WA 6018 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Woodlands

With 53.7% of residents holding university qualifications, Woodlands runs 23.6 percentage points above the national figure, making it one of Perth's more highly educated suburbs. Yet the brief tags it as affordable: the median house price sits at $588,000 and household income lands in the 79.4th percentile nationally. That combination of qualification depth and moderate pricing reflects a suburb where professionals have put down roots rather than traded up. The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, and 81.3% of residents stayed in place over the prior census period, pointing to a settled community with low churn.

Woodlands urban fabric map

Population

4,551

Median Age

44.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,098/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

19

Median House

$588K

Estimated from rent (2025)

1.93 km²· 2,354.5 people/km²· Family income $2,990/wk

The median house price is $588,000, with monthly mortgage repayments around $2,600 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.6%, which stays below the 30% stress threshold. That positions Woodlands as more accessible than many comparable Perth suburbs at similar qualification and income levels. The stock leans strongly toward family-sized homes: 69.3% are separate houses, and 45.4% of all dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. Semi-detached homes account for 20.1% and apartments just 10.6%, so buyers seeking standalone houses face a reasonable supply. Outright owners make up 48.4% of households, far above the proportion on mortgages at 33.3%, which indicates a mature, long-held ownership base rather than a suburb in turnover.

For Buyers

The median house price is $588,000, with monthly mortgage repayments around $2,600 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.6%, which stays below the 30% stress threshold. That positions Woodlands as more accessible than many comparable Perth suburbs at similar qualification and income levels. The stock leans strongly toward family-sized homes: 69.3% are separate houses, and 45.4% of all dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. Semi-detached homes account for 20.1% and apartments just 10.6%, so buyers seeking standalone houses face a reasonable supply. Outright owners make up 48.4% of households, far above the proportion on mortgages at 33.3%, which indicates a mature, long-held ownership base rather than a suburb in turnover.

For Investors

Renters represent only 18.3% of households, which is low compared to the national average, limiting the depth of the rental pool. Weekly rent is $420 and the vacancy rate sits at 7.4%, a level that signals some supply-demand slack rather than a tight market. Development activity is modest at 14 applications in the past 12 months for a suburb of 4,551 residents, consistent with an established area where infill replaces rather than expands stock. The income base is solid with household income at the 79.4th percentile nationally, supporting rental demand from higher-earning tenants. The low turnover rate of 18.7% means existing tenants tend to stay, which reduces vacancy risk for landlords once a property is leased.

Development Activity

Total DAs

19

Last 12 Months

19

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

New Dwelling
11
Other
3
Demolition
2
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
1
Renovation / Extension
1
Deck / Pergola / Patio
1

Schools in Woodlands iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Woodlands Primary School

ICSEA 1122 Primary Government

K-6 · 359 students

Demographics

The median age of 44 sits 4 years above the national figure, reflecting an older, established resident base. University qualifications reach 53.7%, which is 23.6 points above the national average, the highest single comparison signal in the brief. Overseas-born residents account for 32.4% of the population, running 10.8 points above the national figure. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,776 residents), Irish (489) and Scottish (481), with Italian (324) the fourth-largest group. Non-English languages spoken include Mandarin (53 speakers), Italian (29), Cantonese (21), Japanese (18) and Hindi (16). Couples with children (1,736 families) represent the dominant household type, outnumbering couples without children (792) by more than two to one.

Age Distribution

0-14
18.7%
15-24
12.6%
25-44
19.6%
45-64
25.0%
65+
23.8%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
2.3%
2 bed
16.8%
3 bed
35.5%
4+ bed
45.4%

Dwelling Structure

69.3%

Houses

20.1%

Townhouse

10.6%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 48.4% Mortgage 33.3% Rent 18.3%

Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 48.4%, well above the mortgage-holder share of 33.3%, which points to long-settled, debt-free households rather than a suburb seeing a wave of new purchases. Renters at 18.3% are comparatively few. The stock is house-heavy: 69.3% separate houses, 20.1% semi-detached and 10.6% apartments. Four-plus bedroom dwellings account for 45.4% of all homes, the single largest bedroom category, consistent with the family-centric household composition. The median house price of $588,000 combined with weekly rent of $420 gives a gross yield around 3.7%, modest but not unusual for a suburb where owner-occupiers predominate. Mortgage stress is low, with repayments running at 28.6% of income, below the 30% threshold.

