South Perth, WA: suburb profile

The population of South Perth WA is 12,596 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in South Perth is $1,147 per week ($59,644 per year). Median rent in South Perth is $375 per week ($1,625 per month). South Perth has a median age of 42 years, older than the national median of 38. South Perth has a population density of 2,444 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in South Perth is England. The most common religion is No religion (41.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Perth is $2,200.

Population
12,596
Census 2021
Median income
$1,147/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$375/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
42years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

South Perth vs the typical WA suburb

The median personal income in South Perth is $1,147 a week, 42% above the typical WA suburb ($806). That ranks 65th of 701 WA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $375 a week, $55 more than the typical WA suburb. Rent takes 18.5% of the median household income here, against 18.6% in the typical WA suburb. The median resident is 42, 1 year older than in the typical WA suburb (41).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureSouth PerthTypical WADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,147/wk$806/wk +42%$766/wk
Household income$2,026/wk$1,722/wk +18%$1,637/wk
Rent$375/wk$320/wk +17%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,200/mo$1,759/mo +25%$1,733/mo
Median age4241 +1 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.5%18.6% −0.1 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in South Perth, the typical WA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

South Perth Population

12,596 residents at the 2021 Census.

South Perth Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,147/wk
$59,644 per year
Ranked 557 of 14,663
Median Rent
$375/wk
$1,625 per month
Ranked 2,632 of 14,663
Median Age
42years
4 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,200/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

South Perth Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,026/wk
Median rent $375/wk
Rent to income 18.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in South Perth against your income

About $8,779 a month
Median rent $375/wk
Left after rent $1,651/wk
Rent share 18.5%

South Perth Schools

22
schools nearby
9
government
1103
avg ICSEA score
10,290
total students
Wesley College Independent
Combined · PP-12 · 1,312 students
1147
ICSEA
Penrhos College Independent
Combined · PP-12 · 1,033 students
1143
ICSEA
Regent College Independent
Primary · PP-6 · 340 students
1142
ICSEA
Como Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 460 students
1140
ICSEA
St Columba's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · PP-6 · 381 students
1140
ICSEA
St George's Anglican Grammar School Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 596 students
1139
ICSEA
Victoria Park Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 510 students
1127
ICSEA
South Perth Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 395 students
1122
ICSEA
Mercedes College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 910 students
1122
ICSEA
Kensington Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 447 students
1121
ICSEA
Trinity College Catholic
Combined · 4-12 · 1,347 students
1113
ICSEA
Hensman Street Elementary Independent
Primary · PP-4 · 13 students
1080
ICSEA
Collier Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 298 students
1076
ICSEA
Como Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 838 students
1056
ICSEA
Kent Street Senior High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,215 students
1041
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 22 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near South Perth, with a map

South Perth Map

South Perth, Western Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in South Perth

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 50.2% (6,323) Female 49.8% (6,268)

Population Density

2,444
people per km²
12,596 people · 5.2 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,864
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
7.2%
India
2.6%
Malaysia
2.3%
New Zealand
2.1%
South Africa
2.0%
China
1.8%
Singapore
1.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
2.9%
Spanish
1.3%
Cantonese
1.3%
Italian
1.0%
Vietnamese
0.9%
Indonesian
0.8%
Persian (excluding Dari)
0.7%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
36.7%
Australian
25.1%
Irish
10.6%
Scottish
9.4%
Chinese
8.0%
Italian
5.4%
Indian
3.6%
German
3.3%
Dutch
2.0%
South African
1.2%
Croatian
1.2%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
41.3%
Catholic
20.3%
Anglican
10.5%
Not stated
7.1%
Christian (other)
2.9%
Buddhism
2.9%
Uniting Church
2.8%
Hinduism
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.9%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
45.0% 4,985
Separated
3.1% 344
Divorced
10.2% 1,126
Widowed
3.9% 430
Never married
37.9% 4,205

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
40.4%
Couple: children under 15
34.4%
Couple: no children under 15
15.9%
One parent: no children under 15
4.9%
One parent: children under 15
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
36.7%
2 persons
38.1%
3 persons
12.2%
4 persons
9.5%
5 persons
2.9%
6+ persons
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in South Perth

Housing Tenure

Of the 5,625 occupied private dwellings in South Perth at the 2021 Census, 42.1% were rented, 32.9% owned outright and 21.7% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.3% 129 dwellings
Owned outright
32.9% 1,853 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
21.7% 1,221 dwellings
Rented
42.1% 2,370 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 54 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
48.1%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
42.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
9.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
10.6%
2 bedrooms
31.7%
3 bedrooms
38.0%
4 bedrooms
15.0%
5 bedrooms
4.1%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
10.8%
$300-$449/mo
1.1%
$450-$599/mo
2.7%
$600-$799/mo
3.0%
$800-$999/mo
2.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
12.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.8%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
21.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
13.5%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
16.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.9%
1 vehicle
47.8%
2 vehicles
34.8%
3 vehicles
8.1%
4+ vehicles
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in South Perth

