Darlington vs Paulls Valley

Darlington is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 51 in Paulls Valley. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Darlington is closer to the city centre: 28.6 km, against 35.2 km. On these figures, Paulls Valley tends to suit people living alone and 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

Darlington

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (73% vs 58%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Paulls Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Darlington

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (36/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (35 min vs 48 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (28.6 km vs 35.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Darlington is more walkable (36/100 vs 0/100)
  • Paulls Valley has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 20%)

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

Investors

Paulls Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (31.7% vs 1.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Darlington and Paulls 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.

Darlington Paulls 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.

Darlington Paulls Valley
Walkability 36 / 0
Darlington — Walkability: 36/100 Paulls Valley — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 74 / 66
Darlington — Safety: 74/100 Paulls Valley — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 19 / 20
Darlington — Low fire risk: 19/100 Paulls Valley — Low fire risk: 20/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Darlington — Low flood risk: 100/100 Paulls Valley — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Darlington has more residents (3,725 vs 83); Darlington rents higher ($420/wk vs $300/wk).

Darlington Paulls Valley
Population 3,725
+98% vs other
 83
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.9% +31.7%
Median age 44 51
Median household income $124,176/yr $126,724/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+29% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Darlington Paulls Valley
0-4 4.9% / 3.6%
Darlington — 0-4: 4.9% Paulls Valley — 0-4: 3.6%
5-14 15.5% / 14.5%
Darlington — 5-14: 15.5% Paulls Valley — 5-14: 14.5%
15-19 6.2% / 7.2%
Darlington — 15-19: 6.2% Paulls Valley — 15-19: 7.2%
20-24 3.9% / —
Darlington — 20-24: 3.9% Paulls Valley — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 6.4% / 10.8%
Darlington — 25-34: 6.4% Paulls Valley — 25-34: 10.8%
35-44 13.2% / —
Darlington — 35-44: 13.2% Paulls Valley — 35-44: not among its largest
45-54 15.2% / 25.3%
Darlington — 45-54: 15.2% Paulls Valley — 45-54: 25.3%
55-64 14.0% / 13.3%
Darlington — 55-64: 14.0% Paulls Valley — 55-64: 13.3%
65-74 12.1% / 25.3%
Darlington — 65-74: 12.1% Paulls Valley — 65-74: 25.3%
75-84 6.8% / 4.8%
Darlington — 75-84: 6.8% Paulls Valley — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 1.6% / —
Darlington — 85+: 1.6% Paulls Valley — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.3%).

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%
Paulls Valley 57.9% couple families
Paulls Valley — Couple Families: 57.9% Paulls Valley — Lone Person: 42.1% Paulls Valley — One Parent Families: 0.0% Paulls Valley — Group Household: 0.0% Paulls Valley — 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%
Paulls Valley 10.0% renting
Paulls Valley — Owned Outright: 50.0% Paulls Valley — Mortgage: 40.0% Paulls Valley — Renting: 10.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Darlington Paulls Valley
Bachelor Degree 19.9% / 10.8%
Darlington — Bachelor Degree: 19.9% Paulls Valley — Bachelor Degree: 10.8%
Certificate III & IV 11.0% / 18.1%
Darlington — Certificate III & IV: 11.0% Paulls Valley — Certificate III & IV: 18.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 9.6%
Darlington — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Paulls Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.8% / 4.8%
Darlington — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8% Paulls Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.8%
Postgraduate Degree 6.6% / —
Darlington — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6% Paulls Valley — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

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 Paulls Valley
England 12.9% / 10.8%
Darlington — England: 12.9% Paulls Valley — England: 10.8%
New Zealand 2.0% / 8.4%
Darlington — New Zealand: 2.0% Paulls Valley — New Zealand: 8.4%
South Africa 1.6% / 4.8%
Darlington — South Africa: 1.6% Paulls Valley — South Africa: 4.8%
Scotland 0.9% / 3.6%
Darlington — Scotland: 0.9% Paulls Valley — Scotland: 3.6%
Singapore — / 3.6%
Darlington — Singapore: not among its largest Paulls Valley — Singapore: 3.6%
Germany 1.0% / —
Darlington — Germany: 1.0% Paulls Valley — Germany: 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%
Paulls Valley 100.0% houses
Paulls Valley — Houses: 100.0% Paulls Valley — Townhouses: 0.0% Paulls Valley — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Darlington Paulls Valley
Median house price $1,230,000 —
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 Paulls Valley
New dwellings approved 216
across Mundaring
 214
across Kalamunda
Approvals change year on year -55% +124%

Ranking within WA

Darlington Paulls Valley
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 89% of WA
same for both
Schools Higher than 25% of WA —
Walkability Higher than 79% of WA Higher than 25% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 98% of WA Higher than 88% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of WA Higher than 46% of WA

Liveability

Darlington is more walkable (36 vs 0).

Darlington Paulls Valley
Grade B —
Score 52/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Darlington Paulls Valley
Bushfire High
81/100
 High
80/100
Crime Low
26/100
 Low
34/100
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
same for both

Schools

Darlington Paulls Valley
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 Paulls Valley

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

Amenities in the suburb

Darlington Paulls Valley
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Paulls Valley sits further from the CBD (35.2 km vs 28.6 km).

Darlington Paulls Valley
Walkability score 36/100 0/100
Distance to Perth 28.6 km 35.2 km
+23% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 35 min 48 min
Electric vehicle share 2.8%
postcode 6070
 1.4%
postcode 6076
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 68
postcode 6070
 65
postcode 6076

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 Paulls Valley
Car (driver) 72.4% / 81.4%
Darlington — Car (driver): 72.4% Paulls Valley — Car (driver): 81.4%
Worked from Home 16.0% / 18.6%
Darlington — Worked from Home: 16.0% Paulls Valley — Worked from Home: 18.6%
Train 4.2% / —
Darlington — Train: 4.2% Paulls Valley — Train: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 3.9% / —
Darlington — Car (passenger): 3.9% Paulls Valley — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 1.6% / —
Darlington — Walked Only: 1.6% Paulls Valley — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.4%).

Setting

Darlington Paulls Valley
Elevation 110 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 226 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 30.7 km 34.9 km

NBN connectivity

Darlington Paulls Valley
Connectivity score 46/100 22/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
1,498 premises
 0%
24 premises

Climate

Darlington Paulls Valley
Annual rainfall 663 mm 1,068 mm
Summer max (Jan) 32.3°C 30.2°C
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C 7.9°C

Council rates

Darlington Paulls Valley
Average residential rate $2,151/yr $1,977/yr
Council Mundaring Kalamunda

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Darlington Paulls Valley
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

Paulls Valley

Outer Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Darlington

Darlington vs Helena Valley Darlington vs Gooseberry Hill Darlington vs Glen Forrest Darlington vs Greenmount Darlington vs Hovea Darlington vs Boya

Other comparisons with Paulls Valley

Paulls Valley vs Mundaring Paulls Valley vs Glen Forrest Paulls Valley vs Mahogany Creek Paulls Valley vs Piesse Brook Paulls Valley vs Hacketts Gully
Full data on Darlington Full data on Paulls Valley
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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