Wembley
University-qualified residents make up 60.8% of Wembley's population, 30.7 percentage points above the national comparison, while 38.6% were born overseas, 17.0 points above national. The suburb houses 12,061 people across 4.28 square kilometres, giving it a density of 2,820.5 people per square kilometre. Median age is 37, three years below national, and household income ranks at the 75.2 percentile. Compared with nearby Wembley Downs, Wembley has a more mixed housing form: 48.8% separate houses, 33.1% apartments and 18.1% semi-detached dwellings. This mix suits varied household sizes because the average household contains 2.4 people.
Population
12,061
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,005/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
Buyers should compare Wembley by dwelling type and recent sales because no suburb-wide median house price is published. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,458, while mortgage commitments equal 28.3% of household income and are not flagged as stressed. Rent is $290 a week, equal to 14.5% of income. Separate houses account for 48.8%, compared with 33.1% apartments and 18.1% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 32.6%, followed by 3-bedroom homes at 30.5% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 25.8%. The 2.4-person average household is 0.1 below national, which helps explain the appeal of smaller formats.
For Buyers
Buyers should compare Wembley by dwelling type and recent sales because no suburb-wide median house price is published. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,458, while mortgage commitments equal 28.3% of household income and are not flagged as stressed. Rent is $290 a week, equal to 14.5% of income. Separate houses account for 48.8%, compared with 33.1% apartments and 18.1% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 32.6%, followed by 3-bedroom homes at 30.5% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 25.8%. The 2.4-person average household is 0.1 below national, which helps explain the appeal of smaller formats.
For Investors
Wembley's investor case rests on renter depth rather than a published sale-price benchmark. Rent is $290 per week, and 37.3% of households rent, higher than the 28.6% who own outright, creating a substantial tenant pool. The 9.0% vacancy rate needs scrutiny because it can give tenants more choice and expose poorly positioned stock. Seventeen development applications were recorded over 12 months; the recent examples involve residential change of use, making supply monitoring important. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the 2.4-person average household is below the national comparison and may favour apartments or smaller homes. Investors should stress-test vacancy, costs and exit demand rather than rely on rent alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
17
Last 12 Months
17
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 Wembley
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
BOLD PARK COMMUNITY SCHOOL
SEDA COLLEGE WA
TSH (TEACH, SPEAK, HEAR)
LAKE MONGER PRIMARY SCHOOL
WEMBLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Wembley's demographic profile is younger and more university educated than national benchmarks: the median age is 37, three years below national, and 60.8% have university qualifications, 30.7 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents account for 38.6%, 17.0 points above the national comparison, helping explain the presence of Mandarin speakers at 162 people, followed by Italian at 66 and Nepali at 49. English ancestry is most common at 4,270, with Irish at 1,480, Scottish at 1,070 and Chinese at 878 also prominent. No religion is recorded for 5,183 people, ahead of Christianity at 4,658 and Buddhism at 966. The 2.4-person household average is 0.1 below national, consistent with smaller households and professionals.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
48.8%
Houses
18.1%
Townhouse
33.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Wembley has a tenure and dwelling mix that differs from a conventional detached-house suburb. Separate houses account for 48.8%, compared with 33.1% apartments and 18.1% semi-detached homes. Tenure is split between 28.6% outright owners, 31.2% mortgagors and 37.3% renters, so no single pathway dominates. The bedroom profile reinforces this: 11.1% are in 0 or 1-bedroom dwellings, 32.6% have 2 bedrooms, 30.5% have 3, and 25.8% have 4 or more. Weekly rent is $290, while rent-to-income is 14.5% and mortgage-to-income is 28.3%, useful affordability anchors. A median house price is not published, so buyers should compare like-for-like homes. Compared with nearby Wembley Downs, the greater mix of apartments and semi-detached dwellings gives Wembley more flexibility because it serves renters, owners and smaller households.
