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A Race to the Top: The Booming Suburbs of Perth
Thinking of getting into property investment in Perth? Or do you want to get a nice house in a rapidly growing suburb before prices there reach astronomical levels?
Since most of the nicest suburbs in Perth like Claremont and Dalkeith are too expensive for most people, new suburbs have started to gain massive popularity among house buyers for the long list of positives they deliver at amazing prices.
Let’s check out which suburbs are currently booming in Perth and the reasons why they are so.
Which suburbs are booming in Perth?
The suburbs that are currently booming in Perth are Armadale, Orelia, Forrestfield, Waikiki, Ellenbrook, Baldivis, and Wellard.
These suburbs are the primary reasons why Perth’s housing market remains strong, unlike other major cities in Australia. They are especially popular among property investors thanks to their low vacancy rates and affordable house prices.
Armadale
Highlight(s): Perth Hills Armadale Visitor Centre, Armadale Reptile & Wildlife Centre, Minnawarra Park, and Gwynne Park
Location: 28 km SE from the Perth CBD
Size: 8.4 km2
Population: 13,415
It’s no surprise that the suburb of Armadale is among the booming suburbs of Perth. This suburb is rapidly transforming into the central node of Perth’s southeastern region.
A great thing about Armadale is that it has its own array of amenities, including hospitals, schools, and shopping centres like Armadale Shopping City and Armadale Central Shopping Centre.
For medical services, the Armadale Health Service is equipped to deal with most illnesses. Armadale also has a couple of smaller medical facilities like the Champion Drive Medical Centre.
When it comes to recreation and relaxation, this suburb also has plenty of dining and entertainment options like bars, restaurants, cinemas, and cafes.
Also, let’s not forget that Armadale is just beside the beautiful Perth Hills. You’ll have plenty of choices when it comes to nature spaces, such as the Banyowla Regional Park.
Another huge reason why Armadale has been booming recently is the many job opportunities in the region, as the local government of Perth has plans to further develop the city’s southeastern areas in the future.
Thanks to Armadale’s well-developed public transportation infrastructure, living here while having a job in the Perth CBD is totally doable. You can get to the city centre within 30 minutes by riding the Armadale Train Line.
Alternatively, you can also ride on one of the many bus routes that connect Armadale directly to the Perth CBD.
With all these amazing things about Armadale, it’s quite surprising how affordable the house prices are in this suburb. As of mid-August 2023, the median house price here is $331,055.
If you prefer buying an apartment unit, the median price for a unit is $280,000.
The only issue I have with Armadale is its crime rate. As of mid-August 2023, the crime rate of this suburb is 9.5 crimes for every 100 residents.
| Pro tip: You don’t need to travel far to see some exotic animals in Perth! South of Armadale is where you’ll find the Armadale Reptile & Wildlife Centre, which lets you see their exotic collection for only $22 for adults and $15 for children. Most of their revenue goes to supporting their efforts to rescue Western Australia’s endangered species. |
Orelia
Highlight(s): Orelia Park and Hennessy Park
Location: 35 km S from the Perth CBD
Size: 2.9 km2
Population: 4,535
Another booming suburb located far away from the Perth CBD is Orelia, which you’ll find in the rapidly-growing city of Kwinana. This suburb has gained massive interest during the last few months, as evidenced by its low vacancy rate of 0.6%.
A huge reason for Orelia’s boom is the many employment opportunities available in the area. This suburb is just east of Medina, which is a major industrial-commercial zone in the region.
Aside from work, this suburb also checks a lot of boxes when it comes to amenities and comfort. It has schools like Orelia Primary School and Gilmore College.
It even has a TAFE branch where you can learn vocational courses that are highly useful especially if you plan on working in any of the industries in Medina.
For your shopping needs, you only need to take a short bus ride to Kwinana Marketplace south of the suburb. This massive shopping centre has a department store where you can buy the latest apparel and gadgets.
Orelia also has a couple of parks and nature spaces, like Orelia Park and Hennessy Park, where you can enjoy quality time with your friends and family.
Another reason why Orelia is a preferred suburb among many Perthites is due to the low house prices in the area. The average house price in this suburb as of mid-August 2023 is only $392,000.
Travelling by train is the fastest way to get to the Perth CBD from Orelia. Here, you can travel to the CBD in an hour via the Mandurah Train Line, which has a station in the nearby suburb of Parmelia.
