Applecross vs Ardross

Ardross is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 44 in Applecross. In both, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Applecross: a median of $2.4 million, against $1.87 million in Ardross. Applecross is closer to the city centre: 10.1 km, against 11.4 km. On these figures, Applecross tends to suit people living alone, while Ardross suits buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Ardross

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 3)
  • carries lower crime risk (30/100 vs 57/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Ardross

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($645,000 vs $1,900,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,867,500 vs $2,400,000)
  • has cheaper units ($823,800 vs $1,000,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Ardross

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 82/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Ardross

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (30/100 vs 57/100)
  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 82/100)
  • But Applecross has more units and townhouses to downsize into (38% vs 20%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Applecross and Ardross drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Applecross Ardross
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Applecross Ardross
Walkability 82 / 90
Applecross — Walkability: 82/100 Ardross — Walkability: 90/100
Safety 43 / 70
Applecross — Safety: 43/100 Ardross — Safety: 70/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Applecross — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ardross — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 35 / 100
Applecross — Low flood risk: 35/100 Ardross — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Applecross has more residents (7,228 vs 4,578); Applecross skews older (44 vs 41).

Applecross Ardross
Population 7,228
+37% vs other
 4,578
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.0% +8.2%
Median age 44 41
Median household income $127,556/yr
+4% vs other
 $122,772/yr
Median weekly rent $475/wk
+1% vs other
 $470/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Applecross Ardross
0-4 4.1% / 5.0%
Applecross — 0-4: 4.1% Ardross — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 12.4% / 14.0%
Applecross — 5-14: 12.4% Ardross — 5-14: 14.0%
15-19 5.5% / 6.3%
Applecross — 15-19: 5.5% Ardross — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 6.2% / 6.1%
Applecross — 20-24: 6.2% Ardross — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 10.4% / 9.3%
Applecross — 25-34: 10.4% Ardross — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 12.9% / 14.2%
Applecross — 35-44: 12.9% Ardross — 35-44: 14.2%
45-54 12.9% / 13.6%
Applecross — 45-54: 12.9% Ardross — 45-54: 13.6%
55-64 13.6% / 12.1%
Applecross — 55-64: 13.6% Ardross — 55-64: 12.1%
65-74 12.8% / 11.4%
Applecross — 65-74: 12.8% Ardross — 65-74: 11.4%
75-84 7.1% / 5.7%
Applecross — 75-84: 7.1% Ardross — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ 2.3% / 2.1%
Applecross — 85+: 2.3% Ardross — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Applecross 47.5% couple families
Applecross — Couple Families: 47.5% Applecross — Lone Person: 35.7% Applecross — One Parent Families: 11.4% Applecross — Group Household: 3.9% Applecross — Other Families: 1.5%
Ardross 53.2% couple families
Ardross — Couple Families: 53.2% Ardross — Lone Person: 27.5% Ardross — One Parent Families: 14.3% Ardross — Group Household: 2.9% Ardross — Other Families: 2.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Applecross 28.4% renting
Applecross — Owned Outright: 45.2% Applecross — Mortgage: 26.5% Applecross — Renting: 28.4%
Ardross 20.9% renting
Ardross — Owned Outright: 43.4% Ardross — Mortgage: 35.7% Ardross — Renting: 20.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Applecross Ardross
Bachelor Degree 26.1% / 26.0%
Applecross — Bachelor Degree: 26.1% Ardross — Bachelor Degree: 26.0%
Postgraduate Degree 9.9% / 9.0%
Applecross — Postgraduate Degree: 9.9% Ardross — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.9% / 8.4%
Applecross — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9% Ardross — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Certificate III & IV 6.7% / 6.3%
Applecross — Certificate III & IV: 6.7% Ardross — Certificate III & IV: 6.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 3.1%
Applecross — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Ardross — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.1%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Applecross Ardross
England 6.5% / 6.0%
Applecross — England: 6.5% Ardross — England: 6.0%
Malaysia 3.3% / 3.1%
Applecross — Malaysia: 3.3% Ardross — Malaysia: 3.1%
China 2.6% / 3.2%
Applecross — China: 2.6% Ardross — China: 3.2%
Indonesia 2.2% / 3.0%
Applecross — Indonesia: 2.2% Ardross — Indonesia: 3.0%
South Africa 2.4% / 2.1%
Applecross — South Africa: 2.4% Ardross — South Africa: 2.1%
Singapore 2.0% / 2.1%
Applecross — Singapore: 2.0% Ardross — Singapore: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Applecross 61.9% houses
Applecross — Houses: 61.9% Applecross — Townhouses: 21.5% Applecross — Flats / Apartments: 16.7%
Ardross 80.3% houses
Ardross — Houses: 80.3% Ardross — Townhouses: 16.7% Ardross — Flats / Apartments: 3.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Applecross Ardross
Median house price $2,400,000 $1,867,500
Median unit price $1,000,000 $823,800
Median land price $1,900,000 $645,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 33 days
from 75 sales
 25 days
from 27 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Applecross Ardross
3 bed $1.5M / $1.43M
Applecross — 3 bed: $1.5M (39 sales) Ardross — 3 bed: $1.43M (20 sales)

