Wattle Grove
The standout feature of Wattle Grove is its high-income, family-home profile: household income sits at the 90.2nd percentile, while the median age of 34 is 6.0 years below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents make up 41.0%, or 19.4 percentage points above the national figure, helping explain the Indian, Chinese and English ancestry mix and the presence of Mandarin, Malayalam and Punjabi speakers. With 6,547 residents, average household size is 3.3, or 0.8 above the national comparison. The 99.7% separate-house share and 77.8% four-plus-bedroom share point to a mortgage-belt market built around larger family dwellings. Compared with nearby Forrestfield and High Wycombe, Wattle Grove reads as a predominantly detached, owner-occupier setting, with 63.4% of households paying a mortgage and 14.6% renting. Its ageing trajectory and 23.8% wider-area population change suggest steady maturation rather than a sudden reset.
Population
6,547
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,377/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
For buyers, Wattle Grove suits households seeking space more than apartment-style flexibility. Separate houses account for 99.7% of dwellings, and 77.8% have 4 or more bedrooms, so family layouts dominate compared with higher-density areas. The indicative mortgage commitment is $1,993 per month, while mortgage costs equal 19.4% of household income, alongside household income of $2,377 a week. Renting at $430 a week provides a useful budgeting comparison, although the 14.6% rental share is lower than the 63.4% mortgage share. The main trade-off is transport dependence: 83.1% drive to work, compared with 3.2% using public transport. Buyers should test commute times, school catchments and renovation quality carefully because detached-home prices can vary materially by street and lot.
For Buyers
For buyers, Wattle Grove suits households seeking space more than apartment-style flexibility. Separate houses account for 99.7% of dwellings, and 77.8% have 4 or more bedrooms, so family layouts dominate compared with higher-density areas. The indicative mortgage commitment is $1,993 per month, while mortgage costs equal 19.4% of household income, alongside household income of $2,377 a week. Renting at $430 a week provides a useful budgeting comparison, although the 14.6% rental share is lower than the 63.4% mortgage share. The main trade-off is transport dependence: 83.1% drive to work, compared with 3.2% using public transport. Buyers should test commute times, school catchments and renovation quality carefully because detached-home prices can vary materially by street and lot.
For Investors
Investor appeal is concentrated in family rentals rather than small dwellings. Weekly rent is $430, vacancy is 3.6%, and 99.7% of homes are separate houses, while 77.8% contain 4 or more bedrooms. That configuration can support tenants seeking long-term space, but the 14.6% renting share is lower than the 21.0% owning outright share, so the local rental pool is smaller than the owner-occupier base. Rent growth is 9.1%, a positive demand signal, and the annual forecast trend is 1.77%, driven primarily by overseas migration. There were 0 developments in the past 12 months, reducing a near-term construction pipeline signal. Compare achievable rent with the $1,993 monthly mortgage reference and maintenance costs on larger homes before judging returns, especially as no median sale price is available.
Schools in Wattle Grove
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
WATTLE GROVE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Wattle Grove is younger than the national comparison but is moving towards an older age profile. Median age is 34, or 6.0 years below national, while the forecast shift marks the trajectory as Aging and records a 3.2 percentage-point rise in the senior share. Overseas-born residents account for 41.0%, 19.4 points above national, and university attainment is 40.1%, 10.0 points above national. English ancestry is reported by 1,680 people, followed by Other at 1,535, Indian at 692 and Chinese at 630. Mandarin, Malayalam and Punjabi are the leading listed languages, with 178, 125 and 81 speakers respectively. Average household size is 3.3, 0.8 above national, and couples with children represent 62.4% of families, helping explain demand for large detached homes. Compared with nearby Forrestfield and High Wycombe, the demographic signal is a younger current base with clear ageing pressure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.7%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is unusually detached and mortgage-led. Separate houses account for 99.7% of dwellings, 4-plus-bedroom homes make up 77.8%, and only 0.4% are 0-1 bedroom, so the stock is tilted towards family-scale accommodation rather than compact units. Mortgage holders represent 63.4% of households, compared with 21.0% owning outright and 14.6% renting. Housing costs appear contained in aggregate: mortgage payments equal 19.4% of household income and rent equals 18.1%, with neither stress flag triggered. The affordability measure moved from 48.0 in 2011 to 42.1 in 2021 and is labelled improving, while rent growth reached 9.1%. Compared with mixed-density markets, Wattle Grove's limited apartment presence may support land-and-house appeal, but it also concentrates buyers' exposure in larger lots, maintenance and interest-rate movements.