Mortgage / mo

$2,600

Rent / wk

$420

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$890

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

7.4%

Unoccupied

133

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.0%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

28.6%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
53
Italian
29
Canton
21
Japan
18
Hindi
16
Guj
14

Ancestry

English
1,776
Other
518
Irish
489
Scottish
481
Italian
324
Chinese
289

Household Composition

21.8%

Couples, no children

3,641

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare leads local employment at 16.9% of the workforce (280 workers), followed closely by Professional and Technical services at 16.6% (274) and Education at 13.8% (228). Construction accounts for 9.0% and Mining for 8.5%, reflecting Perth's broader resource-sector base. By occupation, Professionals (766) and Managers (370) are the two largest groups, consistent with the suburb's university qualification rate of 53.7%, which is 23.6 points above the national average. Unemployment sits at 4.0% and the full-time employment rate is 59.9%. The participation rate of 57.3% is moderate, partly because the older median age of 44 means more residents are in or near retirement, with 1,383 not in the labour force. Volunteering runs at 23.0%, indicating active civic engagement.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Full-time

59.9%

Part-time

36.1%

Participation

57.3%

Employed

2,035

Occupations

Professionals 766
Managers 370
Clerical/Admin 263
Community/Personal 196
Sales 156
Labourers 117
Machinery/Drivers 59

Top Industries

Healthcare 16.9%
Professional/Tech 16.6%
Education 13.8%
Construction 9.0%
Mining 8.5%

University

53.7%

Postgraduate

13.3%

Born Overseas

32.4%

Dwellings

1,660

Transport to Work

Car dependency is high, with 84.9% of residents driving to work, above the national average, while public transport use sits at 4.8% and walking or cycling at 4.8%. The compact 1.93 km2 footprint means most destinations are close, but the transport mode split reflects Perth's car-oriented layout rather than a walkability deficit specific to Woodlands. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions. Rent-to-income sits at 20.0% and mortgage-to-income at 28.6%, both below stress thresholds, indicating that housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes. The need-for-assistance rate is 6.5% (286 residents), which is in line with what the 44-year median age would suggest, and volunteering at 23.0% is above typical national levels.

Drive

84.9%

Public Transport

4.8%

Walk / Cycle

4.8%

Work from Home

N/A

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Woodlands compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 12%
Household Income
Top 21%
Rent Level
Top 13%
Apartments
Top 29%
Renters
Bottom 44%
Uni Educated
Top 7%
Public Transport
Top 36%
Born Overseas
Top 11%
Density
Top 6%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Woodlands a good suburb to live in?

Woodlands has above-average indicators across most dimensions. Household income sits in the 79.4th percentile nationally, 53.7% of residents hold university qualifications (23.6 points above national), and 81.3% of residents chose to stay between census periods. Housing costs are manageable, with mortgage repayments at 28.6% of income, below the 30% stress threshold.

What is the median house price in Woodlands?

The median house price is $588,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.6%. Weekly rent averages $420 and the vacancy rate is 7.4%.

What schools are in Woodlands?

No schools are recorded within the Woodlands boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Locally, 53.7% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 23.6 percentage points above the national average, reflecting strong educational attainment across the resident base.

Is Woodlands safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Woodlands in this dataset. As indirect indicators, housing stress is low (mortgage-to-income at 28.6%, rent-to-income at 20.0%), household income sits in the 79.4th percentile nationally, and the unemployment rate is 4.0%, all consistent with a low-disadvantage area.

Is Woodlands good for property investment?

The investment case is mixed. The renter share is only 18.3%, below national average, which limits the rental pool. Weekly rent of $420 against a $588,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.7%. The vacancy rate of 7.4% signals some supply-demand softness. The high 48.4% outright-ownership rate suggests limited turnover, which could slow capital growth relative to higher-churn suburbs.

How is Woodlands's population changing?

No forecast data is available for Woodlands in this dataset. The current population is 4,551 across 1.93 km2 at a density of 2,355 per km2. Stability signals are strong: 81.3% of residents did not move in the prior census period and the median age of 44 is 4 years above the national average, consistent with a settled, slow-churning suburb.

What languages are spoken in Woodlands?

About 32.4% of residents were born overseas, 10.8 points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are Mandarin (53 speakers), Italian (29), Cantonese (21), Japanese (18) and Hindi (16), reflecting a modest but internationally diverse resident population against an Anglo-Celtic ancestry majority.

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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