Byford vs Darling Downs

Byford is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 39 in Darling Downs. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Darling Downs: a median of $1.53 million, against $810,000 in Byford. Darling Downs is closer to the city centre: 38.9 km, against 43.3 km. On these figures, Byford tends to suit families with children and 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

Byford

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (20 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (8 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Byford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($810,000 vs $1,529,750)

Weighs house 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

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Byford is more walkable (79/100 vs 12/100)
  • Darling Downs sits closer to the CBD (38.9 km vs 43.3 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Byford

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (79/100 vs 12/100)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • But Darling Downs has more residents already 65 and over (14% vs 7%)

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

Investors

They split

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

  • Byford returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.3% vs 2.1%)
  • Darling Downs is growing faster (32.6% vs 26.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Byford Darling Downs
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.

Byford Darling Downs
Walkability 79 / 12
Byford — Walkability: 79/100 Darling Downs — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 38 / 47
Byford — Safety: 38/100 Darling Downs — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 36 / 39
Byford — Low fire risk: 36/100 Darling Downs — Low fire risk: 39/100
Low flood risk 87 / 24
Byford — Low flood risk: 87/100 Darling Downs — Low flood risk: 24/100

Demographics

Byford has more residents (18,878 vs 1,591); Darling Downs skews older (39 vs 31).

Byford Darling Downs
Population 18,878
+92% vs other
 1,591
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +26.6% +32.6%
Median age 31 39
Median household income $107,068/yr $128,960/yr
+20% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $400/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Byford Darling Downs
0-4 10.7% / 6.1%
Byford — 0-4: 10.7% Darling Downs — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 18.2% / 14.1%
Byford — 5-14: 18.2% Darling Downs — 5-14: 14.1%
15-19 5.8% / 6.0%
Byford — 15-19: 5.8% Darling Downs — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 5.2% / 6.4%
Byford — 20-24: 5.2% Darling Downs — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 18.3% / 11.6%
Byford — 25-34: 18.3% Darling Downs — 25-34: 11.6%
35-44 16.7% / 11.9%
Byford — 35-44: 16.7% Darling Downs — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 10.3% / 14.2%
Byford — 45-54: 10.3% Darling Downs — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 7.6% / 14.9%
Byford — 55-64: 7.6% Darling Downs — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 4.7% / 9.7%
Byford — 65-74: 4.7% Darling Downs — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 2.0% / 3.3%
Byford — 75-84: 2.0% Darling Downs — 75-84: 3.3%
85+ 0.6% / 0.6%
Byford — 85+: 0.6% Darling Downs — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Byford 59.7% couple families
Byford — Couple Families: 59.7% Byford — Lone Person: 19.2% Byford — One Parent Families: 17.1% Byford — Group Household: 2.8% Byford — Other Families: 1.1%
Darling Downs 67.3% couple families
Darling Downs — Couple Families: 67.3% Darling Downs — Lone Person: 20.6% Darling Downs — One Parent Families: 8.6% Darling Downs — Group Household: 2.0% Darling Downs — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Byford 15.6% renting
Byford — Owned Outright: 14.2% Byford — Mortgage: 70.1% Byford — Renting: 15.6%
Darling Downs 6.5% renting
Darling Downs — Owned Outright: 31.8% Darling Downs — Mortgage: 61.8% Darling Downs — Renting: 6.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Byford Darling Downs
Certificate III & IV 19.0% / 20.6%
Byford — Certificate III & IV: 19.0% Darling Downs — Certificate III & IV: 20.6%
Bachelor Degree 6.7% / 9.7%
Byford — Bachelor Degree: 6.7% Darling Downs — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.4% / 8.0%
Byford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4% Darling Downs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 2.1%
Byford — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Darling Downs — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.3%
Byford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Darling Downs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

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.