Mortgage / mo
$2,458
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$290
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,054
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
476
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.9%
Couples with children
38.8%
Couples, no children
10.6%
Single parent
3,126
Total families
Economy & Employment
Wembley's employment base is led by healthcare at 21.8% of workers, followed by professional and technical services at 14.5%, education at 10.6%, mining at 7.5% and construction at 5.8%. That pattern aligns with 2,489 professionals and 949 managers, giving the suburb a more credentialed profile than a labourer-led market. The labour force totals 6,893 people, participation is 71.2% and unemployment is 3.9%, while 56.9% work full time and 2,541 work part time. Socioeconomic scores sit in upper deciles: IEO is decile 9, IER decile 6, IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 9. The gap between IEO and IER suggests strong education and occupation outcomes are not matched evenly by economic resources across households, an important nuance for spending and housing demand.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
6,893
Unemployed
270
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.9%
Part-time
38.4%
Participation
71.2%
Employed
6,623
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
60.8%
Postgraduate
19.1%
Born Overseas
38.6%
Dwellings
4,779
Transport to Work
Wembley's density of 2,820.5 people per square kilometre supports practical access to services, but commuting remains car-led: 67.6% drive, compared with 9.0% using public transport and 5.7% walking or cycling. Work-from-home participation is 11.6%, which can reduce daily travel for some households. Five schools are nearby, comprising 2 government primary schools and 3 non-government schools; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. IRSAD decile 9 places Wembley above the middle of the socioeconomic distribution, but that is not a safety measure. Current WA Police information should guide safety decisions because no local crime rate is stated.
Drive
67.6%
Public Transport
9.0%
Walk / Cycle
5.7%
Work from Home
11.6%
Population Forecast
+1.3%/yr
(+285 people/yr)
EstablishedWembley's forecast trend is 1.3% annual growth, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 15.3% over 10 years, so the direction is above zero even though the trajectory is labelled Mixed. The gentrification reading is also mixed: a score of 33 places the area at Early signs, while the shift assessment records 19 and Not gentrifying. Real income growth is 3.2%, and the affordability trend is marked Improving, with readings of 36.1 in 2011 and 28.4 in 2021. A senior-share increase of 3.0 points alongside a working-share change of -1.3 points suggests an evolving age structure, while a young-share increase of 0.9 points may help sustain demand for smaller homes.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+713
Net Internal / yr
-188
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +24% since 2011, Net internal outflow -188/yr, Strong overseas inflow +713/yr, Accelerating: 5% → 17%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wembley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wembley a good suburb to live in?
Yes, Wembley suits households seeking an inner-west setting with 12,061 residents, a median age of 37 and a 2.4-person average household. Its 60.8% university-educated population and IRSAD decile 9 point to higher socioeconomic conditions than the middle of the distribution, while 67.6% car commuting means transport preferences should be checked street by street.
What is the median house price in Wembley?
No suburb-wide median house price is available for Wembley, so a reliable figure should not be inferred from rent. Weekly rent is $290 and the monthly mortgage figure is $2,458, but those measures describe occupancy or holding costs rather than sale value. Compare recent sales by dwelling type, bedroom count and exact location.
What schools are in Wembley?
Wembley has 5 nearby schools. The mix includes 2 government primary schools and 3 non-government schools. Named options include Wembley Primary School, Lake Monger Primary School, Bold Park Community School, SEDA College WA and TSH. Compared with relying on a suburb label alone, checking the exact address against enrolment zones and admission rules gives families a more accurate answer.
Is Wembley safe?
A definitive safety rating should not be assigned without a current local crime rate. Wembley has 12,061 residents and an IRSAD decile of 9, but socioeconomic position is not a crime measure. Check recent WA Police incident information, street-level conditions and evening activity rather than relying on a broad suburb comparison before deciding whether the area suits your household.
Is Wembley good for property investment?
Wembley can suit investors who value a substantial rental pool: 37.3% of households rent, weekly rent is $290 and vacancy is 9.0%. Seventeen development applications in 12 months add a supply consideration, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver. Returns still depend on purchase price, dwelling type, vacancy and costs, so assess each property rather than treating the suburb as a uniform market.
How is Wembley's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 15.3% over 10 years, with a forecast trend of 1.3% annual growth. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is labelled Mixed, while the gentrification score is 33 at the Early signs stage. A 3.0-point rise in senior share and 0.9-point rise in young share indicate change at both ends of the age profile, above a static demographic pattern.
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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