Darlington vs Hovea

Darlington is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 51 in Hovea. 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 Hovea: a median of $1.59 million, against $1.23 million in Darlington, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Darlington 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

Darlington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Darlington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,230,000 vs $1,590,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Darlington

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($420/wk vs $575/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 23%)

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

Commuting to the city

Darlington

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (36/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (35 min vs 51 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (28.6 km vs 30.8 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Darlington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (36/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Hovea

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.8% vs 1.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Darlington Hovea
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.

Darlington Hovea
Walkability 36 / 0
Darlington — Walkability: 36/100 Hovea — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 74 / 78
Darlington — Safety: 74/100 Hovea — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 19 / 26
Darlington — Low fire risk: 19/100 Hovea — Low fire risk: 26/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Darlington — Low flood risk: 100/100 Hovea — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Darlington has more residents (3,725 vs 713); Hovea rents higher ($575/wk vs $420/wk).

Darlington Hovea
Population 3,725
+81% vs other
 713
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.9% +14.8%
Median age 44 51
Median household income $124,176/yr $131,768/yr
+6% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk $575/wk
+37% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Darlington Hovea
0-4 4.9% / 4.6%
Darlington — 0-4: 4.9% Hovea — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 15.5% / 10.7%
Darlington — 5-14: 15.5% Hovea — 5-14: 10.7%
15-19 6.2% / 7.2%
Darlington — 15-19: 6.2% Hovea — 15-19: 7.2%
20-24 3.9% / 4.6%
Darlington — 20-24: 3.9% Hovea — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 6.4% / 7.9%
Darlington — 25-34: 6.4% Hovea — 25-34: 7.9%
35-44 13.2% / 7.2%
Darlington — 35-44: 13.2% Hovea — 35-44: 7.2%
45-54 15.2% / 16.5%
Darlington — 45-54: 15.2% Hovea — 45-54: 16.5%
55-64 14.0% / 19.6%
Darlington — 55-64: 14.0% Hovea — 55-64: 19.6%
65-74 12.1% / 13.3%
Darlington — 65-74: 12.1% Hovea — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 6.8% / 8.0%
Darlington — 75-84: 6.8% Hovea — 75-84: 8.0%
85+ 1.6% / 0.7%
Darlington — 85+: 1.6% Hovea — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Darlington 60.8% couple families
Darlington — Couple Families: 60.8% Darlington — Lone Person: 23.8% Darlington — One Parent Families: 12.5% Darlington — Group Household: 2.1% Darlington — Other Families: 0.8%
Hovea 64.7% couple families
Hovea — Couple Families: 64.7% Hovea — Lone Person: 24.0% Hovea — One Parent Families: 9.3% Hovea — Group Household: 2.0% Hovea — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Darlington 6.2% renting
Darlington — Owned Outright: 41.4% Darlington — Mortgage: 52.4% Darlington — Renting: 6.2%
Hovea 3.8% renting
Hovea — Owned Outright: 48.5% Hovea — Mortgage: 47.7% Hovea — Renting: 3.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Darlington Hovea
Bachelor Degree 19.9% / 18.2%
Darlington — Bachelor Degree: 19.9% Hovea — Bachelor Degree: 18.2%
Certificate III & IV 11.0% / 13.3%
Darlington — Certificate III & IV: 11.0% Hovea — Certificate III & IV: 13.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 9.5%
Darlington — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Hovea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.6% / 5.3%
Darlington — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6% Hovea — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.8% / 1.1%
Darlington — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8% Hovea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

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.

Darlington Hovea
England 12.9% / 10.2%
Darlington — England: 12.9% Hovea — England: 10.2%
New Zealand 2.0% / 2.1%
Darlington — New Zealand: 2.0% Hovea — New Zealand: 2.1%
South Africa 1.6% / 1.7%
Darlington — South Africa: 1.6% Hovea — South Africa: 1.7%
Germany 1.0% / 1.4%
Darlington — Germany: 1.0% Hovea — Germany: 1.4%
Malaysia — / 1.0%
Darlington — Malaysia: not among its largest Hovea — Malaysia: 1.0%
Scotland 0.9% / —
Darlington — Scotland: 0.9% Hovea — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Darlington 98.1% houses
Darlington — Houses: 98.1% Darlington — Townhouses: 1.0% Darlington — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Hovea 100.8% houses
Hovea — Houses: 100.8% Hovea — Townhouses: 0.0% Hovea — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Darlington Hovea
Median house price $1,230,000 $1,590,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,040,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 34 sales
 —

Development activity

Darlington Hovea
New dwellings approved 216
across Mundaring
same for both
Approvals change year on year -55%
same for both

Ranking within WA

Darlington Hovea
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 89% of WA Higher than 92% of WA
Schools Higher than 25% of WA —
Walkability Higher than 79% of WA Higher than 15% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 98% of WA Higher than 91% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of WA Higher than 71% of WA

Liveability

Darlington is more walkable (36 vs 0); Hovea scores higher overall (61 vs 52).

Darlington Hovea
Grade B
same for both
Score 52/100 61/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Darlington Hovea
Bushfire High
81/100
 High
74/100
Crime Low
26/100
 Low
22/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Darlington Hovea
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Darlington

  • Darlington Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Treetops Montessori School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Helena College - Darlington Campus Independent · Primary

Schools in Hovea

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

Amenities in the suburb

Darlington Hovea
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 1 6

Mobility

Hovea sits further from the CBD (30.8 km vs 28.6 km).

Darlington Hovea
Walkability score 36/100 0/100
Distance to Perth 28.6 km 30.8 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 35 min 51 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 75/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 37.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 32.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.8%
postcode 6070
 1.6%
postcode 6071
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 68
postcode 6070
 66
postcode 6071

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.

Darlington Hovea
Car (driver) 72.4% / 76.9%
Darlington — Car (driver): 72.4% Hovea — Car (driver): 76.9%
Worked from Home 16.0% / 15.0%
Darlington — Worked from Home: 16.0% Hovea — Worked from Home: 15.0%
Train 4.2% / 3.7%
Darlington — Train: 4.2% Hovea — Train: 3.7%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 3.4%
Darlington — Car (passenger): 3.9% Hovea — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Walked Only 1.6% / 0.9%
Darlington — Walked Only: 1.6% Hovea — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.9%).

Setting

Darlington Hovea
Elevation 110 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 200 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 30.7 km 32.4 km

NBN connectivity

Darlington Hovea
Connectivity score 46/100 52/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
1,498 premises
 13%
269 premises

Climate

Darlington Hovea
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

Darlington Hovea
Average residential rate $2,151/yr
same for both
Council Mundaring
same for both

Federal electorate

Darlington Hovea
Division Bullwinkel
same for both
Member Trish Cook
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Darlington Hovea
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Darlington

Acreage Outer Professionals Quiet

Hovea

Acreage Outer Premium River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Darlington

Darlington vs Helena Valley Darlington vs Gooseberry Hill Darlington vs Glen Forrest Darlington vs Greenmount Darlington vs Boya Darlington vs Piesse Brook

Other comparisons with Hovea

Hovea vs Swan View Hovea vs Jane Brook Hovea vs Glen Forrest Hovea vs Greenmount Hovea vs Parkerville Hovea vs Mahogany Creek
Full data on Darlington Full data on Hovea
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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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