South Guildford
Household income sitting at the 84th percentile nationally sets South Guildford apart from most Perth suburbs, yet the median house price of around $506,000 remains well below the national average for high-income areas. The suburb is strongly owner-occupier territory: 93.8% of dwellings are separate houses and 81.6% of residents own (with or without a mortgage), which is considerably above the national norm. With 3,781 residents across 5.18 square kilometres and a median age of 37, three years below the national figure, South Guildford draws working-age families rather than retirees.
Population
3,781
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,209/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
36
Median House
$506K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $506,000 delivers relatively strong buying power for households earning at the 84th percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, so most buyers here are not financially stretched. The stock is heavily detached: 93.8% separate houses, only 0.6% apartments and 5.5% semi-detached, meaning buyers get space rather than density. Bedroom sizes skew large, with 56.3% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 38.1% having three, which suits the dominant couples-with-children household type that accounts for the majority of the 3,129 total families here.
For Buyers
The median house price of $506,000 delivers relatively strong buying power for households earning at the 84th percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, so most buyers here are not financially stretched. The stock is heavily detached: 93.8% separate houses, only 0.6% apartments and 5.5% semi-detached, meaning buyers get space rather than density. Bedroom sizes skew large, with 56.3% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 38.1% having three, which suits the dominant couples-with-children household type that accounts for the majority of the 3,129 total families here.
For Investors
Rental demand is limited: only 18.4% of dwellings are rented, compared to a national average closer to 30%, because the suburb is strongly owner-occupier in character. Weekly rent of $400 against a $506,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.1%, which is moderate by Perth standards. The vacancy rate of 7.5% is elevated and warrants caution as it indicates more supply than active tenant demand at present. On the supply side, 24 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and outbuildings rather than new dwellings, so stock is not growing rapidly. The high proportion of four-plus bedroom homes (56.3%) may attract family renters but limits flexibility for small household demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
36
Last 12 Months
36
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
The median age of 37 is three years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age family profile rather than an aging one. University qualifications reach 36.0% of residents, which is 5.9 percentage points above the national figure, signalling a white-collar educated base. The overseas-born share of 29.4% runs 7.8 percentage points above national. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,573), Irish (422) and Scottish (407) the top three groups, followed by Italian (225). Average household size of 2.6 is marginally above the national average of 2.5, consistent with the family-formation stage of the population. Couples with children account for 1,549 of 3,129 families while 785 are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.8%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners (26.4%) and mortgage holders (55.2%) together make up 81.6% of residents, far above the national owner-occupier norm, reflecting the suburb's mortgage-belt identity. The rental share of 18.4% is low because owner-occupiers dominate demand in this detached-house market. The stock is almost entirely detached (93.8%), with four-plus bedroom homes accounting for 56.3% of dwellings, the highest concentration in the brief. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000 and mortgage-to-income at 20.9% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, meaning most buyers here have sustainable debt loads relative to household incomes at the 84th percentile nationally. Vacancy sits at 7.5%, elevated above a balanced market, which is worth monitoring.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,044
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
113
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.1%
Couples, no children
3,129
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 15.3% (215 workers), followed by Education at 10.8% (152), Mining at 9.5% (133), Construction at 9.1% (128) and Professional/Tech at 8.0% (112). The Mining share at 9.5% is notably higher than the national average, reflecting WA's resource economy drawing workers who live in suburban Perth. By occupation, Professionals (471) are the largest group, followed by Clerical/Admin (325) and Managers (274), consistent with the 36.0% university qualification rate. The unemployment rate of 3.4% is low, and full-time employment reaches 66.5% of those working, indicating a stable income base. Participation rate of 67.3% is in line with national norms, leaving 735 residents outside the labour force, likely including carers and retirees.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.5%
Part-time
30.1%
Participation
67.3%
Employed
1,926
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.0%
Postgraduate
7.6%
Born Overseas
29.4%
Dwellings
1,392
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 87.1% of residents drive to work, which is above the national average, and only 5.6% use public transport, reflecting limited rail connectivity in this part of Perth's eastern suburbs. Walking and cycling account for just 2.5% of commutes. Crime statistics are not available for South Guildford in this dataset, so a direct safety comparison cannot be made. Volunteering is active at 15.8%, and only 3.5% of residents (129 people) require daily assistance, suggesting a healthy, working-age population. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 18.1% and mortgage-to-income at 20.9% are both below the 30% threshold, making the suburb more livable in financial terms than many comparable areas nationally. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset.
Drive
87.1%
Public Transport
5.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Guildford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Guildford a good suburb to live in?
South Guildford offers strong financial liveability: household incomes sit at the 84th percentile nationally while the median house price of $506,000 is relatively affordable. Mortgage-to-income at 20.9% is well below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb is family-oriented, with 93.8% detached houses and a median age of 37, three years below the national figure.
What is the median house price in South Guildford?
The median house price is approximately $506,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $400, and monthly mortgage repayments are around $2,000. With household incomes at the 84th percentile nationally, mortgage-to-income sits at 20.9%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in South Guildford?
No schools are recorded within the South Guildford suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb has a university qualification rate of 36.0%, which is 5.9 percentage points above the national figure, so families here are well-educated and likely access schools in neighbouring suburbs.
Is South Guildford safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for South Guildford in this dataset. As indirect indicators, only 3.5% of residents (129 people) need daily assistance, volunteering runs at 15.8%, and the unemployment rate is low at 3.4%, all consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage community profile.
Is South Guildford good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $400 against a $506,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.1%, moderate for Perth. The vacancy rate of 7.5% is elevated, signalling more rental supply than active demand currently. The low renter share of 18.4% limits the tenant pool, though the suburb's affordable pricing relative to the 84th-percentile income base may support steady capital growth.
How is South Guildford's population changing?
South Guildford has 3,781 residents with a residential stability rate of 77.0%, meaning 23.0% of residents are new each year, moderate turnover for a suburban area. The median age of 37 is three years below the national figure, pointing toward family-formation growth rather than an aging or declining trajectory.
How much development is happening in South Guildford?
There were 24 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are minor works such as sheds, retaining walls and planning enquiries, rather than new residential supply. This modest development activity is consistent with an established suburb where the 93.8% detached house rate leaves little room for densification.
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.
Explore South Guildford on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map