Woodvale
Woodvale's 43.3% outright ownership rate, combined with an IER decile 10 and household incomes at the 89.1 percentile, marks it as a suburb of accumulated wealth where original purchasers have paid off their mortgages. The senior share expanded by 7.7 percentage points over the decade, the largest aging shift in this batch. Growth is minimal at 0.19% per year (20 people), and zero development applications were lodged in 12 months, suggesting a physically built-out suburb with no pipeline. University qualifications at 35.4% sit 5.3 points above national, and overseas-born residents at 38.3% are 16.7 points above average, led by European and South African backgrounds.
Population
9,579
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,339/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$581K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $581,000 estimated median positions Woodvale as affordable by Perth northern suburbs standards. Detached houses dominate at 92.5%, with 76.3% having 4+ bedrooms, making it a large-format family suburb. Mortgage-to-income at 21.4% is comfortably below stress levels. The 43.3% outright ownership is high nationally, indicating many long-held properties. Only 9.7% rent, and the 84.6% retention rate (pct_stayed) is among the highest in this batch. Buyers should note zero DAs in 12 months, meaning no new supply is coming, which could support resale values in a market this tight.
For Buyers
The $581,000 estimated median positions Woodvale as affordable by Perth northern suburbs standards. Detached houses dominate at 92.5%, with 76.3% having 4+ bedrooms, making it a large-format family suburb. Mortgage-to-income at 21.4% is comfortably below stress levels. The 43.3% outright ownership is high nationally, indicating many long-held properties. Only 9.7% rent, and the 84.6% retention rate (pct_stayed) is among the highest in this batch. Buyers should note zero DAs in 12 months, meaning no new supply is coming, which could support resale values in a market this tight.
For Investors
The 9.7% renter share is one of the lowest in this dataset, making tenant demand extremely thin. Weekly rent of $480 against a $581,000 estimated median gives a gross yield around 4.3%, respectable in isolation. However, vacancy at 4.4% is slightly elevated, and the near-total absence of rental demand limits investor appeal. Zero development applications suggest no new stock entering the pipeline. Net overseas migration at 109 per year adds marginal demand, offset by 31 internal departures. This is an owner-occupier market where capital growth depends on constrained supply rather than rental fundamentals.
Schools in Woodvale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Luke's Catholic Primary School
PP-6 · 454 students
North Woodvale Primary School
K-6 · 394 students
Woodvale Primary School
K-6 · 369 students
Woodvale Secondary College
7-12 · 1251 students
Demographics
English (4,527), Irish (1,188) and Scottish (1,121) form a dominant Anglo-Celtic core, but 38.3% were born overseas, 16.7 percentage points above the national average. Afrikaans (66) is the leading non-English language, reflecting South African migration common in Perth's northern corridor. University qualifications at 35.4% are 5.3 points above national. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national median, and the 7.7 percentage point expansion in the senior share over the decade makes this the fastest-aging suburb in this batch. Average household size of 2.8 sits above national, indicating families still present despite the aging trend.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.5%
Houses
7.2%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers total 90.3% (43.3% outright + 47.0% mortgage), one of the highest ownership concentrations nationally. Renters at 9.7% are a tiny minority. Detached houses comprise 92.5%, semi-detached 7.2%, and apartments just 0.1%. The 76.3% four-plus bedroom share indicates uniformly large homes built during Perth's 1990s-2000s expansion. Turnover at 15.4% is low, reflecting residents who stay long term. The estimated $581,000 median is affordable relative to income, with a price-to-income ratio of roughly 4.8 times annual household income, below the national capital city average.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$480
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$901
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.4%
Unoccupied
154
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.5%
Couples, no children
8,518
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 16.8% (607 workers), followed by Education at 14.3%, Construction at 10.4%, Professional/Tech at 10.0% and Public Admin at 7.8%. This service-sector profile contrasts with nearby suburbs where mining dominates. Professionals (1,310) are the largest occupation group, with Clerical/Admin (806) and Managers (711) following. Full-time employment at 59.6% is relatively low, reflecting the older population profile where part-time work (2,006) is nearly as common. Unemployment at 3.9% is below the national average. The IER decile 10 confirms top-level economic resources, consistent with asset-rich retirees.
Unemployment
1.5%
Labour Force
6,259
Unemployed
95
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.6%
Part-time
36.5%
Participation
65.8%
Employed
4,965
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.4%
Postgraduate
7.2%
Born Overseas
38.3%
Dwellings
3,387
Transport to Work
Car driving accounts for 87.7% of commutes, with public transport at 6.6% and walking/cycling at 1.2%. The suburb hosts 4 schools, all above the 1,000 ICSEA benchmark: St Luke's Catholic Primary (1,087, 454 students), North Woodvale Primary (1,079, 394 students), Woodvale Primary (1,070, 369 students) and Woodvale Secondary College (1,066, 1,251 students). This school density is above average for a suburb this size. The IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9 confirm high socio-economic advantage. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 20.5% and mortgage-to-income at 21.4%.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
6.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.19%/yr
(+20 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is nearly flat at 0.19% per year (20 persons), and the 10-year change of 4.1% is well below the national average. Net overseas migration adds 109 per year, offset by 31 internal departures. The suburb is aging rapidly: the senior share expanded 7.7 percentage points while the working-age share contracted 2.6 points, the most pronounced aging pattern in this dataset. Gentrification score is 0 with no signals detected. Population projections show essentially stable numbers from 10,085 in 2026 to 10,185 by 2031, with minimal housing demand growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+109
Net Internal / yr
-31
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Woodvale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woodvale a good suburb to live in?
Woodvale suits established families and retirees seeking quiet, owner-occupied neighbourhoods. The IRSAD decile 8 and 4 schools (all above ICSEA 1,000) indicate strong advantage. Mortgage stress at 21.4% is low. The tradeoff is limited public transport (6.6%) and an aging demographic, with the senior share up 7.7 points over the decade.
What is the median house price in Woodvale?
The estimated median is $581,000 (derived from 2025 rental data), with median weekly rent at $480 and monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 21.4%, well below the 30% stress mark. This represents strong value compared to Perth's inner suburbs.
What schools are in Woodvale?
Woodvale has 4 schools, all above the national 1,000 ICSEA benchmark: St Luke's Catholic Primary (1,087, 454 students), North Woodvale Primary (1,079, 394), Woodvale Primary (1,070, 369) and Woodvale Secondary College (1,066, 1,251). This school concentration ranks above average for its population size.
Is Woodvale safe?
Crime data is not available for Woodvale. The IRSD decile 9 places it among the least disadvantaged suburbs nationally. The 90.3% owner-occupier rate and 3.9% unemployment rate are both characteristics associated with lower crime environments. Turnover at 15.4% is low, indicating a stable resident base.
Is Woodvale good for property investment?
The 9.7% renter share is one of the lowest in this dataset, severely limiting tenant demand. Gross yield is approximately 4.3% ($480/week on $581,000), but zero DAs in 12 months and near-flat population growth (0.19%/yr) mean both supply and demand are static. This is primarily an owner-occupier suburb.
How is Woodvale's population changing?
Population is essentially static at 0.19% annual growth (20 people). The 10-year change of 4.1% is well below national averages. The suburb is aging rapidly: senior share expanded 7.7 percentage points over the decade, the largest shift in this batch. Projections show minimal change, reaching 10,185 by 2031.
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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