Employment

Employed full-time
42.0% 4,269 people
Employed part-time
23.4% 2,378 people
Unemployed
3.2% 321 people
Not in labour force
31.4% 3,187 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
46.1%
Managers
17.3%
Clerical & Administrative
10.7%
Technicians & Trade Workers
8.3%
Community & Personal Service
8.1%
Sales Workers
4.5%
Labourers
3.0%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.9%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
1.5%
$300-$399/wk
1.9%
$400-$499/wk
4.2%
$500-$649/wk
4.1%
$650-$799/wk
3.8%
$800-$999/wk
4.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
6.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.0%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.6%
$4,000+/wk
23.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.7%
$1-$149/wk
3.9%
$150-$299/wk
4.5%
$300-$399/wk
2.3%
$400-$499/wk
2.3%
$500-$649/wk
2.6%
$650-$799/wk
6.1%
$800-$999/wk
7.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
12.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.5%
$3,500+/wk
11.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
63.9%
Did not go to work
12.1%
Bus
10.0%
Car (passenger)
5.4%
Walked only
2.6%
Bicycle
2.3%
Other
1.7%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.9%
Ferry
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%
Truck
0.1%
Train
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
81.4%
Year 10 or equivalent
11.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
5.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.5%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
44.3%
Postgraduate Degree
19.7%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.2%
Certificate III/IV
13.6%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.8%
Certificate I/II
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
25.7%
Engineering
16.5%
Health
15.0%
Society & Culture
13.7%
Education
6.7%
Natural & Physical Sciences
6.0%
Architecture & Building
4.2%
Creative Arts
3.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.5%
Information Technology
3.3%
Agriculture & Environment
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Other Non-Govt
24.3%
Primary: Government
18.5%
Vocational Education
13.9%
Pre-school
10.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
9.9%
Secondary: Catholic
8.5%
Primary: Catholic
7.5%
Secondary: Government
7.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
91.5%
Has need for assistance
2.7%
Need for assistance not stated
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
841
Asthma
387
Arthritis
326
Heart disease
298
Diabetes
246
Cancer
192
Lung condition
160
Stroke
92
Kidney disease
79
Dementia
20

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
11.5% 1,198
Did not provide
88.5% 9,221

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
22.0% 2,303
Not a volunteer
78.0% 8,148

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 13
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 15
Previously served
2.2% 234
Never served
97.5% 10,219

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
45.1%
1 child
12.4%
2 children
26.2%
3 children
12.6%
4 children
3.1%
5+ children
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
57
1951: 1960
143
1961: 1970
368
1971: 1980
451
1981: 1990
628
1991: 2000
546
2001: 2010
892
2011: 2015
664
2016
146
2017
150
2018
181
2019
281
2020
130
2021
42

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

19.5%
moved in the last year
53.2%
moved in the last 5 years
4.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
9,548
Moved from WA
1,377
Moved: same area (SA2)
420
Moved from overseas
200
Moved from VIC
83
Moved from NSW
69
Moved from QLD
68
Moved from TAS
20
Moved from SA
19
Moved from NT
17
Moved from ACT
8

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
26.2%
5: 14 hours
32.3%
15: 29 hours
12.1%
30+ hours
6.7%
Did not do domestic work
22.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
87.0%
Step family: no other children
10.0%
Blended family: no other children
2.2%
Other couple: children only
0.4%
Intact family: other children present
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near South Perth

The closest suburb to South Perth is Kensington (WA), 2.1 km away.

Kensington (WA)
2.1 km away · income $1,072/wk · rent $375/wk
Victoria Park
2.7 km away · income $1,047/wk · rent $345/wk
East Perth
2.8 km away · income $1,174/wk · rent $410/wk
Como (WA)
3.0 km away · income $1,001/wk · rent $350/wk
Perth (WA)
3.0 km away · income $1,139/wk · rent $400/wk
Northbridge (WA)
3.5 km away · income $1,049/wk · rent $400/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About South Perth

What is the population of South Perth WA?

The population of South Perth WA is 12,596 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,444 people per km². South Perth is ranked #400 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in South Perth?

The median personal income in South Perth WA is $1,147 per week, or $59,644 per year. The median household income is $2,026 per week. Family income is $2,864 per week. South Perth is ranked #557 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in South Perth?

Median rent in South Perth WA is $375 per week ($1,625 per month). Rent represents 18.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. South Perth ranks #2,632 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in South Perth?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Perth WA is $2,200. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in South Perth?

The median age in South Perth WA is 42 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is South Perth a good suburb to live in?

South Perth is a suburb in Western Australia with a population of 12,596. The median income is $1,147/wk, which is above the typical WA suburb ($806/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 51381. All dollar figures in AUD.