Orelia is also well-connected to the other suburbs and towns in the area thanks to the good number of bus routes that go through this suburb.
Safety-wise, this suburb is doing somewhat okay. The crime rate in Orelia as of mid-August 2023 is 4.3 crimes for every 100 residents.
| Did you know? Orelia was actually named after one of the ships that brought settlers to the Swan River colony, the colony that later grew on to become Perth. |
Forrestfield
Highlight(s): Mundy Regional Park, Lesmurdie Falls National Park, Hartfield Park, and Hawaiian’s Forrestfield
Location: 15 km SE from the Perth CBD
Population: 13,181
Another suburb that has started to take off is Forrestfield, a suburb located a mere 15 kilometres east of the Perth CBD. It’s a great place to start a family thanks to its good amenities and close proximity to major employment zones in Perth.
Properties in Forrestfield are being sold at amazing rates. In fact, the vacancy rate here is only at 0.2% as of mid-August 2023.
So, how much exactly would someone need to live in this amazing suburb? Thankfully, the prices here are still somewhat affordable, as the average house price in Forrestfield as of mid-August 2023 is $508,750.
For that price, you already have access to a range of educational, recreational, and retail amenities. A couple of shopping centres you can visit for your groceries are Woolworths and Hawaiian’s.
When it comes to schools, your kids have plenty of options to choose from. Forrestfield has six educational institutions including Woodlupine Primary, HillSide Christian College, and Tabor College.
Another amazing thing to keep an eye out for in Forrestfield is the nearby Mundy Regional Park. This massive national park is well-known for its bush trails and amazing lookouts where you can see the entire city below you.
However, the biggest reason why interest in this suburb has exploded dramatically during the past few months was the opening of the nearby Airport Line last October 2022.
This train line lets Forrestfield residents reach the Perth CBD within 30 to 40 minutes only. There’s no train station in Forrestfield, but the nearby suburb of High Wycombe has one, which you can get to via a quick bus ride.
Speaking of buses, Forrestfield also has a solid number of bus routes that can take you straight to the Perth CBD or to the other neighbouring suburbs like Cannington and Kalamunda.
When it comes to safety, this suburb actually has a surprisingly low crime rate despite its massive growth. Its crime rate is 3.9 crimes for every 100 residents as of mid-August 2023.
| Pro tip: While you’re in Mundy Regional Park, make sure to visit the nearby Lesmurdie Falls National Park south of it. This park has great picnic spots situated beside the waterfalls where you and your family can eat in a picturesque location. |
Waikiki
Highlight(s): Waikiki Foreshore Reserve, Waikiki Village Shopping Centre, Fantasy Park, and Haselmere Circuit Reserve
Location: 48 km SW from the Perth CBD
Size: 10.2 km2
Population: 12,453
Our next suburb will take us further down south, to the city of Rockingham. Waikiki is a beachside suburb that has recently become a preferred choice, as it provides a laid-back style of living far from the noise of the Perth CBD.
Despite the massive demand, house prices in this suburb still remain affordable to most people. As of mid-August 2023, the median house price in Waikiki is $476,000.
With that price, you already have access to a good number of amenities including shopping centres and schools. Located at the centre of this suburb is the Waikiki Village Shopping Centre, which is a great place to hang out and, of course, shop.
The three schools your kids can enrol in this suburb are Waikiki Primary School, Charthouse Primary School, and South Coast Baptist College.
Waikiki doesn’t have its own medical facility, but the nearby suburb of Rockingham has one that is ready to serve the residents of this suburb.
For me, the best thing about living in Waikiki is its beaches. The Waikiki Foreshore Reserve lets you experience a fun afternoon on the beach without the noise and crowds you’ll typically find at more popular beaches like Cottesloe Beach.
Waikiki also has a couple of beautiful parks like Haselmere Circuit Reserve and Fantasy Park. These parks are very popular among children thanks to their colourful sculptures and large playgrounds.
Aside from this suburb’s amenities and beautiful scenery, Waikiki is also highly popular because the Mandurah Line makes it possible for Waikiki’s residents to travel to the Perth CBD in under an hour.
To ride the train, you can ride a bus either to Rockingham Station north of Waikiki or to Warnbro Station south of the suburb.
