Stirling
Italian ancestry (2,224) narrowly edges English (2,177) as the largest heritage group in Stirling, an unusual outcome for a Perth suburb and a legacy of postwar Italian migration to the northern corridor. Household incomes sit at the 84.3 percentile and 44.6% of homes are owned outright, the highest outright-ownership rate in this dataset, yet the population has grown just 5.1% over the past decade with near-zero annual growth of 0.05%. The aging trajectory is pronounced: the senior share has surged 13.3 percentage points, the steepest increase in this analysis, while the working-age share has fallen 8.8 points. SEIFA places Stirling at IRSAD decile 8 with balanced IER (decile 8) and IEO (decile 7).
Population
10,165
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,221/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
No median house price is available for Stirling, but the $2,348 monthly mortgage repayment and mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4% indicate comfortable affordability, well below the 30% stress threshold. Detached houses dominate at 86.9%, with semi-detached at 12.1% and apartments at just 1.0%. The bedroom profile is skewed large: 66.3% have four or more bedrooms and 29.1% have three, with virtually no one and two-bedroom stock (0.7% and 3.9% respectively). The 2.7 average household size exceeds the national 2.5. Weekly rent of $410 is moderate for Perth's northern suburbs. Outright owners at 44.6% far exceed the national average, reflecting the aging, established-wealth population that has paid down mortgages.
For Buyers
No median house price is available for Stirling, but the $2,348 monthly mortgage repayment and mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4% indicate comfortable affordability, well below the 30% stress threshold. Detached houses dominate at 86.9%, with semi-detached at 12.1% and apartments at just 1.0%. The bedroom profile is skewed large: 66.3% have four or more bedrooms and 29.1% have three, with virtually no one and two-bedroom stock (0.7% and 3.9% respectively). The 2.7 average household size exceeds the national 2.5. Weekly rent of $410 is moderate for Perth's northern suburbs. Outright owners at 44.6% far exceed the national average, reflecting the aging, established-wealth population that has paid down mortgages.
For Investors
Renters make up just 15.5% of households, well below the national average, making Stirling an owner-occupier stronghold with a very shallow tenant pool. Weekly rent of $410 is reasonable for the area, but the limited renter base constrains demand. The 5.3% vacancy rate is within normal bounds. Without a confirmed median house price, yields cannot be precisely calculated. Development activity is minimal at 7 applications in 12 months, including some single-house and multiple-dwelling approvals. Population growth of essentially zero (0.05% per year, 1 person) and real income decline of 0.8% over the decade mean the investment case relies on land value uplift in a desirable school catchment rather than rental income or population-driven demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
31
Last 12 Months
31
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
Italian ancestry at 2,224 leads, narrowly ahead of English at 2,177, with Chinese (1,124) and Irish (581) following. This Italian dominance reflects postwar migration patterns that shaped Perth's northern suburbs. Italian (352 speakers) leads non-English languages, with Mandarin (242), Macedonian (132), Cantonese (116) and Gujarati (86) following. The 40.5% overseas-born share sits 18.9 points above the national average, higher than the Anglo-Italian ancestry would suggest. University qualifications at 47.3% run 17.2 points above the national average. Christianity (5,905) strongly dominates religion, with Hinduism (382) and Buddhism (281) secondary. The median age of 42 sits 2 years above national, and 26.5% of families are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.9%
Houses
12.1%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners dominate at 44.6%, with mortgage holders at 39.9% and renters at just 15.5%, a clear established-ownership profile. Detached houses at 86.9% and four-plus bedrooms at 66.3% indicate a suburb of large family homes, many now occupied by aging couples whose children have left. Semi-detached at 12.1% shows some infill, but apartments at 1.0% are negligible. Rent-to-income (18.5%) and mortgage-to-income (24.4%) both sit well below stress levels. The high outright-ownership rate compared to the national average of roughly 30% reflects the combination of long-tenure residents and established wealth. The 5.3% vacancy rate is normal. The 41.5% rent growth over the decade indicates rising demand even in this owner-dominated market.
