.0% ($310/week on $407,000) is reasonable by Perth standards. The 9.6% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants monitoring. Renters at 20.0% form a small tenant pool, and zero development applications in 12 months means no new supply. Population grows at 0.83% per year with balanced migration, providing modest demand growth.
How is Safety Bay's population changing?
Population grows at 0.83% per year (110 persons), with medium projections of 13,729 by 2031. The 10-year change was 7.1%. Migration is balanced at 154 internal and 107 overseas per year. The median age of 44 is 4 years above national, with the senior share growing 3.3 points over the decade.
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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