Caversham vs West Swan

Caversham is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 42 in West Swan. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Caversham, most households are couple families. In West Swan, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in West Swan: a median of $1.78 million, against $880,000 in Caversham, though rent is higher in Caversham. Caversham is closer to the city centre: 15.6 km, against 23.3 km. On these figures, Caversham tends to suit families with children, couples, and buyers on a tighter budget, while West Swan suits 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

Caversham

ahead on 6 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (17 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 1)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Caversham

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($880,000 vs $1,780,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 40%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Caversham leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 24%)
  • West Swan has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $390/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Caversham

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 18/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (15.6 km vs 23.3 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Caversham is more walkable (35/100 vs 18/100)
  • West Swan has more units and townhouses to downsize into (17% vs 6%)

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

Investors

Caversham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (40.2% vs -12.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Caversham West Swan
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.

Caversham West Swan
Walkability 35 / 18
Caversham — Walkability: 35/100 West Swan — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 34 / 23
Caversham — Safety: 34/100 West Swan — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 75 / 42
Caversham — Low fire risk: 75/100 West Swan — Low fire risk: 42/100
Low flood risk 19 / 39
Caversham — Low flood risk: 19/100 West Swan — Low flood risk: 39/100

Demographics

Caversham has more residents (7,419 vs 786); Caversham has higher household incomes ($117,832 vs $77,376).

Caversham West Swan
Population 7,419
+89% vs other
 786
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +40.2% -12.6%
Median age 33 42
Median household income $117,832/yr
+34% vs other
 $77,376/yr
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+10% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Caversham West Swan
0-4 10.1% / 3.1%
Caversham — 0-4: 10.1% West Swan — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 15.4% / 6.6%
Caversham — 5-14: 15.4% West Swan — 5-14: 6.6%
15-19 4.7% / 2.7%
Caversham — 15-19: 4.7% West Swan — 15-19: 2.7%
20-24 5.1% / 6.4%
Caversham — 20-24: 5.1% West Swan — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 17.3% / 16.9%
Caversham — 25-34: 17.3% West Swan — 25-34: 16.9%
35-44 18.6% / 16.8%
Caversham — 35-44: 18.6% West Swan — 35-44: 16.8%
45-54 11.9% / 13.2%
Caversham — 45-54: 11.9% West Swan — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 8.6% / 15.5%
Caversham — 55-64: 8.6% West Swan — 55-64: 15.5%
65-74 5.6% / 11.8%
Caversham — 65-74: 5.6% West Swan — 65-74: 11.8%
75-84 2.3% / 5.9%
Caversham — 75-84: 2.3% West Swan — 75-84: 5.9%
85+ 0.5% / 1.8%
Caversham — 85+: 0.5% West Swan — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Caversham 62.2% couple families
Caversham — Couple Families: 62.2% Caversham — Lone Person: 20.8% Caversham — One Parent Families: 12.5% Caversham — Group Household: 3.3% Caversham — Other Families: 1.2%
West Swan 45.7% couple families
West Swan — Couple Families: 45.7% West Swan — Lone Person: 38.0% West Swan — One Parent Families: 9.3% West Swan — Group Household: 4.7% West Swan — Other Families: 2.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Caversham 16.5% renting
Caversham — Owned Outright: 17.7% Caversham — Mortgage: 65.8% Caversham — Renting: 16.5%
West Swan 14.8% renting
West Swan — Owned Outright: 55.1% West Swan — Mortgage: 30.1% West Swan — Renting: 14.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Caversham West Swan
Certificate III & IV 14.5% / 11.3%
Caversham — Certificate III & IV: 14.5% West Swan — Certificate III & IV: 11.3%
Bachelor Degree 12.8% / 8.9%
Caversham — Bachelor Degree: 12.8% West Swan — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.9% / 4.3%
Caversham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9% West Swan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.0% / 1.8%
Caversham — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0% West Swan — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 0.6%
Caversham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% West Swan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.5%).

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.