Lastly, I’m happy to report that Waikiki also has a below-average crime rate. As of mid-August 2023, the crime rate in this suburb is 3.1 crimes for every 100 residents.
| Pro tip: Waikiki is sandwiched between two giant lakes, Lake Cooloongup to the north and Lake Walyungup to the south. You can easily visit these lakes by going straight to Safety Bay Road then make your way towards Mandurah Road, which is adjacent to these lakes. |
| Pro tip: Waikiki is sandwiched between two giant lakes, Lake Cooloongup to the north and Lake Walyungup to the south. You can easily visit these lakes by going straight to Safety Bay Road then make your way towards Mandurah Road, which is adjacent to these lakes. |
Ellenbrook
Highlight(s): Ellenbrook Central, Woodlake Sports Ground, Ellenbrook District Open Space, and Gnangara Pine Plantation
Location: 30 km NE from the Perth CBD
Size: 13.1 km2
Population: 24,668
Almost isolated from the Perth Metropolitan Area, Ellenbrook is an interesting case in this list, as it remains one of Perth’s fastest growing suburbs despite its lack of a solid public transportation infrastructure connecting it to the Perth CBD.
Interestingly, Ellenbrook has managed to turn itself into a self-sustaining community with its own amenities and job opportunities. Almost everything you need is offered here, so travelling to the CBD is oftentimes unnecessary.
It has four medical centres that can provide you with medical services and treat common illnesses. For your children’s education, Ellenbrook has 10 primary schools available, including Ellen Stirling Primary School and Arbor Grove Primary School.
For your shopping needs, Ellenbrook has the Ellenbrook Central shopping centre. It even has a couple of other stores like Spudshed and Woolworths if you’re someone who values options.
Because of its isolation from the rest of Perth, Ellenbrook had also built its own sports facilities where people can keep fit or watch local games. Some examples of this are Woodlake Sports Ground and Coolamon Oval.
This suburb also has plenty of nature spaces, like the Gnangara Pine Plantation, which has plenty of picnic spots and BBQ spots.
With all these amazing things about Ellenbrook, it’s a surprise how house prices here still remain well within the affordable range. As of mid-August 2023, the median house price here is $465,500.
Still, Ellenbrook’s limited number of options for travelling to the Perth CBD can be a problem for some people. The fastest way to get to the city centre is via the Tonkin Highway; this drive will take you 30 to 40 minutes.
However, Ellenbrook’s isolation may no longer be a problem in the future. This is because the government of Western Australia has finally begun the construction of the Morley-Ellenbrook Train Line that will connect this suburb to the rest of Perth.
You can definitely expect further growth in this suburb once the train line has been completed.
Safety-wise, Ellenbrook can still be considered to be among the safer suburbs of Perth. As of mid-August 2023, the crime rate in this suburb is 4.1 crimes for every 100 residents.
| Pro tip: A great thing about living in Ellenbrook is that you’re already near the famed wineries of Swan Valley! Visit the nearby suburbs of Herne Hill and Baskerville and see what makes Western Australian wines special. |
Baldivis
Highlight(s): Perth Aqua Park, Bonney’s WA Water Ski Park, Brightwood Adventure Park, and Baldivis Reserve
Location: 46 km S from the Perth CBD
Size: 87.3 km2
Population: 37,697
Baldivis is another southern suburb in Perth that has been experiencing a huge boom. This massive semi-rural suburb has a couple of things going for it that makes living here an attractive option for many people.
One of the key reasons why Baldivis is booming is its affordable house prices. The median house price in this suburb as of mid-August 2023 is $495,000.
Aside from affordable housing, Baldivis also features a good number of amenities within its borders. It has a shopping mall, Stockland Baldivis, and it even has a couple of markets and superstores like Baldivis Market Gardens and Spudshed.
Another good reason why this suburb is a prime destination especially for young families is its good number of educational institutions. Some prominent schools you can enrol your kid in here are Tranby College and Mother Teresa Catholic College.
But of course, the thing where Baldivis really shines is its relaxation and recreational spaces!
I sometimes visit this suburb for the amazing water parks you’ll find here. My personal favourite is the Perth Aqua Park, which is filled with jaw-dropping slides and huge pools perfect for cooling off during summer.
Another water park worth visiting is Bonney’s WA Water Ski Park, which is great for those who want to try this heart-pumping activity within a safe environment.
