Westminster
More than half of Westminster's 7,042 residents were born overseas: 52.3%, or 30.7 percentage points above the national figure. In a compact 2.31 sq km area, density reaches 3,055 people per sq km. The median age is 34, six years below the national comparison, and 44.9% of households rent. Compared with nearby Balcatta and Nollamara, Westminster presents a more renter-oriented, migrant-led profile, with overseas migration also driving forecast growth. That mix supports steady demand for practical three-bedroom housing, but buyers should weigh affordability and street-level differences carefully.
Population
7,042
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,404/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
52
Homebuyers will find a practical family-housing mix rather than a suburb dominated by apartments. Separate houses account for 62.9% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 35.7% and apartments 1.4%, while 73.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms. The reference mortgage payment is $1,517 per month and mortgage costs equal 25.0% of household income, compared with rent-to-income of 23.5%. Because 44.9% of residents rent, buyers can expect competition from both owner-occupiers and landlords. A current median house price is unavailable, so recent sales should be checked by dwelling type, condition and exact street.
For Buyers
Homebuyers will find a practical family-housing mix rather than a suburb dominated by apartments. Separate houses account for 62.9% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 35.7% and apartments 1.4%, while 73.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms. The reference mortgage payment is $1,517 per month and mortgage costs equal 25.0% of household income, compared with rent-to-income of 23.5%. Because 44.9% of residents rent, buyers can expect competition from both owner-occupiers and landlords. A current median house price is unavailable, so recent sales should be checked by dwelling type, condition and exact street.
For Investors
Westminster has a substantial tenant base, with 44.9% renting and weekly rent recorded at $330. That supports a broad leasing market, although the 7.7% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied market and calls for conservative assumptions about letting time. Development activity is also material, with 49 applications in 12 months, including single-resident buildings and grouped dwellings that may add competing stock. Compared with a low-growth location, the 2.13% annual forecast trend is supportive, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver. Rent growth of 6.2% adds momentum, but gross yield will depend heavily on the purchase price because no suburb-wide median is available.
Development Activity
Total DAs
52
Last 12 Months
52
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 Westminster
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
WESTMINSTER EDUCATION SUPPORT CENTRE
ST GERARD'S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL
WESTMINSTER PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Westminster has a younger profile than Australia overall: its median age is 34, six years below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 52.3%, which is 30.7 percentage points above the national figure, while university attendance or attainment at 34.6% is 4.5 points higher. Average household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below the national comparison. English, Indian and Italian ancestry counts are 1,391, 564 and 472 respectively, while Punjabi, Arabic and Gujarati are among the more recorded languages at 142, 106 and 97 people. Compared with less migration-oriented suburbs, this profile helps explain the strong cultural and household diversity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
62.9%
Houses
35.7%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Westminster's tenure pattern leans toward renting: 44.9% of dwellings are rented, compared with 35.3% under mortgage and 18.9% owned outright. The remaining 0.9% falls into other tenure categories. Housing is concentrated in 3-bedroom stock at 73.1%, with 15.1% having 2 bedrooms, 8.6% having 4 or more, and 3.1% having 0 or 1 bedroom. Mortgage-to-income is 25.0%, while rent-to-income is lower at 23.5%, supporting manageable reported housing burdens for many households. Compared with nearby Balcatta and Nollamara, Westminster's higher renter share makes dwelling condition, parking and ongoing maintenance especially important to assess.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$330
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$769
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
238
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.4%
Couples with children
34.9%
Couples, no children
21.8%
Single parent
1,811
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Westminster's leading industry at 21.0%, employing 489 people, followed by retail at 8.6% with 201, hospitality at 7.9% with 183, construction at 7.7% with 178, and professional or technical services at 7.3% with 170. The occupation mix is similarly broad: trades account for 562 workers, professionals 555, community and personal services 554, labourers 432, and clerical or administration 413. Labour-force participation is 64.5%, unemployment is 6.9%, and 58.6% of employed people work full time. Westminster's SEIFA deciles are IEO 5, IER 2, IRSD 3 and IRSAD 3. The higher IEO result compared with IER suggests educational and occupational capacity does not translate evenly into economic resources, while IRSAD 3 sits below the midpoint.