Mortgage / mo
$1,993
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$430
Census 2021
HH Size
3.3
Personal Income / wk
$962
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.6%
Unoccupied
71
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
62.4%
Couples with children
25.3%
Couples, no children
11.2%
Single parent
1,724
Total families
Economy & Employment
Wattle Grove's economic base combines care, education, technical work and logistics. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.8% with 393 workers, followed by Education at 9.5% and 211, Professional/Tech at 8.7% and 192, Mining at 7.5% and 165, and Transport at 6.9% and 152. Professionals lead occupations with 732 people, ahead of Trades at 541 and Clerical/Admin at 454, supporting household income of $2,377 a week and a 90.2nd-percentile household-income position. Labour-force participation is 72.9%, unemployment is 4.9% and full-time employment is 62.2%. SEIFA is mixed: economic resources rank in decile 7, education and occupation in decile 4, while disadvantage and advantage both sit at decile 5. Compared with a uniformly high-scoring area, this split suggests solid household resources without equally strong education and occupation conditions across all households.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
3,466
Unemployed
169
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
32.2%
Participation
72.9%
Employed
3,297
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.1%
Postgraduate
11.6%
Born Overseas
41.0%
Dwellings
1,908
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for households comfortable with driving and detached-home routines. Car commuting accounts for 83.1%, compared with 3.2% using public transport, 1.2% walking or cycling and 8.1% working from home, so daily access is likely to depend on a private vehicle. Wattle Grove Primary School is a government primary school in the suburb, giving families a nearby starting point; secondary choices and enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. The suburb records 6,547 residents, average household size is 3.3 and 15.6% report volunteering, supporting an established local base. SEIFA IRSAD sits at decile 5, while IER reaches decile 7, indicating middle overall advantage with stronger economic resources than the broader social profile. For safety decisions, check current WA Police data and visit at different times. Compared with denser suburbs, space is the advantage, while walkability and transit are weaker.
Drive
83.1%
Public Transport
3.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
8.1%
Population Forecast
+1.77%/yr
(+404 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth looks steady but increasingly mature. The annual forecast trend is 1.77%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while wider-area population change over 10 years is 23.8%. The shift trajectory is labelled Aging: senior share is up 3.2 percentage points and working share is down 1.8 points. Affordability is marked Improving, moving from 48.0 in 2011 to 42.1 in 2021, which may help retain households even as the age mix changes. Gentrification signals are modest rather than transformational, with a score of 37 and stage Early signs; another shift measure records 16 and Not gentrifying. Compared with a rapid redevelopment story, Wattle Grove is more likely to experience gradual household turnover, overseas-led demand and incremental ageing than a sharp physical reset. The 0 development count in the past 12 months reinforces the established-suburb character.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+278
Net Internal / yr
+125
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +35% since 2011, Net internal migration +125/yr, Strong overseas inflow +278/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wattle Grove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wattle Grove a good suburb to live in?
Wattle Grove suits buyers wanting large detached homes and a car-oriented routine. About 99.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 77.8% have 4 or more bedrooms, and 83.1% of workers drive. Household income ranks at the 90.2nd percentile, but public transport use is only 3.2%, so lifestyle fit depends heavily on commute needs.
What is the median house price in Wattle Grove?
A reliable current median house price is not stated. Use recent comparable sales for detached homes, since 99.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 77.8% have 4 or more bedrooms. The $1,993 monthly mortgage figure is a budgeting reference, not a sale-price estimate.
What schools are in Wattle Grove?
Wattle Grove Primary School is a government primary school in the suburb. Families seeking secondary or alternative sectors should compare nearby catchments, travel times and enrolment rules against the exact address. With 6,547 residents and an average household size of 3.3, school demand can vary between year levels, so confirm places directly.
Is Wattle Grove safe?
Use current WA Police incident data, a street-level visit and conversations with local services when assessing safety. Wattle Grove has 6,547 residents, while 85.6% of residents stayed at the same address and 14.4% turned over during the reference period. Those stability figures provide context only, not a crime guarantee.
Is Wattle Grove good for property investment?
Wattle Grove may suit investors targeting family rentals: weekly rent is $430, vacancy is 3.6%, and 99.7% of dwellings are separate houses, with 77.8% containing 4 or more bedrooms. Rent growth is 9.1%, but only 14.6% of households rent, lower than the 63.4% mortgage share. Compare achievable rent with purchase costs, maintenance and the $1,993 monthly mortgage reference before judging yield.
How is Wattle Grove's population changing?
Today's population is 6,547. Across the wider area, population change over 10 years is 23.8%, and the annual forecast trend is 1.77%, driven primarily by overseas migration. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.2 percentage points and the working share down 1.8 points. In short, Wattle Grove is still growing, but its age mix is moving older than the current median age of 34 suggests.
What languages are spoken in Wattle Grove?
English, Mandarin, Malayalam, Punjabi, Bengali and Hindi are represented, with Mandarin the largest listed non-English language at 178 speakers, followed by Malayalam at 125 and Punjabi at 81. Overseas-born residents account for 41.0%, which is 19.4 percentage points above the national comparison. Language access may therefore matter when choosing schools, health providers and local services.
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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