When it comes to public transportation, Baldivis has some ways for its residents to travel to the Perth CBD. Like in Waikiki, you can also ride a train from the Mandurah Train Line to get to the city centre in under an hour.
Alternatively, you can also drive on the Kwinana Freeway, which is east of Baldivis. Driving on this freeway to the Perth CBD will take you 40 minutes.
Despite its huge land size and population, Baldivis’ crime rate remains at 3.7 crimes for every 100 residents.
| Pro tip: If you’re still undecided on where to hold your wedding, why not try Baldivis? This suburb has a lot of wedding venues like Country Charm Weddings and Rose Social Baldivis thanks to its wide, open fields and picturesque scenery. |
Wellard
Highlight(s): Kwinana Loop Trail, Henley Bushland, Banksia Conservation Reserve, and The Village Park Skate Park
Location: 38.7 km S from the Perth CBD
Size: 16.3 km2
Population: 14,127
As you probably noticed by now, most of the suburbs that are booming in Perth are those that are located in the city’s southern areas.
North of Baldivis is where you’ll find the rapidly growing suburb of Wellard. Like Orelia, this suburb is also a part of the city of Kwinana.
What makes Wellard so special is that it’s one of Perth’s first transit-oriented suburbs! Residents here can enjoy a wide range of public transportation options that’ll take them not only to nearby suburbs but directly to the Perth CBD as well.
In the busiest section of Wellard is where you’ll find a train station that connects the suburb to the Mandurah Train Line. A train ride from here to the Perth CBD will only take you 25 minutes!
If you prefer driving to the CBD, you can do so by entering the Kwinana Freeway, which cuts through right in the middle of this suburb. The entire drive will take you at least 30 minutes.
Aside from easy access to public transportation and major highways, another good reason why Wellard is currently booming is its affordable house prices.
As of mid-August 2023, the median house price in this suburb is $471,000. Meanwhile, the median apartment unit price is $303,000.
Another good thing about Wellard is how easy it is to access most amenities from this suburb. It has a Woolworths supermarket, and it also has a primary school.
For other amenities like medical centres and shopping malls, the central suburb of Kwinana is just a 15-minute bus ride away from this suburb.
If we’re going to talk about nature spaces and recreational areas, I’m happy to say that Wellard has a decent number of places where you can relax and spend quality time with your loved ones.
One such example is the Leda Nature Reserve south of Wellard. Another amazing nature space you can check out is the Henley Bushland, which is north of this suburb.
Moving on, let’s quickly discuss how safe Wellard is to its residents. Thankfully, the suburb has a somewhat low crime rate of 2.5 crimes for every 100 residents.
| Pro tip: Learn some cool new tricks or show off your skateboarding skills at The Village Park Skate Park located south of the Wellard train station. |
Factors to Consider When Buying or Renting a Property in One of Perth’s Booming Suburbs
So, now that you know which suburbs are currently booming in Perth, let’s discuss a couple of factors you should consider first before deciding which of these you will buy or rent a property in.
Public Transportation Options
To begin to understand why these suburbs are booming, it’s important we discuss how easy it is to get around the city from these suburbs. While most Perthites still use cars, more and more people are starting to switch to public transportation.
In fact, a 2021 research published by Informed Decisions stated that 23.1% of workers in Perth use the train or bus to get to work.
With that in mind, let’s see how well-connected these suburbs are to the Perth Metropolitan Area with a table showing the most reliable public transportation systems available in each suburb.
The data presented here was gathered from Transperth and Moovit.
| Suburb | Public Transportation Available |
| Armadale | Train: Armadale LineBus: Routes 210 and 220 |
| Orelia | Train: Mandurah LineBus: Routes 540, 541, and 549 |
| Forrestfield | Train: Airport LineBus: Routes 270 and 280 |
| Waikiki | Train: Mandurah LineBus: Routes 558, 559, 561, and 574 |
| Ellenbrook | Bus: Routes 335, 355, and 955 |
| Baldivis | Train: Mandurah LineBus: Routes 566, 567, and 568 |
| Wellard | Train: Mandurah LineBus: Routes 541, 542, and 549 |
As you can see, having a nearby train line is a contributing factor as to why these suburbs are currently booming. The only outlier to that is Ellenbrook, which is designed to be self-sufficient.
