You may be thinking about moving to Perth with your family. And why not? Perth offers a great balance between coastal and city living, with multiple breathtaking spots that you can explore with your family.

There are a lot of factors you’ll want to consider when you’re moving with your family, such as the number of schools, playgrounds, and the overall safety of the suburb.

We’ve compiled a list of the best suburbs for families and presented all the necessary data we think you’ll need.

1. Dalkeith

Realtors consistently rank Dalkeith as one of the best suburbs for families, and at just 6 kilometres away from the Perth CBD, it gives you a good balance between the safety the suburbs can offer while not being too far away from city life.

It’s one of the most affluent suburbs with a high median house price and a low renter percentage, but this is explained by all the schools in the suburb and the activities you can do as a family.

Things to Do in Dalkeith for Families

The biggest advantage Dalkeith has is that it sits by the Swan River, which is a great place for you and your family to have picnics and enjoy water activities like swimming and kayaking.

Alternatively, you can also visit Masons Gardens, which has an art trail and turtle pond. And if your child ever ends up bored with those activities, they have a playground ready for them to enjoy!

The Jo Wheatley All Abilities Play Space is also nearby. You can give your children a fun playground experience without you having to worry about safety, as it’s built to be an inclusive playground that’s fully fenced.

Additionally, here’s a table of the playgrounds and amusement centres that you can enjoy with your family:

Schools and Day Cares in Dalkeith

Dalkeith has numerous schools in the area, regardless of whether your child is in primary school or university.

Here’s a list of some of the schools in the area:

If you’re a working couple, you may need a day care to look after your children while you’re at work.

Here are the day cares in Dalkeith:

2. Swanbourne

Swanbourne is another expensive suburb in the city of Nedlands that’s home to upper-middle class families.

The suburb is less than 10 kilometres away from Dalkeith, but Swanbourne has a lower median house price with a higher renter percentage.

It remains to be a relatively safe suburb, with only 1.4 crimes occurring for every 100 people.

Things to Do in Swanbourne for Families

Swanbourne is great if your family loves to be around the water, and other than typical water activities like swimming and surfing, you can also take your dog on a walk with you on the beach.

Due to its prime location, you’re close to areas such as the Swanbourne Beach, the Cottesloe Beach, and Lake Claremont in the neighbouring suburbs.

You can also enjoy golf at the 18-hole Cottesloe Golf Club and maybe even teach your children how to play the sport!

Because of its proximity to Dalkeith, they share the same playgrounds and amusement centres, but with the two suburbs being approximately 15 minutes apart, it wouldn’t be an inconvenience to get to these areas.

Schools and Day Cares in Swanbourne

Like Dalkeith, Swanbourne is also home to multiple schools, and because of its proximity to Dalkeith, it does share a couple of schools in this list.

Perhaps one of the most notable schools on this list is Scotch College, which has been a top boarding school for boys since 1896.

There are also several day cares available in the suburb should you need someone to care for your children.

3. City Beach

City Beach is yet another suburb that joins the list for the most expensive suburbs in Perth, but with a low crime rate and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s a perfect place to raise a family.

It’s a little farther from the Perth CBD, which is a 10-kilometre or half-hour drive away, but with its low crime rate, we think it’s worth the travel time for your and your family’s safety.

It’s a popular tourist town, which is great if you want your children to be exposed to different kinds of cultures and people from all over the world, but it does add to the suburb’s cost of living.

Things to Do in City Beach for Families

City Beach, of course, is home to the eponymous City Beach that’s home to surfers and multiple restaurants along the shoreline, but it’s also a favourite spot for a summer barbecue or a picnic.

If you find yourself somehow tired of the beach, you can explore Bold Park and introduce your children to the diverse flora, fauna, and fungi.

In the park, you could also explore Reabold Hill, which gives beautiful views of Perth, the Indian Ocean, and the Swan River.

And if you want your kids to learn how to swim, you could also go to the Bold Park Aquatic Centre or have them enjoy their time in some playgrounds and amusement centres.

Schools and Day Cares in City Beach

City Beach has more primary schools than any other level, which makes this suburb a great choice if your child is within that age.

It’s also in close proximity to the prestigious Curtin University, which is heralded as one of the best universities in Australia.

Because of the number of primary schools in the suburb, it only makes sense to have several day cares in the area.

4. Melville

Melville is the first suburb on this list with a median house price that’s less than a million dollars, although the con is that it’s 15 kilometres away from the Perth CBD.

Melville is a southern suburb located within the city of the same name, which has 172 heritage-listed places with great historical significance to Australia’s Aboriginal history.

It’s also a great hub for artists and aspiring alike, which we’ll discuss more in the things to do here.

Things to Do in Melville for Families

As we’ve mentioned, Melville is home to a blossoming arts culture that offers both adults and children opportunities to learn more about history, culture, and art.

In fact, The City of Melville even has a directory for their multiple galleries and museums!

If you want to enjoy other activities with your children, you can enrol them for swimming lessons at the Bicton Pool which also has hydrotherapy pools for adults

Melville is home to multiple playgrounds, and while your children are enjoying their time there, you can enjoy the public art installations that they’ve integrated into the area.

Schools and Day Cares in City Beach

With the predominant age group in Melville being children aged 5–14, there are multiple options for primary schools and an equal number of high schools.

It’s in close proximity to the public university Murdoch University, which is great if your child plans to enrol here in the future.

5. Carine

Carine is a northern suburb that’s 14 kilometres away from the Perth CBD. The median house price is a little over a million dollars, and the majority of the population is from the middle class.

It isn’t as exciting of a suburb compared to others on this list, but that does make it more family-friendly with its low crime rates and peaceful atmosphere.

Things to Do in Carine for Families

Carine locals’ favourite spots are The Carine Glades Shopping Centre and the nearby Carine Glades Tavern, a pub that can be your chosen place to wind down without your children.

Carine is also home to multiple farmer’s markets, which is great if you prefer to source your produce from local farmers.

There’s also the Carine Regional Open Space that has playgrounds, barbecue spots, sporting grounds, and an enclosed dog park.

Don’t worry. This isn’t the only playground in the area, and there are amusement centres too.

Schools and Day Cares in Carine

When it comes to education in Carine, they have multiple options to choose from when it comes to primary school, but there’s not so much when it comes to high schools and preschools.

There are no large universities or colleges in the area, and the closest university is the University of Western Australia at Crawley, which is 21 kilometres away.

Of course, this wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t take note of the day cares in the area. Here are some of your options:

Other Essential Statistics

If you’re moving with your family, it’s essential to know information like the median house price, the renter percentages, and the crime rate for the suburbs you’re thinking about moving into.

We’ve collected the information to make things easier for you.

Housing

With the current rental crisis, rent prices are currently unstable, and it’s best to work with a real estate agent to help you find the best places that are within your budget.

If you’re looking to buy a house, a mortgage may make things easier for you, especially since the median house prices for the suburbs on this list aren’t exactly cheap.

Crime Rates and Population

None of the suburbs on this list have a population of more than 10,000 people, which means it’s never going to get too crowded in these areas.

We’ve deliberately chosen suburbs that have a low crime rate per 100 people, as this is where you’ll be raising your children, and we understand how safety is of utmost importance.

Wrapping Up

These aren’t the only suburbs in Perth that’s suitable for families, and you may want to explore other options in east and west Perth.

There are, however, places we advise you against because of their high crime rates, which wouldn’t be an ideal environment for a child to grow up in.

Ultimately, the decision boils down to what you’re looking for in a suburb, the areas and schools you want to be close by, and of course, the housing prices.