Shenton Park
A 66.0% university-educated share places Shenton Park 35.9 percentage points above the national comparison, while its 33.4% overseas-born population is 11.8 points higher. The suburb has 4,638 residents across 3.33 square kilometres, creating a density of 1,394.1 people per square kilometre. Its median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national figure, and household income sits at the 88.4th percentile. This established inner-west profile, near Subiaco and Nedlands, is shaped by professional employment, compact housing and strong access to education and healthcare. The combination of high skills and limited land helps explain why demand remains resilient even as the population ages.
Population
4,638
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,313/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Buyers need to approach Shenton Park without a quoted median house price, using dwelling type, rent and borrowing costs to frame the search. Separate houses account for 67.2% of homes, well above the 19.3% apartment share and the 13.5% semi-detached share. The largest bedroom groups are 3-bedroom homes at 39.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 26.8%, so family stock is more common than studios or 1-bedroom dwellings at 9.1%. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,980 compares with rent of $420 per week, while mortgage costs equal 29.8% of household income versus 18.2% for rent. Compared with apartment-led precincts, the housing mix suits buyers seeking established houses, but address-level sales evidence remains essential.
For Buyers
Buyers need to approach Shenton Park without a quoted median house price, using dwelling type, rent and borrowing costs to frame the search. Separate houses account for 67.2% of homes, well above the 19.3% apartment share and the 13.5% semi-detached share. The largest bedroom groups are 3-bedroom homes at 39.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 26.8%, so family stock is more common than studios or 1-bedroom dwellings at 9.1%. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,980 compares with rent of $420 per week, while mortgage costs equal 29.8% of household income versus 18.2% for rent. Compared with apartment-led precincts, the housing mix suits buyers seeking established houses, but address-level sales evidence remains essential.
For Investors
Shenton Park has a meaningful rental base, with 32.1% of occupied dwellings rented, although this is lower than the 37.0% owned outright. Weekly rent is $420 and the vacancy rate is 7.9%, giving tenants more choice than in a tightly constrained rental market and making property selection important. Rents have grown 9.5%, while overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, supporting demand from new arrivals and mobile professionals. Only 1 development approval was recorded over 12 months, so new supply is limited relative to the existing market. A gross yield cannot be calculated without a median house price. Compared with newer growth corridors, the established housing base may reduce construction risk, but investors should test strata, maintenance and vacancy assumptions carefully.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
1
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 Shenton Park
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
SHENTON COLLEGE DEAF EDUCATION CENTRE
ROSALIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
SHENTON COLLEGE
Demographics
Shenton Park combines an older, highly educated population with substantial overseas representation. The median age is 41, or 1.0 year above the national comparison, while 66.0% of residents have university qualifications, 35.9 percentage points above national levels. Overseas-born residents make up 33.4%, which is 11.8 points higher than nationally. English ancestry is recorded for 1,909 people, followed by Irish at 634, Scottish at 594, Other at 572 and Chinese at 318. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 2,363 people, compared with 1,719 identifying with Christianity and 96 with Buddhism. Average household size is 2.4, or 0.1 below national levels. A 76.6% two-place stability rate supports continuity, while a 23.4% turnover rate still brings new households into the area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.2%
Houses
13.5%
Townhouse
19.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure pattern indicates a relatively established ownership base: 37.0% of homes are owned outright, 27.7% are mortgaged and 32.1% are rented. Owned outright housing is higher than the rental share, while the 67.2% separate-house proportion is substantially above the 19.3% apartment share. Housing is concentrated in 3-bedroom dwellings at 39.7%, followed by 4-plus-bedroom homes at 26.8% and 2-bedroom homes at 24.3%; only 9.1% have 0 or 1 bedroom. Mortgage commitments average $2,980 per month, with mortgage costs at 29.8% of household income, compared with rent costs at 18.2%. Compared with apartment-heavy areas such as parts of Subiaco, Shenton Park provides more conventional family housing, although its compact 3.33 square kilometre footprint limits broad greenfield expansion.