39 vs 20 sales

4 bed $2.98M / $2.07M
Applecross — 4 bed: $2.98M (38 sales) Ardross — 4 bed: $2.07M (18 sales)

38 vs 18 sales

5 bed $4.01M / $2.62M
Applecross — 5 bed: $4.01M (14 sales) Ardross — 5 bed: $2.62M (5 sales)

14 vs 5 sales

Development activity

Applecross Ardross
New dwellings approved 727
across Melville
same for both
Approvals change year on year +268%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Applecross Ardross
Houses 2.5%
$975/wk on $2M
 2.6%
$1,000/wk on $2M
Units 4.2%
$800/wk on $1M
 —

Ranking within WA

Applecross Ardross
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 90% of WA Higher than 88% of WA
Schools — Higher than 60% of WA
Walkability Higher than 95% of WA Higher than 99% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 99% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of WA Higher than 98% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 2% of WA Higher than 3% of WA
Rental yield (units) Higher than 10% of WA —

Liveability

Ardross scores higher overall (88 vs 75); Ardross is more walkable (90 vs 82).

Applecross Ardross
Grade A A+
Score 75/100 88/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Applecross carries more flood risk (65 vs 0); Applecross carries more crime risk (57 vs 30).

Applecross Ardross
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
57/100
 Low
30/100
Flood Moderate
65/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Applecross Ardross
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Western Australia, 3.5 km
 3
Murdoch University (Murdoch), 4.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.1% 3.5%

Schools in Applecross

  • Applecross Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Ardross

  • Applecross Senior High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Ardross Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Benedict's School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Applecross Ardross
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 11
same for both
Parks & reserves 8 7
Childcare 3 7
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 3 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 1
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 1 0

Mobility

Applecross Ardross
Walkability score 82/100 90/100
Distance to Perth 10.1 km 11.4 km
+13% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 14 min 16 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 224.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 154.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.2%
postcode 6153
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 6153
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Applecross Ardross
Car (driver) 67.0% / 66.9%
Applecross — Car (driver): 67.0% Ardross — Car (driver): 66.9%
Worked from Home 14.7% / 13.6%
Applecross — Worked from Home: 14.7% Ardross — Worked from Home: 13.6%
Bus 7.7% / 7.5%
Applecross — Bus: 7.7% Ardross — Bus: 7.5%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 5.0%
Applecross — Car (passenger): 4.8% Ardross — Car (passenger): 5.0%
Train 2.9% / 3.0%
Applecross — Train: 2.9% Ardross — Train: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.0%).

Setting

Applecross Ardross
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 27 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.0 km
4.6 km to a named beach
 8.0 km
4.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Applecross Ardross
Connectivity score 99/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 96%
4,226 premises
 100%
2,326 premises

Climate

Applecross Ardross
Annual rainfall 650 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Applecross Ardross
Average residential rate $2,396/yr
same for both
Council Melville
same for both

Federal electorate

Applecross Ardross
Division Tangney
same for both
Member Sam Lim
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Applecross Ardross
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Applecross

Easy Commute Inner Luxury Parks Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub

Ardross

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Applecross

Applecross vs Mount Pleasant Applecross vs Alfred Cove

Other comparisons with Ardross

Ardross vs Mount Pleasant Ardross vs Booragoon Ardross vs Alfred Cove
Full data on Applecross Full data on Ardross
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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