Scarborough
High vacancy is the standout feature in Scarborough: 12.8% of dwellings are vacant while 40.3% of homes are rented, giving the beachside market a more fluid feel than a tightly held family suburb. The population is 17,605 with a median age of 36, which is 4.0 years below the national benchmark. For buyers comparing Scarborough with Doubleview or Trigg, the defining numbers are density at 3,527 people per sq km, household income at the 79.8 percentile, and 47.7% semi-detached housing. University attainment is 47.2%, sitting 17.1 points above national, because the resident base leans professional and mobile.
Population
17,605
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,107/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
106
Median House
$528K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers should read Scarborough as a compact coastal market rather than a detached-house suburb. Semi-detached homes make up 47.7% of stock, higher than separate houses at 36.3%, while apartments add another 16.1%. The median house price is not available, so the practical affordability markers are the $2,167 monthly mortgage, $2,107 weekly household income and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%. Smaller households dominate the feel because average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, and 30.3% of dwellings have 2 bedrooms. Buyers wanting 4 or more bedrooms face a thinner pool at 15.5% of stock.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should read Scarborough as a compact coastal market rather than a detached-house suburb. Semi-detached homes make up 47.7% of stock, higher than separate houses at 36.3%, while apartments add another 16.1%. The median house price is not available, so the practical affordability markers are the $2,167 monthly mortgage, $2,107 weekly household income and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%. Smaller households dominate the feel because average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, and 30.3% of dwellings have 2 bedrooms. Buyers wanting 4 or more bedrooms face a thinner pool at 15.5% of stock.
For Investors
Scarborough has clear rental depth but also higher vacancy risk. Renting accounts for 40.3% of households, higher than owned outright at 24.1% and mortgaged homes at 35.6%, so tenant demand is structurally important. Median rent is $405 a week, with rent-to-income at 19.2%, and the rent stress flag is not active. The caution is vacancy at 12.8%, which can weaken pricing power if listings cluster at the same time. New supply also matters: 27 development applications in 12 months point to ongoing renewal. Forecast demand is helped by 518 net overseas migrants a year, compared with -110 net internal migration.
Development Activity
Total DAs
106
Last 12 Months
106
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
Schools in Scarborough iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St John's School
PP-6 · 164 students
Scarborough Primary School
K-6 · 278 students
Demographics
Scarborough skews younger, educated and internationally connected. Median age is 36, which is 4.0 years below national, while university attainment is 47.2%, 17.1 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 33.7%, sitting 12.1 points above national, so the suburb has more global inflow than many Perth middle-ring areas. English ancestry is the largest count at 7,191, followed by Irish at 2,316, Scottish at 1,797 and Italian at 1,157. Portuguese is the leading non-English language count at 190. Average household size is 2.1, below national by 0.4, because singles and couples are prominent in the housing mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
36.3%
Houses
47.7%
Townhouse
16.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Scarborough's housing stock is unusually mixed for a coastal suburb. Semi-detached dwellings are 47.7%, higher than separate houses at 36.3%, while apartments are 16.1%. Ownership is also split: 24.1% own outright, 35.6% have a mortgage and 40.3% rent, making the rental share higher than either ownership category. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should lean on affordability ratios and dwelling mix rather than a single headline price. The $2,167 monthly mortgage and 23.8% mortgage-to-income ratio are manageable relative to the local income profile, with household income at the 79.8 percentile. The largest bedroom group is 3 bedrooms at 49.4%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$405
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,231
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.8%
Unoccupied
1,123
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.8%
Couples, no children
11,546
Total families
Economy & Employment
Scarborough's workforce is strongly white-collar with a practical WA industry base. Healthcare leads at 16.5% and 1,348 workers, while Professional/Tech and Education each sit at 11.7% and 950 workers. Mining still matters at 10.8%, above many inner coastal economies, and Construction adds 9.9%. Occupations reinforce the pattern: Professionals number 3,470 and Managers 1,586. Labour participation is 68.7%, full-time work is 67.1% of employed residents, and unemployment is 3.9%. SEIFA is mostly high, with IEO decile 9, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 9. The anomaly is IER decile 6, lower than the education ranking, because the large rental share dilutes household resource scores.
Unemployment
1.9%
Labour Force
14,091
Unemployed
271
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.1%
Part-time
29.0%
Participation
68.7%
Employed
9,953
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.2%
Postgraduate
11.0%
Born Overseas
33.7%
Dwellings
7,627
Transport to Work
Scarborough is car-oriented despite its compact beachside density. Car driving is 87.4%, much higher than public transport at 4.6% and walking or cycling at 3.0%, so daily convenience depends heavily on parking and road access. The local school base is small but strong: 2 primary schools, St John's School and Scarborough Primary School, span Catholic and Government sectors with ICSEA scores from 1101 to 1102 and enrolments of 164 and 278. Socio-economic advantage supports day-to-day amenity, with IRSAD decile 9 and IRSD decile 9. A local crime rate is not published here, so safety should be checked against current WA Police releases.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.69%/yr
(+347 people/yr)
EstablishedScarborough's forecast is for established-area growth rather than a one-off boom, with population rising 1.69% a year, or 347 people annually. The medium path reaches 22,062 by 2031, compared with 20,490 in 2025 and 19,330 in 2023. Overseas migration is the primary driver, adding 518 people a year, while internal migration is negative at -110 a year. Gentrification is scored 36 and labelled Early signs, so change is visible but lower than a mature renewal market. Affordability improved from 38.0 in 2011 to 32.9 in 2021 because real incomes rose 8.8% while the suburb kept growing across all ages.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+518
Net Internal / yr
-110
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +32% since 2011, Net internal outflow -110/yr, Strong overseas inflow +518/yr, Accelerating: 6% → 24%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Scarborough compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scarborough a good suburb to live in?
Scarborough suits people wanting a dense coastal lifestyle with strong incomes and education levels. It has 17,605 residents, household income at the 79.8 percentile, and university attainment of 47.2%, which is 17.1 points above national.
What is the median house price in Scarborough?
A current median house price is not available for Scarborough. Affordability can still be read through the $2,167 monthly mortgage figure, 23.8% mortgage-to-income ratio, and housing mix of 36.3% separate houses and 47.7% semi-detached homes.
What schools are in Scarborough?
Scarborough has 2 local primary schools. St John's School is Catholic with ICSEA 1102 and 164 enrolments, while Scarborough Primary School is Government with ICSEA 1101 and 278 enrolments.
Is Scarborough safe?
A current suburb crime rate is not quoted for Scarborough, so recent WA Police releases are the best safety check. Broader indicators are favourable, with IRSD decile 9, IRSAD decile 9, and only 3.0% of residents needing assistance.
Is Scarborough good for property investment?
Scarborough has investor appeal because 40.3% of households rent and median rent is $405 a week. The main caution is vacancy at 12.8%, while 27 development applications in 12 months point to ongoing supply and renewal.
How is Scarborough's population changing?
Scarborough is forecast to grow by 1.69% a year, or 347 people annually. The medium projection reaches 22,062 residents by 2031, with overseas migration adding 518 people a year compared with -110 net internal migration.
What languages are spoken in Scarborough?
Scarborough has 33.7% of residents born overseas, 12.1 points above national. The largest listed non-English language counts are Portuguese at 190, Italian at 95, Mandarin at 70, French at 65 and German at 58.
Is there much development in Scarborough?
Yes, Scarborough has 27 development applications over 12 months. Recent activity includes residential change of use, 3 new single-storey dwellings tied to strata, and full residential demolition, indicating steady renewal pressure.
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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