Elgin vs Capel River

Elgin is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 52 in Capel River. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Capel River, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Elgin tends to suit people living alone and families with children, while Capel River suits couples 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Elgin has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 77%)
  • Capel River is already more of a family suburb (83% 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

Elgin

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $375/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Elgin

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (133 min vs 142 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (198.9 km vs 211 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Capel River

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (23% vs 12%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 15%)

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

Investors

Elgin

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.1% vs -2.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Elgin Capel River
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.

Elgin Capel River
Walkability 0 / 0
Elgin — Walkability: 0/100 Capel River — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 89 / 83
Elgin — Safety: 89/100 Capel River — Safety: 83/100
Low fire risk 60 / 55
Elgin — Low fire risk: 60/100 Capel River — Low fire risk: 55/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Elgin — Low flood risk: 100/100 Capel River — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Capel River rents higher ($375/wk vs $300/wk); Capel River skews older (52 vs 46).

Elgin Capel River
Population 133 136
+2% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.1% -2.9%
Median age 46 52
Median household income $71,500/yr $75,816/yr
+6% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $375/wk
+25% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Elgin Capel River
0-4 5.3% / 5.1%
Elgin — 0-4: 5.3% Capel River — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 15.0% / 5.9%
Elgin — 5-14: 15.0% Capel River — 5-14: 5.9%
15-19 5.3% / 6.6%
Elgin — 15-19: 5.3% Capel River — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 7.5% / 5.9%
Elgin — 20-24: 7.5% Capel River — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 5.3% / 8.1%
Elgin — 25-34: 5.3% Capel River — 25-34: 8.1%
35-44 10.5% / 5.1%
Elgin — 35-44: 10.5% Capel River — 35-44: 5.1%
45-54 14.3% / 16.2%
Elgin — 45-54: 14.3% Capel River — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 18.8% / 23.5%
Elgin — 55-64: 18.8% Capel River — 55-64: 23.5%
65-74 15.0% / 12.5%
Elgin — 65-74: 15.0% Capel River — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 — / 11.0%
Elgin — 75-84: not among its largest Capel River — 75-84: 11.0%
85+ — / —
Elgin — 85+: not among its largest Capel River — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Elgin 41.7% couple families
Elgin — Couple Families: 41.7% Elgin — Lone Person: 41.7% Elgin — One Parent Families: 16.7%
Capel River 52.2% couple families
Capel River — Couple Families: 52.2% Capel River — Lone Person: 17.4% Capel River — One Parent Families: 30.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Elgin 29.3% renting
Elgin — Owned Outright: 43.9% Elgin — Mortgage: 26.8% Elgin — Renting: 29.3%
Capel River 10.9% renting
Capel River — Owned Outright: 52.2% Capel River — Mortgage: 37.0% Capel River — Renting: 10.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Elgin Capel River
England — / 6.6%
Elgin — England: not among its largest Capel River — England: 6.6%
South Africa — / 3.7%
Elgin — South Africa: not among its largest Capel River — South Africa: 3.7%
New Zealand 2.3% / —
Elgin — New Zealand: 2.3% Capel River — New Zealand: not among its largest
Canada — / 2.2%
Elgin — Canada: not among its largest Capel River — Canada: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.6%).

Qualifications

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

Elgin Capel River
Certificate III & IV 8.3% / 19.1%
Elgin — Certificate III & IV: 8.3% Capel River — Certificate III & IV: 19.1%
Bachelor Degree 7.5% / 14.0%
Elgin — Bachelor Degree: 7.5% Capel River — Bachelor Degree: 14.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 10.3%
Elgin — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Capel River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 3.7%
Elgin — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Capel River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Elgin 88.5% houses
Elgin — Houses: 88.5% Elgin — Flats / Apartments: 11.5% Elgin — Townhouses: 0.0%
Capel River 76.6% houses
Capel River — Houses: 76.6% Capel River — Flats / Apartments: 10.6% Capel River — Townhouses: 12.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Development activity

Elgin Capel River
New dwellings approved 226
across Capel
same for both
Approvals change year on year +52%
same for both

Ranking within WA

Elgin Capel River
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 32% of WA Higher than 38% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 27% of WA Higher than 31% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 46% of WA Higher than 40% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of WA Higher than 46% of WA

Liveability

Elgin Capel River
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Elgin Capel River
Bushfire Moderate
40/100
 Moderate
45/100
Crime Low
11/100
 Low
17/100
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 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Elgin Capel River
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Elgin Capel River
Parks & reserves 0 1
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Capel River sits further from the CBD (211 km vs 198.9 km).

Elgin Capel River
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Perth 198.9 km 211 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 133 min 142 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 6237
 0.4%
postcode 6271
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 76
postcode 6237
 69
postcode 6271

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.

Elgin Capel River
Car (driver) 67.3% / 68.5%
Elgin — Car (driver): 67.3% Capel River — Car (driver): 68.5%
Worked from Home 25.5% / 24.1%
Elgin — Worked from Home: 25.5% Capel River — Worked from Home: 24.1%
Bus — / 7.4%
Elgin — Bus: not among its largest Capel River — Bus: 7.4%
Walked Only 7.3% / —
Elgin — Walked Only: 7.3% Capel River — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.5%).

Setting

Elgin Capel River
Elevation 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 73 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.2 km 17.7 km

NBN connectivity

Elgin Capel River
Connectivity score 29/100 22/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
63 premises
 0%
60 premises

Climate

Elgin Capel River
Annual rainfall 851 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Elgin Capel River
Average residential rate $2,343/yr
same for both
Council Capel
same for both

Federal electorate

Elgin Capel River
Division Forrest
same for both
Member Ben Small
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Elgin Capel River
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Elgin

Rural

Capel River

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Elgin

Elgin vs Capel Elgin vs Boyanup Elgin vs Stratham Elgin vs The Plains

Other comparisons with Capel River

Capel River vs Capel Capel River vs Tutunup Capel River vs Paynedale Capel River vs The Plains
Full data on Elgin Full data on Capel River
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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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