Bulgarra vs Karratha

In Bulgarra, about half of households rent, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. In Karratha, the large majority of households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and the large majority of households are people living alone. Units cost more in Bulgarra: a median of $304,000, against $168,000 in Karratha, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Karratha tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone.

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

Bulgarra

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (76% vs 0%)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (79/100 vs 100/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, and childcare.

First-home buyers

Karratha

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($167,500 vs $304,500)

Weighs unit prices.

Renters

Karratha

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (100% vs 49%)
  • has cheaper rent ($280/wk vs $388/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Karratha

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 33/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Karratha

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 24%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 33/100)
  • But Bulgarra carries lower crime risk (79/100 vs 100/100)

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

Investors

Karratha

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (21.0% vs 12.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bulgarra Karratha
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.

Bulgarra Karratha
Walkability 33 / 74
Bulgarra — Walkability: 33/100 Karratha — Walkability: 74/100
Safety 21 / 0
Bulgarra — Safety: 21/100 Karratha — Safety: 0/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Bulgarra — Low fire risk: 100/100 Karratha — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Bulgarra — Low flood risk: 100/100 Karratha — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bulgarra has more residents (2,990 vs 98); Bulgarra has higher household incomes ($146,224 vs $82,316).

Bulgarra Karratha
Population 2,990
+97% vs other
 98
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.7% +21.0%
Median age 33 34
Median household income $146,224/yr
+44% vs other
 $82,316/yr
Median weekly rent $388/wk
+28% vs other
 $280/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bulgarra Karratha
0-4 7.7% / —
Bulgarra — 0-4: 7.7% Karratha — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 13.7% / —
Bulgarra — 5-14: 13.7% Karratha — 5-14: not among its largest
15-19 4.6% / 4.1%
Bulgarra — 15-19: 4.6% Karratha — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 7.8% / 16.3%
Bulgarra — 20-24: 7.8% Karratha — 20-24: 16.3%
25-34 19.7% / 29.6%
Bulgarra — 25-34: 19.7% Karratha — 25-34: 29.6%
35-44 19.4% / 18.4%
Bulgarra — 35-44: 19.4% Karratha — 35-44: 18.4%
45-54 13.4% / 10.2%
Bulgarra — 45-54: 13.4% Karratha — 45-54: 10.2%
55-64 10.2% / 18.4%
Bulgarra — 55-64: 10.2% Karratha — 55-64: 18.4%
65-74 2.7% / 3.1%
Bulgarra — 65-74: 2.7% Karratha — 65-74: 3.1%
75-84 0.6% / —
Bulgarra — 75-84: 0.6% Karratha — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ — / —
Bulgarra — 85+: not among its largest Karratha — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bulgarra 32.3% lone person
Bulgarra — Lone Person: 32.3% Bulgarra — Couple Families: 48.1% Bulgarra — Group Household: 8.4% Bulgarra — One Parent Families: 10.8% Bulgarra — Other Families: 0.4%
Karratha 89.7% lone person
Karratha — Lone Person: 89.7% Karratha — Couple Families: 0.0% Karratha — Group Household: 10.3% Karratha — One Parent Families: 0.0% Karratha — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bulgarra 49.4% renting
Bulgarra — Owned Outright: 11.8% Bulgarra — Mortgage: 38.8% Bulgarra — Renting: 49.4%
Karratha 100.0% renting
Karratha — Owned Outright: 0.0% Karratha — Mortgage: 0.0% Karratha — Renting: 100.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bulgarra Karratha
Certificate III & IV 21.2% / 26.5%
Bulgarra — Certificate III & IV: 21.2% Karratha — Certificate III & IV: 26.5%
Bachelor Degree 5.6% / 17.3%
Bulgarra — Bachelor Degree: 5.6% Karratha — Bachelor Degree: 17.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.4% / 6.1%
Bulgarra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4% Karratha — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 3.1%
Bulgarra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Karratha — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / —
Bulgarra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Karratha — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.5%).

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.

Bulgarra Karratha
New Zealand 4.2% / 8.2%
Bulgarra — New Zealand: 4.2% Karratha — New Zealand: 8.2%
Taiwan — / 8.2%
Bulgarra — Taiwan: not among its largest Karratha — Taiwan: 8.2%
India 1.0% / 5.1%
Bulgarra — India: 1.0% Karratha — India: 5.1%
South Africa 0.7% / 5.1%
Bulgarra — South Africa: 0.7% Karratha — South Africa: 5.1%
Thailand 1.1% / 3.1%
Bulgarra — Thailand: 1.1% Karratha — Thailand: 3.1%
Vietnam — / 4.1%
Bulgarra — Vietnam: not among its largest Karratha — Vietnam: 4.1%
England 2.4% / —
Bulgarra — England: 2.4% Karratha — England: not among its largest
Philippines 2.2% / —
Bulgarra — Philippines: 2.2% Karratha — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bulgarra 6.1% flats / apartments
Bulgarra — Flats / Apartments: 6.1% Bulgarra — Houses: 76.3% Bulgarra — Townhouses: 17.5%
Karratha 75.6% flats / apartments
Karratha — Flats / Apartments: 75.6% Karratha — Houses: 0.0% Karratha — Townhouses: 24.4%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Bulgarra Karratha
Median house price $656,500 —
Median unit price $304,500 $167,500
Median land price $139,650 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 33 sales
 —

Development activity

Bulgarra Karratha
New dwellings approved 292
across Karratha
same for both
Approvals change year on year +34%
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.

Bulgarra Karratha
Houses 10.3%
$1,300/wk on $654K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Bulgarra Karratha
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 96% of WA Higher than 45% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 78% of WA Higher than 92% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 26% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of WA Higher than 75% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 99% of WA —

Liveability

Karratha is more walkable (74 vs 33).

Bulgarra Karratha
Grade B —
Score 52/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Karratha carries more crime risk (100 vs 79).

Bulgarra Karratha
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
79/100
 High
100/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
48/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Bulgarra Karratha
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bulgarra

  • St Paul's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Karratha Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Karratha

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Bulgarra Karratha
Supermarkets 0 2
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Childcare 3 1
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 1

Mobility

Bulgarra Karratha
Walkability score 33/100 74/100
Distance to Perth 1525.6 km 1523.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 983 min 982 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 6714
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 18
postcode 6714
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.

Bulgarra Karratha
Car (driver) 83.6% / 52.5%
Bulgarra — Car (driver): 83.6% Karratha — Car (driver): 52.5%
Walked Only 4.6% / 33.9%
Bulgarra — Walked Only: 4.6% Karratha — Walked Only: 33.9%
Car (passenger) 6.5% / 5.1%
Bulgarra — Car (passenger): 6.5% Karratha — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Worked from Home 2.2% / 8.5%
Bulgarra — Worked from Home: 2.2% Karratha — Worked from Home: 8.5%
Bus 1.9% / —
Bulgarra — Bus: 1.9% Karratha — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.6%).

Setting

Bulgarra Karratha
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 873 m 2.2 km

NBN connectivity

Bulgarra Karratha
Connectivity score 46/100 60/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 1%
1,490 premises
 27%
433 premises

Climate

Bulgarra Karratha
Annual rainfall 347 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 36.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 14.7°C
same for both

Federal electorate

Bulgarra Karratha
Division Durack
same for both
Member Melissa Price
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bulgarra Karratha
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bulgarra

Coastal

Karratha

Apartments Coastal Multicultural Parks Students Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bulgarra

Bulgarra vs Pegs Creek Bulgarra vs Gap Ridge

Other comparisons with Karratha

Karratha vs Pegs Creek
Full data on Bulgarra Full data on Karratha
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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