Byford Darling Downs
England 7.2% / 9.1%
Byford — England: 7.2% Darling Downs — England: 9.1%
New Zealand 4.0% / 3.5%
Byford — New Zealand: 4.0% Darling Downs — New Zealand: 3.5%
India 3.5% / 1.5%
Byford — India: 3.5% Darling Downs — India: 1.5%
South Africa 2.2% / 1.5%
Byford — South Africa: 2.2% Darling Downs — South Africa: 1.5%
Netherlands — / 1.4%
Byford — Netherlands: not among its largest Darling Downs — Netherlands: 1.4%
Philippines 1.3% / —
Byford — Philippines: 1.3% Darling Downs — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Byford 98.7% houses
Byford — Houses: 98.7% Byford — Flats / Apartments: 0.2% Byford — Townhouses: 1.1%
Darling Downs 96.7% houses
Darling Downs — Houses: 96.7% Darling Downs — Flats / Apartments: 3.3% Darling Downs — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Byford Darling Downs
Median house price $810,000 $1,529,750
Median unit price — $416,250
Median land price $743,000 $820,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 335 sales
 22 days
from 7 sales

Development activity

Byford Darling Downs
New dwellings approved 859
across Serpentine-Jarrahdale
same for both
Approvals change year on year +104%
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.

Byford Darling Downs
Houses 4.3%
$700/wk on $849K
 2.1%
$680/wk on $1.7M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Byford Darling Downs
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 72% of WA Higher than 91% of WA
Schools Higher than 51% of WA —
Walkability Higher than 94% of WA Higher than 71% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 61% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 94% of WA Higher than 82% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 45% of WA Higher than 1% of WA

Liveability

Byford is more walkable (79 vs 12); Byford scores higher overall (48 vs 37).

Byford Darling Downs
Grade C
same for both
Score 48/100 37/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Darling Downs carries more flood risk (76 vs 13).

Byford Darling Downs
Bushfire Moderate
64/100
 Moderate
61/100
Crime Moderate
62/100
 Moderate
53/100
Flood Low
13/100
 High
76/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Byford Darling Downs
Inside the suburb 8 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 4 0
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in Byford

  • Byford John Calvin School Independent · Primary above peers
  • West Byford Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Beenyup Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Byford Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Byford Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Salvado Catholic College Catholic · Combined at peers

Schools in Darling Downs

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

Amenities in the suburb

Byford Darling Downs
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 7 1
Childcare 20 0
GPs 5 0
Pharmacies 5 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 3 0
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 7 2

Mobility

Byford sits further from the CBD (43.3 km vs 38.9 km).

Byford Darling Downs
Walkability score 79/100 12/100
Distance to Perth 43.3 km
+10% vs other
 38.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 44 min 40 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 42/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 319.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 14.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 6122
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 92
postcode 6122
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.

Byford Darling Downs
Car (driver) 82.5% / 78.2%
Byford — Car (driver): 82.5% Darling Downs — Car (driver): 78.2%
Worked from Home 6.1% / 11.8%
Byford — Worked from Home: 6.1% Darling Downs — Worked from Home: 11.8%
Car (passenger) 5.2% / 3.5%
Byford — Car (passenger): 5.2% Darling Downs — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Train 2.7% / 4.2%
Byford — Train: 2.7% Darling Downs — Train: 4.2%
Bus 2.2% / 1.0%
Byford — Bus: 2.2% Darling Downs — Bus: 1.0%
Walked Only 1.2% / 1.3%
Byford — Walked Only: 1.2% Darling Downs — Walked Only: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.5%).

Setting

Byford Darling Downs
Elevation 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 21.7 km 20.2 km

NBN connectivity

Byford Darling Downs
Connectivity score 86/100 69/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 74%
6,735 premises
 53%
714 premises

Climate

Byford Darling Downs
Annual rainfall 745 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Byford Darling Downs
Average residential rate $2,810/yr
same for both
Council Serpentine-Jarrahdale
same for both

Federal electorate

Byford Darling Downs
Division Burt
same for both
Member Matt Keogh
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Byford Darling Downs
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Byford

Family Large Blocks Outer Young Families

Darling Downs

Acreage Outer Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Byford

Byford vs Bedfordale Byford vs Oakford Byford vs Cardup Byford vs Wungong Byford vs Karrakup

Other comparisons with Darling Downs

Darling Downs vs Hilbert Darling Downs vs Oakford Darling Downs vs Wungong
Full data on Byford Full data on Darling Downs
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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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