Bushmead vs Helena Valley

Bushmead is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 42 in Helena Valley. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Bushmead: a median of $1.06 million, against $935,000 in Helena Valley, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Bushmead tends to suit young adults, while Helena Valley suits older residents.

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

Helena Valley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 36/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Bushmead leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 24%)
  • Helena Valley has cheaper houses ($935,000 vs $1,060,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Helena Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (12% vs 2%)
  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $480/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Helena Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 17/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Helena Valley

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 6%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 17/100)

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

Investors

Bushmead

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.1% vs 3.5%)

Weighs house yield.

Where they sit

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

Bushmead Helena Valley
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.

Bushmead Helena Valley
Walkability 17 / 37
Bushmead — Walkability: 17/100 Helena Valley — Walkability: 37/100
Safety 64 / 77
Bushmead — Safety: 64/100 Helena Valley — Safety: 77/100
Low fire risk 42 / 16
Bushmead — Low fire risk: 42/100 Helena Valley — Low fire risk: 16/100
Low flood risk 100 / 39
Bushmead — Low flood risk: 100/100 Helena Valley — Low flood risk: 39/100

Demographics

Helena Valley has more residents (4,130 vs 677); Bushmead has higher household incomes ($142,584 vs $105,924).

Bushmead Helena Valley
Population 677 4,130
+510% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +12.1%
Median age 32 42
Median household income $142,584/yr
+26% vs other
 $105,924/yr
Median weekly rent $480/wk
+17% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bushmead Helena Valley
0-4 7.8% / 6.3%
Bushmead — 0-4: 7.8% Helena Valley — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 8.7% / 11.4%
Bushmead — 5-14: 8.7% Helena Valley — 5-14: 11.4%
15-19 5.5% / 5.6%
Bushmead — 15-19: 5.5% Helena Valley — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 7.1% / 6.1%
Bushmead — 20-24: 7.1% Helena Valley — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 28.1% / 12.1%
Bushmead — 25-34: 28.1% Helena Valley — 25-34: 12.1%
35-44 18.0% / 11.1%
Bushmead — 35-44: 18.0% Helena Valley — 35-44: 11.1%
45-54 10.0% / 12.6%
Bushmead — 45-54: 10.0% Helena Valley — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 8.1% / 13.3%
Bushmead — 55-64: 8.1% Helena Valley — 55-64: 13.3%
65-74 3.4% / 12.9%
Bushmead — 65-74: 3.4% Helena Valley — 65-74: 12.9%
75-84 2.7% / 7.5%
Bushmead — 75-84: 2.7% Helena Valley — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ — / 1.6%
Bushmead — 85+: not among its largest Helena Valley — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bushmead 54.0% couple families
Bushmead — Couple Families: 54.0% Bushmead — Lone Person: 28.2% Bushmead — One Parent Families: 12.9% Bushmead — Group Household: 4.9% Bushmead — Other Families: 0.0%
Helena Valley 53.6% couple families
Helena Valley — Couple Families: 53.6% Helena Valley — Lone Person: 30.9% Helena Valley — One Parent Families: 12.3% Helena Valley — Group Household: 2.2% Helena Valley — Other Families: 1.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bushmead 1.6% renting
Bushmead — Owned Outright: 13.2% Bushmead — Mortgage: 85.2% Bushmead — Renting: 1.6%
Helena Valley 12.1% renting
Helena Valley — Owned Outright: 40.7% Helena Valley — Mortgage: 47.1% Helena Valley — Renting: 12.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bushmead Helena Valley
Certificate III & IV 21.0% / 18.0%
Bushmead — Certificate III & IV: 21.0% Helena Valley — Certificate III & IV: 18.0%
Bachelor Degree 18.5% / 10.0%
Bushmead — Bachelor Degree: 18.5% Helena Valley — Bachelor Degree: 10.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 8.8%
Bushmead — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Helena Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.5% / 2.3%
Bushmead — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5% Helena Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 2.2%
Bushmead — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Helena Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.0%).

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.

