Willetton
School catchment demand defines Willetton more than nightlife: 6 local schools include Willetton Senior High with 2,767 students and ICSEA 1,131. The suburb is detached and family weighted, with 90.0% separate houses, 65.1% of homes at 4+ bedrooms and household income in the 82.9 percentile. It also stands out nationally, with 53.2% born overseas, 31.6 points above the national benchmark. Compared with nearby Riverton and Bull Creek, Willetton is less about mixed housing and more about larger owner occupied homes around public school zones.
Population
19,262
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,178/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
No current median house price is available, so buyers should read affordability through repayments and housing mix. The median mortgage is $2,100 a month, equal to 22.3% of household income, below common stress territory. Stock is overwhelmingly family sized: 90.0% separate houses, 65.1% with 4+ bedrooms and just 5.7% apartments. That matters because households average 3.1 people, 0.6 above national, so competition is likely strongest for 4 bedroom homes near the strongest school catchments.
For Buyers
No current median house price is available, so buyers should read affordability through repayments and housing mix. The median mortgage is $2,100 a month, equal to 22.3% of household income, below common stress territory. Stock is overwhelmingly family sized: 90.0% separate houses, 65.1% with 4+ bedrooms and just 5.7% apartments. That matters because households average 3.1 people, 0.6 above national, so competition is likely strongest for 4 bedroom homes near the strongest school catchments.
For Investors
Willetton is more defensive than speculative. Renters are 20.1% of households, lower than many inner rental markets, and weekly rent is $400. Vacancy at 4.5% points to looser conditions than a tight market, while 0 development approvals in the past 12 months suggest limited new supply pressure. Demand is underpinned by overseas migration averaging 585 people a year and high education sector appeal, but the low rental share means investors are competing in an owner led market rather than a high turnover rental precinct.
Schools in Willetton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Rostrata Primary School
K-6 · 947 students
Willetton Primary School
K-6 · 626 students
Willetton Senior High School
7-12 · 2767 students
Burrendah Primary School
K-6 · 554 students
Orana Catholic Primary School
PP-6 · 380 students
Demographics
Willetton's population of 19,262 is highly educated and internationally connected. Median age is 40, equal to the national comparison, while 54.6% hold university qualifications, 24.5 percentage points above national. Overseas born residents make up 53.2%, 31.6 points above national, reflected in Chinese ancestry at 5,064 people, English at 4,572 and Indian at 2,107. Mandarin is spoken by 1,285 people, with Canton at 436, and Christianity 7,609 sits alongside Hinduism 1,592 and Buddhism 1,239.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.0%
Houses
4.3%
Townhouse
5.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Willetton's housing is owner led and detached, with 40.0% owned outright, 40.0% under mortgage and 20.1% renting. Separate houses account for 90.0% of dwellings, far higher than apartment oriented suburbs, while apartments are only 5.7% and semi detached stock 4.3%. The bedroom mix explains the family profile: 65.1% have 4+ bedrooms and 31.3% have 3. Mortgage payments of $2,100 a month absorb 22.3% of income, below stress territory, helping established households hold rather than trade frequently.
Mortgage / mo
$2,100
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$755
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.5%
Unoccupied
287
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
16.9%
Couples, no children
17,174
Total families
Economy & Employment
Willetton's economy leans professional because healthcare, education and technical work dominate. Healthcare employs 1,268 people or 18.9%, followed by education at 899 or 13.4%, professional/tech at 868 or 12.9%, public admin at 484 and construction at 461. Professionals are the largest occupation at 3,036, ahead of clerical/admin at 1,124. Unemployment is 6.2% with participation at 62.3%. SEIFA is consistently above average: IEO decile 8, IER decile 9, IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 8, with resources slightly higher than overall advantage.
Unemployment
1.7%
Labour Force
11,506
Unemployed
190
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.2%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
62.3%
Employed
8,800
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.6%
Postgraduate
16.1%
Born Overseas
53.2%
Dwellings
6,155
Transport to Work
Livability is anchored by education rather than transport, because 6 schools sit in the suburb and the ICSEA range runs from 986 to 1,135. Rostrata Primary, Willetton Primary and Willetton Senior High are the academic anchors, with ICSEA scores of 1,135, 1,133 and 1,131 across government primary and secondary options; Catholic and Independent choices add sector mix. Daily travel is car led, with 87.4% driving, compared with 4.6% on public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling. IRSAD decile 8 is above average.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.9%/yr
(+195 people/yr)
EstablishedWilletton's growth outlook is steady rather than fringe style, with trend growth of 0.9% or 195 people a year. The medium path rises from 21,216 in 2026 to 22,189 in 2031, so demand is more about gradual renewal than broad rezoning. Overseas migration is the primary driver, averaging +585 people a year, while internal migration is -192 a year. The gentrification score is 31, labelled Early signs, and the shift trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.5 points and working share down 5.2 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+585
Net Internal / yr
-192
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +18% since 2011, Net internal outflow -192/yr, Strong overseas inflow +585/yr, Accelerating: 2% → 16%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Willetton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Willetton a good suburb to live in?
Yes, Willetton suits households that value schools, larger homes and an established residential setting. It has 6 local schools, 90.0% separate houses and 65.1% of homes with 4+ bedrooms, while household income sits in the 82.9 percentile.
What is the median house price in Willetton?
A current median house price is not stated, so it should not be inferred. Affordability context is still clear: the median mortgage is $2,100 a month, rent is $400 a week and mortgage costs equal 22.3% of household income.
What schools are in Willetton?
There are 6 local schools: Rostrata Primary, Willetton Primary, Willetton Senior High, Burrendah Primary, Orana Catholic Primary and OneSchool Global WA. ICSEA scores range from 986 to 1,135, with the top 3 all government schools.
Is Willetton safe?
A current crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available, so buyers should check recent police maps and inspect specific streets. Context is favourable: IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 8 sit above average for socioeconomic conditions.
Is Willetton good for property investment?
It can suit patient investors seeking family tenant demand rather than high turnover. Renters are 20.1% of households, median rent is $400 a week, vacancy is 4.5% and there were 0 development approvals in the past 12 months.
How is Willetton's population changing?
Willetton is growing gradually. Trend growth is 0.9% or 195 people a year, and the medium forecast reaches 22,189 residents by 2031. Overseas migration is the main driver, averaging +585 people a year against -192 internal migration.
What languages are spoken in Willetton?
Willetton is strongly multilingual, with 53.2% of residents born overseas. Mandarin is spoken by 1,285 people, followed by Canton at 436, Malayalam at 293, Hindi at 182 and Korean at 163.
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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