Mortgage / mo
$2,348
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$410
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$868
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.3%
Unoccupied
203
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.5%
Couples, no children
8,804
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 17.4%, followed by Professional/Tech at 14.1%, Construction at 10.3%, Education at 10.3% and Retail at 6.5%. Professionals (1,551) and Managers (815) account for the largest occupational groups, a strong white-collar profile. The 4.2% unemployment rate sits below the national average, and the 63.0% participation rate is moderate. SEIFA IRSAD decile 8 and IER decile 8 confirm above-average advantage on both indices. However, real income growth of negative 0.8% means household purchasing power has slightly eroded, likely due to the aging population transitioning from employment income to superannuation and pension. The affordability trend worsened from 38.9% in 2011 to 45.1% in 2021, despite the income base being high.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
1,005
Unemployed
51
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
32.5%
Participation
63.0%
Employed
5,077
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.3%
Postgraduate
11.9%
Born Overseas
40.5%
Dwellings
3,618
Transport to Work
Car dependence sits at 85.6% driver share, with public transport at 5.7% and walking/cycling at 1.8%. No schools are recorded within Stirling's boundary, though the nearby suburbs offer multiple options. The 4.6% needing daily assistance is close to the national average but likely to rise given the 13.3-point senior share increase. Christianity (5,905) strongly dominates religion. The volunteering rate of 14.4% is moderate. The IEO decile 7 reading and 47.3% university rate indicate solid educational infrastructure in the broader area, and the IRSAD decile 8 is consistent with above-average amenity access typically found in Perth's northern corridor.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
5.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.05%/yr
(+1 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is near zero at 0.05% per year (1 person annually), with just 5.1% growth over the past decade. Net migration is minimal: 23 internal arrivals and 12 overseas per year. The aging trajectory dominates all other signals: the senior share has surged 13.3 percentage points, the steepest in this analysis, while working-age share has fallen 8.8 points. The gentrification score of 0 confirms no gentrification, as the suburb is already established at IRSAD decile 8. Real income has declined 0.8%, consistent with retirement-driven income shifts. Medium projections show the population holding at approximately 2,171 by 2031, essentially unchanged from 2,167 in 2025.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+12
Net Internal / yr
+23
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Stirling compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stirling a good suburb to live in?
Stirling suits established families and retirees in large homes. Detached houses at 86.9% and four-plus bedrooms at 66.3% are dominant. IRSAD decile 8 and household income at the 84.3 percentile confirm above-average advantage. Mortgage-to-income of 24.4% is comfortable. Trade-offs include extreme car dependence at 85.6%, no local schools, and near-zero population growth.
What is the median house price in Stirling?
No median house price is available for Stirling. Proxy indicators show monthly mortgage repayments of $2,348 and weekly rent of $410. Mortgage-to-income ratio at 24.4% sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 44.6% far exceed the national average, reflecting the established-wealth profile of a suburb in Perth's 84.3 percentile income bracket.
What schools are in Stirling?
No schools are recorded within Stirling's boundary. The 47.3% university qualification rate sits 17.2 percentage points above the national average, and IEO decile 7 confirms above-average educational advantage among adult residents. Families access schools in nearby Perth northern-corridor suburbs, which offer multiple government and independent options.
Is Stirling safe?
Crime data is not available at the suburb level for Stirling. The IRSAD decile 8 and 4.2% unemployment rate, below the national average, typically correlate with lower crime rates. Household income at the 84.3 percentile and 44.6% outright-ownership rate are consistent with a stable, established community. Buyers should check WA Police Force statistics for the Stirling district.
Is Stirling good for property investment?
Stirling's 15.5% renter share creates a very shallow tenant pool, the lowest in this analysis. Weekly rent of $410 is moderate. Population growth is near zero (0.05% per year), and real income has declined 0.8%. Only 7 DAs in 12 months signal minimal supply change. The investment case rests on land value in an IRSAD decile 8 location, not rental income.
How is Stirling's population changing?
Stirling's population is essentially flat at roughly 2,167, with 0.05% annual growth (1 person per year). The suburb has grown just 5.1% over the past decade. The aging trajectory is the dominant structural story: senior share surged 13.3 percentage points, the steepest in this analysis. Working-age share fell 8.8 points. Medium projections forecast 2,171 by 2031.
What languages are spoken in Stirling?
Italian (352 speakers) leads non-English languages, reflecting the suburb's postwar Italian migration heritage that made Italian ancestry (2,224) the largest group ahead of English (2,177). Mandarin (242), Macedonian (132), Cantonese (116) and Gujarati (86) follow. The 40.5% overseas-born share sits 18.9 points above the national average.
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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