However, let’s not forget that Ellenbrook’s isolation may soon come to an end once the planned train line I mentioned earlier is completed.
| Pro tip: Get yourself a Transperth SmartRider card if you plan to use public transportation as your main method of getting around Perth. This card gives you a couple of cool benefits like an automatic 10% discount on all your ticket fares. |
Crime and Safety
Of course, living in a safe place away from crime and violence is a desirable factor for all people. While many would argue that Perth is a generally safe place to live in, certain parts of it like Northbridge are still notorious for being crime hotspots.
But what about the suburbs we talked about earlier? To help you with that, here is a table showing the crime rate for every suburb on the list.
Please take note that the data presented here is from the statistics provided by the WA Police Force in mid-August 2023.
| Suburb | Crime rate per 100 residents |
| Armadale | 9.5 |
| Orelia | 4.3 |
| Forrestfield | 3.9 |
| Waikiki | 3.1 |
| Ellenbrook | 4.1 |
| Baldivis | 3.7 |
| Wellard | 2.5 |
Thankfully, most of the suburbs we discussed earlier are mostly safe places to live in, especially Wellard and Waikiki. The only concerning suburb here is Armadale.
However, that is probably because this suburb is the main hub of activity in its region.
| Pro tip: It’s important to report any unusual or suspicious activity you see! For emergencies, the WA Police Force advises callers to use 000 for life-threatening situations and 131-444 for non-threatening situations or to file a police report. |
Availability of Housing Options
House and apartment unit prices are also an important factor why these suburbs are currently booming. Unlike the more established suburbs closer to the Perth CBD, these suburbs offer good properties at affordable prices.
To give you a clearer picture of the current status of these suburbs’ housing market, here is a table showing the current median figures for buying and renting houses and apartment units in these suburbs.
The data featured here came from the figures provided by REIWA in mid-August 2023.
| Neighbourhood | Median House Price | Median Unit Price | Median House Rent (Per Week) | Median Unit Rent (Per Week) |
| Armadale | $331,055 | $280,000 | $450 | $440 |
| Orelia | $392,000 | $195,000 | $450 | $350 |
| Forrestfield | $508,750 | $365,000 | $550 | $500 |
| Waikiki | $479,000 | $305,000 | $532 | $395 |
| Ellenbrook | $468,000 | $310,000 | $550 | $430 |
| Baldivis | $495,000 | $360,000 | $550 | $465 |
| Wellard | $471,000 | $303,000 | $560 | – |
As you can see, most of the suburbs except Forrestfield have median house prices lower than $500,000. The prices are even lower when it comes to apartment units, with Orelia being the lowest among the seven.
| Pro tip: Already have a suburb in mind? Make sure to move fast and buy your desired or rent your desired property as soon as you can! These prices are ever-increasing due to the high demand, and median prices may rise further within just a few weeks or months. |
Property Price Growth and Vacancy Rates
Another property-related factor you should consider is the growth rate of the property prices in these suburbs. Knowing how much the median prices in these suburbs have risen during the past months is a good indicator of how fast these suburbs have grown.
Also, another good indicator to know how tremendous a suburb has grown is by looking at its vacancy rate. The lower the vacancy rate, the higher the demand is for rental houses and apartment units in the suburb.
To help you see these factors clearly, here is data showing the property price growth in these suburbs during the last 12 months. This table also shows their vacancy rates as of mid-August 2023.
All data presented here were gathered from the July 2023 statistics provided by REIWA and SQM Research.
| Suburb | Price Growth between August 15, 2022–2023 | Rental Growth between August 15, 2022–2023 | Vacancy Rate as of August 15, 2023 |
| Armadale | +12.2% | +23.3% | 0.4% |
| Orelia | +18.8% | +15.4% | 0.6% |
| Forrestfield | +6.0% | +18.3% | 0.2% |
| Waikiki | +11.4% | +14.4% | 1.2% |
| Ellenbrook | +6.4% | +14.6% | 0.8% |
| Baldivis | +10.0% | +15.3% | 1.2% |
| Wellard | +10.8% | +18.6% | 0.8% |
A quick look will tell you that most of the suburbs here feature double-digit growth in their prices, which is due to the very strong demand for properties in these areas.
People who are also keen on renting out properties will also be happy to know that these suburbs have very low vacancy rates.
| Pro tip: It’s important to keep your property well-maintained if you want to sell or rent it at better prices. One easy way to do so is to give it a fresh coat of paint at least every three years. |