Caversham West Swan
England 4.8% / 6.0%
Caversham — England: 4.8% West Swan — England: 6.0%
India 7.4% / —
Caversham — India: 7.4% West Swan — India: not among its largest
New Zealand 3.0% / 1.8%
Caversham — New Zealand: 3.0% West Swan — New Zealand: 1.8%
Philippines 3.9% / —
Caversham — Philippines: 3.9% West Swan — Philippines: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.9% / 2.0%
Caversham — Vietnam: 0.9% West Swan — Vietnam: 2.0%
Italy — / 2.2%
Caversham — Italy: not among its largest West Swan — Italy: 2.2%
South Africa 1.1% / —
Caversham — South Africa: 1.1% West Swan — South Africa: not among its largest
China — / 0.8%
Caversham — China: not among its largest West Swan — China: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Caversham 93.8% houses
Caversham — Houses: 93.8% Caversham — Flats / Apartments: 4.2% Caversham — Townhouses: 2.0%
West Swan 83.0% houses
West Swan — Houses: 83.0% West Swan — Flats / Apartments: 13.2% West Swan — Townhouses: 3.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Caversham West Swan
Median house price $880,000 $1,780,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $712,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 97 sales
 —

Development activity

Caversham West Swan
New dwellings approved 2,486
across Swan
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
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.

Caversham West Swan
Houses 4.7%
$850/wk on $950K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Caversham West Swan
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 85% of WA Higher than 40% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of WA Higher than 74% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 85% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of WA Higher than 92% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 69% of WA —

Liveability

Caversham is more walkable (35 vs 18); Caversham scores higher overall (44 vs 34).

Caversham West Swan
Grade C
same for both
Score 44/100 34/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

West Swan carries more bushfire risk (58 vs 25); Caversham carries more flood risk (81 vs 61).

Caversham West Swan
Bushfire Low
25/100
 Moderate
58/100
Crime Moderate
66/100
 High
77/100
Flood High
81/100
 Moderate
61/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
70/100
 Moderate
50/100
Industrial facilities nearby 12
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Caversham West Swan
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Caversham

  • Caversham Valley Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Youth Futures Community School (Caversham) Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in West Swan

  • Caversham Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Caversham West Swan
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 3
same for both
Parks & reserves 17 0
Childcare 5 1
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Fuel stations 2 1
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

West Swan sits further from the CBD (23.3 km vs 15.6 km).

Caversham West Swan
Walkability score 35/100 18/100
Distance to Perth 15.6 km 23.3 km
+49% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 27 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 36/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 105.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 6055
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 96
postcode 6055
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.

Caversham West Swan
Car (driver) 79.0% / 73.2%
Caversham — Car (driver): 79.0% West Swan — Car (driver): 73.2%
Worked from Home 7.7% / 18.4%
Caversham — Worked from Home: 7.7% West Swan — Worked from Home: 18.4%
Car (passenger) 5.8% / 2.2%
Caversham — Car (passenger): 5.8% West Swan — Car (passenger): 2.2%
Train 4.7% / 1.3%
Caversham — Train: 4.7% West Swan — Train: 1.3%
Walked Only 1.0% / 4.8%
Caversham — Walked Only: 1.0% West Swan — Walked Only: 4.8%
Bus 1.7% / —
Caversham — Bus: 1.7% West Swan — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.0%).

Setting

Caversham West Swan
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 20.9 km 22.6 km

NBN connectivity

Caversham West Swan
Connectivity score 86/100 80/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 74%
2,107 premises
 65%
353 premises

Climate

Caversham West Swan
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

Caversham West Swan
Average residential rate $2,699/yr
same for both
Council Swan
same for both

Federal electorate

Caversham West Swan
Division Hasluck
same for both
Member Tania Lawrence
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Caversham West Swan
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Caversham

Family Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks Young Families

West Swan

Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Caversham

Caversham vs Beechboro Caversham vs Bennett Springs Caversham vs Dayton Caversham vs Eden Hill Caversham vs Lockridge Caversham vs Middle Swan

Other comparisons with West Swan

West Swan vs Brabham West Swan vs Dayton West Swan vs Middle Swan West Swan vs Henley Brook West Swan vs Herne Hill
Full data on Caversham Full data on West Swan
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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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