Mortgage / mo
$2,980
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$420
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,145
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
153
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.0%
Couples with children
35.5%
Couples, no children
13.5%
Single parent
1,159
Total families
Economy & Employment
Shenton Park has a professional service economy anchored by Healthcare at 23.5% or 438 workers, Professional and Tech at 21.8% or 406, Education at 14.1% or 262, Mining at 6.8% or 127, and Public Administration at 5.9% or 109. Occupations are led by Professionals at 1,162 people and Managers at 341, well ahead of Clerical and Administration at 193, Community and Personal Service at 187 and Sales at 125. Unemployment is 4.1%, participation is 63.8% and the full-time employment rate is 56.5%, supporting spending power. Household income ranks at the 88.4th percentile. SEIFA reinforces the education advantage, with IEO at decile 10 and IRSAD at decile 10, while IRSD is decile 9 and IER is lower at decile 6. Compared with the education and occupation scores, the IER result suggests household resources are not uniform despite strong overall advantage.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
2,362
Unemployed
97
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.5%
Part-time
39.8%
Participation
63.8%
Employed
2,265
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.0%
Postgraduate
24.0%
Born Overseas
33.4%
Dwellings
1,776
Transport to Work
Shenton Park supports several travel options, although driving remains dominant: 52.2% travel as car drivers, compared with 13.0% using public transport and 13.4% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 15.6%, which can reduce commuting demand for some households. Local education access includes 3 government facilities spanning primary, senior high and education support types: Rosalie Primary School, Shenton College and the Shenton College Deaf Education Centre. Families should check exact enrolment zones because catchments can differ by address and school type. An IRSAD decile of 10 indicates very high relative advantage, while the compact 3.33 square kilometre area and density of 1,394.1 people per square kilometre support short local trips. Compared with car-led outer suburbs, the stronger walking, cycling and public transport shares broaden daily travel choices, but safety should still be checked using current local information.
Drive
52.2%
Public Transport
13.0%
Walk / Cycle
13.4%
Work from Home
15.6%
Population Forecast
+1.46%/yr
(+302 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth in Shenton Park has competing directions. The annual trend is 1.46%, and overseas migration is the primary driver, which can support demand for rentals and smaller dwellings as new households arrive. Population change over 10 years is 16.4%, while the trajectory is classified as Aging, with the senior share up 5.7 percentage points and the working share down 5.3 points. Gentrification is rated Active with a score of 45, higher than the separate shift score of 20 marked Early signs, indicating that established neighbourhood change is more advanced than the broader transition label. Rent growth of 9.5% adds pressure for tenants but improves income prospects for landlords. Compared with a static established suburb, the combination of 1.46% annual growth, overseas migration and active gentrification points to continued change, moderated by an older resident base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+512
Net Internal / yr
+84
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +28% since 2011, Net internal migration +84/yr, Strong overseas inflow +512/yr, Accelerating: 7% → 20%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Shenton Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shenton Park a good suburb to live in?
Shenton Park suits households seeking an established inner-west setting, with 4,638 residents, an IRSAD decile of 10 and 3 local government schools. Its 52.2% car-driver share is higher than public transport at 13.0%, so buyers should match the suburb to their commuting pattern and preferred daily services.
What is the median house price in Shenton Park?
A current median house price is not available for Shenton Park in this snapshot. Buyers can still frame affordability around the $2,980 monthly mortgage figure, $420 weekly rent, 67.2% separate-house share and 39.7% 3-bedroom share, then compare recent settled sales for the exact street and dwelling condition.
What schools are in Shenton Park?
There are 3 government education facilities associated with Shenton Park: Rosalie Primary School, Shenton College for senior high students and the Shenton College Deaf Education Centre. School type and enrolment access differ, so families should confirm the catchment for an exact address before signing a contract.
Is Shenton Park safe?
There is no suburb-level crime rate to quote for Shenton Park, so the area should not be treated as risk-free on the available figures. Check current WA Police incident information and inspect the 3.33 square kilometre suburb at different times before making a housing decision.
Is Shenton Park good for property investment?
Shenton Park has 32.1% renting households, $420 weekly rent, 7.9% vacancy and 9.5% rent growth, which can support investor demand. Only 1 development approval was recorded over 12 months. Rental yield cannot be calculated without a median house price, so compare each property's purchase cost, maintenance and vacancy risk.
How is Shenton Park's population changing?
The annual growth trend is 1.46%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change over 10 years is 16.4%, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.7 percentage points while the working share has fallen 5.3 points. Active gentrification has a score of 45.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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