Bushmead Helena Valley
England 7.5% / 9.5%
Bushmead — England: 7.5% Helena Valley — England: 9.5%
New Zealand 5.0% / 2.3%
Bushmead — New Zealand: 5.0% Helena Valley — New Zealand: 2.3%
India 2.1% / 1.3%
Bushmead — India: 2.1% Helena Valley — India: 1.3%
South Africa 2.2% / 1.0%
Bushmead — South Africa: 2.2% Helena Valley — South Africa: 1.0%
Philippines 1.9% / 0.8%
Bushmead — Philippines: 1.9% Helena Valley — Philippines: 0.8%
Scotland — / 1.1%
Bushmead — Scotland: not among its largest Helena Valley — Scotland: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bushmead 91.6% houses
Bushmead — Houses: 91.6% Bushmead — Townhouses: 5.3% Bushmead — Flats / Apartments: 3.1%
Helena Valley 94.5% houses
Helena Valley — Houses: 94.5% Helena Valley — Townhouses: 5.4% Helena Valley — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bushmead Helena Valley
Median house price $1,060,000 $935,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $640,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 19 days
from 37 sales

Development activity

Bushmead Helena Valley
New dwellings approved 2,486
across Swan
 216
across Mundaring
Approvals change year on year +2% -55%

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.

Bushmead Helena Valley
Houses 4.1%
$900/wk on $1.15M
 3.5%
$760/wk on $1.12M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Bushmead Helena Valley
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 94% of WA Higher than 72% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of WA Higher than 79% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 85% of WA Higher than 69% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of WA Higher than 76% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 31% of WA Higher than 14% of WA

Liveability

Helena Valley is more walkable (37 vs 17); Bushmead scores higher overall (62 vs 43).

Bushmead Helena Valley
Grade B C
Score 62/100 43/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Helena Valley carries more flood risk (61 vs 0); Bushmead carries more crime risk (36 vs 23).

Bushmead Helena Valley
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 High
84/100
Crime Low
36/100
 Low
23/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
61/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
70/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Bushmead Helena Valley
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bushmead

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

Schools in Helena Valley

  • Helena Valley Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bushmead Helena Valley
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 3
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Bushmead Helena Valley
Walkability score 17/100 37/100
Distance to Perth 21 km 22.9 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 28 min 29 min
Public transport score 51/100
Bus
 66/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 16.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 29.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 6055
 0.8%
postcode 6056
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 96
postcode 6055
 56
postcode 6056

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.

Bushmead Helena Valley
Car (driver) 86.6% / 81.6%
Bushmead — Car (driver): 86.6% Helena Valley — Car (driver): 81.6%
Worked from Home 7.1% / 8.7%
Bushmead — Worked from Home: 7.1% Helena Valley — Worked from Home: 8.7%
Car (passenger) 2.4% / 4.3%
Bushmead — Car (passenger): 2.4% Helena Valley — Car (passenger): 4.3%
Train 2.1% / 2.5%
Bushmead — Train: 2.1% Helena Valley — Train: 2.5%
Bus 1.8% / 1.6%
Bushmead — Bus: 1.8% Helena Valley — Bus: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.6%).

Setting

Bushmead Helena Valley
Elevation 36 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 25.9 km 26.8 km

NBN connectivity

Bushmead Helena Valley
Connectivity score 100/100 62/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
664 premises
 32%
1,623 premises

Climate

Bushmead Helena Valley
Annual rainfall 663 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 32.3°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Bushmead Helena Valley
Average residential rate $2,699/yr $2,151/yr
Council Swan Mundaring

Federal electorate

Bushmead Helena Valley
Division Bullwinkel
same for both
Member Trish Cook
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bushmead Helena Valley
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bushmead

Acreage Middle-Ring

Helena Valley

Large Blocks Middle-Ring

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bushmead

Bushmead vs Maida Vale Bushmead vs Gooseberry Hill Bushmead vs Hazelmere

Other comparisons with Helena Valley

Helena Valley vs Midland Helena Valley vs Darlington Helena Valley vs Gooseberry Hill Helena Valley vs Bellevue Helena Valley vs Koongamia Helena Valley vs Hazelmere
Full data on Bushmead Full data on Helena Valley
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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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