Unemployment
6.9%
Labour Force
3,708
Unemployed
255
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.6%
Part-time
35.3%
Participation
64.5%
Employed
3,453
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.6%
Postgraduate
8.7%
Born Overseas
52.3%
Dwellings
2,834
Transport to Work
Westminster is compact at 2.31 sq km, with density of 3,055 people per sq km and practical access to 3 local schools. The education mix covers government education support and primary provision, plus a non-government Catholic primary option; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Travel is strongly car-oriented, with 80.1% driving to work compared with 7.1% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 5.6%. Volunteering is recorded at 10.9%. The IRSAD decile is 3, below the midpoint, so household circumstances can vary considerably despite the suburb's compact footprint. A suburb-wide crime rate is not available, so current police incident information is the best safety check for a chosen street.
Drive
80.1%
Public Transport
7.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
5.6%
Population Forecast
+2.13%/yr
(+491 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth runs at 2.13% annually and is primarily driven by overseas migration, giving Westminster a clear demand source despite its established housing base. Population change across the wider area is 31.6% over 10 years, while the forecast trajectory is labelled Stable rather than sharply accelerating. The gentrification score is 39 and the stage is Early signs, with a separate shift score of 29 also at Early signs. Real income growth of 11.3% is higher than rent growth of 6.2%, which may help household capacity if that relationship persists. Compared with a boom-bust profile, the combination of Stable trajectory and migration-led demand points to gradual change, with 49 development applications adding another supply factor.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+664
Net Internal / yr
-328
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +43% since 2011, Net internal outflow -328/yr, Strong overseas inflow +664/yr, Accelerating: 16% → 23%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Westminster compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Westminster a good suburb to live in?
Westminster suits households seeking compact, established housing with a strong migrant presence. The median age is 34, 44.9% rent, and 73.1% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms. Car use is high at 80.1%, while public transport use is 7.1%, so the suburb is a better fit for drivers than for households seeking a strongly transit-oriented lifestyle.
What is the median house price in Westminster?
A current median house price is not available, so buyers should avoid relying on an unsupported single figure. Compare recent sales by dwelling type and condition, then test repayments against the $1,517 monthly mortgage reference and the 25.0% mortgage-to-income ratio.
What schools are in Westminster?
Westminster has 3 local schools covering government education support and primary provision, plus a non-government Catholic primary option. Families should check the enrolment zone for the exact address, as school access and eligibility can differ even within a 2.31 sq km suburb.
Is Westminster safe?
A suburb-wide crime rate is not available, so safety should be checked using current police incident information for the exact street. Westminster has 7,042 residents across 2.31 sq km, and local conditions can vary within a compact, densely settled area.
Is Westminster good for property investment?
Westminster has 44.9% renters, weekly rent of $330 and a 7.7% vacancy rate, creating both tenant demand and leasing risk to assess. The 2.13% annual growth trend and overseas migration support demand, while 49 development applications in 12 months could add competing supply.
How is Westminster's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 2.13% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 31.6% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Stable. The gentrification score is 39, classified as Early signs, indicating gradual rather than fully established change.
What languages are spoken in Westminster?
Westminster has a substantial overseas-born population at 52.3%. Recorded languages include Punjabi with 142 people, Arabic with 106, Gujarati with 97, Macedonian with 88 and Italian with 77, reflecting a broader migrant profile than the national comparison.
What development is happening in Westminster?
Westminster recorded 49 development applications over 12 months. Examples include approvals for single-resident buildings and a project involving 3 grouped dwellings. This level of activity may gradually increase housing choice, while also creating more competition between comparable rental properties.
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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