Sorrento
With household incomes in the 92nd percentile nationally and SEIFA decile 10 across 3 of 4 indices, Sorrento sits firmly in Perth's northern coastal elite. But two numbers complicate the picture: 68.1% of homes have 4+ bedrooms, making it the most large-home-dominant suburb in the dataset, and 7.7% of workers are in the mining sector, tying Sorrento's prosperity to WA's resource cycle more than its beachside aesthetics would suggest. The median age of 47, seven years above the national figure, and a 5.5 percentage point rise in the senior share confirm this is an aging established-wealth enclave.
Population
7,795
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,472/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$630K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median of $630,000 (rent-derived 2025) likely understates actual transaction prices for a SEIFA decile 10 suburb. Mortgage costs of $2,600/month consume 24.3% of household income, well below stress levels, because family incomes average $3,064/week. The housing is overwhelmingly detached (80.8%) and oversized: 68.1% have 4+ bedrooms, while studios and 1-bedrooms are just 2.1%. Sacred Heart College (ICSEA 1116, 1,508 enrolled) and Sorrento Primary (ICSEA 1109, 442 enrolled) both score well above the national median. Car dependency is high at 89.1%.
For Buyers
The estimated median of $630,000 (rent-derived 2025) likely understates actual transaction prices for a SEIFA decile 10 suburb. Mortgage costs of $2,600/month consume 24.3% of household income, well below stress levels, because family incomes average $3,064/week. The housing is overwhelmingly detached (80.8%) and oversized: 68.1% have 4+ bedrooms, while studios and 1-bedrooms are just 2.1%. Sacred Heart College (ICSEA 1116, 1,508 enrolled) and Sorrento Primary (ICSEA 1109, 442 enrolled) both score well above the national median. Car dependency is high at 89.1%.
For Investors
The 11.3% rental rate means a very small tenant pool, and the 6.9% vacancy rate suggests current supply exceeds demand. Weekly rent of $480 against a $630,000 estimated median gives approximately 4.0% gross yield, though actual purchase prices likely compress this figure. Only 2 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating a mature, supply-constrained suburb with almost no new stock. The investor thesis is capital growth driven by scarcity: 80.8% detached housing on fixed land supply near the coast.
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
Schools in Sorrento iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sacred Heart College
7-12 · 1508 students
Sorrento Primary School
K-6 · 442 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national median, with 45.2% holding university degrees, 15.1 percentage points above the national rate. The ancestry profile is predominantly British-heritage (English 3,350, Irish 1,035, Scottish 862) with Italian (521) the main non-Anglo group. Only 30.0% were born overseas, 8.4 percentage points above the national average. Language diversity is low, with Italian (48 speakers) being the most common non-English language. Household size of 2.7 and the 40.3% couples-with-children share indicate a family-oriented suburb.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.8%
Houses
13.6%
Townhouse
5.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached houses make up 80.8% of stock, with semi-detached at 13.6% and apartments at only 5.6%. The bedroom distribution is skewed large: 68.1% of dwellings have 4+ bedrooms, far above any national benchmark, while only 5.4% have 2 or fewer. Ownership is heavily outright (49.8%), with 38.9% mortgaged and just 11.3% renting. At $2,600/month mortgage repayments consuming 24.3% of income, the suburb sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The 82.8% residential retention rate (only 17.2% moved) reflects the hold-and-stay pattern typical of upper-bracket coastal suburbs.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$480
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$971
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
204
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.8%
Couples, no children
6,688
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education (14.9%), healthcare (14.4%), and professional/tech (13.7%) lead employment, a white-collar mix typical of affluent Perth suburbs. Mining at 7.7% is higher than any non-resource-belt suburb would normally show, reflecting Perth's FIFO (fly-in-fly-out) economy where mining workers live in coastal suburbs and commute to remote sites. Professionals (1,168) and managers (711) together account for 51% of all occupations. Unemployment at 3.9% is below the national average. The 21.7% volunteering rate is above the national benchmark, consistent with the established community profile.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.6%
Part-time
38.5%
Participation
59.6%
Employed
3,689
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.2%
Postgraduate
10.5%
Born Overseas
30.0%
Dwellings
2,741
Transport to Work
Sacred Heart College (Catholic, Secondary, ICSEA 1116, 1,508 enrolled) and Sorrento Primary School (Government, ICSEA 1109, 442 enrolled) both score well above the national median, placing in approximately the top 15% nationally. Public transport usage at 4.2% is minimal, with 89.1% driving. Walking and cycling at 1.9% is negligible. Need for assistance at 3.2% is well below the national average. SEIFA IRSAD decile 10 and IER decile 10 confirm this is among the most resource-rich suburbs in Western Australia.
Drive
89.1%
Public Transport
4.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sorrento compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sorrento a good suburb to live in?
Sorrento ranks in SEIFA decile 10 for 3 of 4 indices, with unemployment at just 3.9% and schools scoring above ICSEA 1100. The 68.1% of homes with 4+ bedrooms and 49.8% outright ownership indicate established family living. Trade-offs include near-total car dependency (89.1%) and an aging population (median age 47).
What is the median house price in Sorrento?
The rent-derived estimate is $630,000 (2025), though actual sale prices for this SEIFA decile 10 suburb likely run higher. Mortgage repayments of $2,600/month consume 24.3% of household income, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Sorrento?
Sacred Heart College (Catholic, Secondary, ICSEA 1116, 1,508 enrolled) and Sorrento Primary School (Government, ICSEA 1109, 442 enrolled) serve the suburb. Both ICSEA scores exceed the national median of 1000 by more than 100 points, placing them in the top 15% nationally.
Is Sorrento safe?
Suburb-level crime data is not available for Sorrento in the current dataset. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 10 (least disadvantaged) statistically correlates with lower crime rates nationally. The low need-for-assistance rate of 3.2% and high volunteering at 21.7% suggest strong community cohesion.
Is Sorrento good for property investment?
The 11.3% renter rate limits the tenant pool, and 6.9% vacancy is above the healthy benchmark. Gross yield is around 4.0% ($480/week on $630,000 est.). Only 2 DAs in 12 months means no new supply. The investment case is capital growth through coastal land scarcity, not rental income. The 4.7% total population growth over 10 years signals a mature, stable market.
How is Sorrento's population changing?
Growth is slow at 0.77% annually (69 people/year), forecast to reach 9,061 by 2031. The suburb is aging sharply: senior share rose 6.4pp and working-age share fell 4.7pp over the decade. Overseas migration (+210/year) is the primary source of new residents. Total growth over 10 years was just 4.7%, reflecting a fully built-out suburb.
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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