Hamersley vs Balga

Balga is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 39 in Hamersley. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Hamersley, the large majority of households own their home and about half of households are couple families. In Balga, about half of households rent. Houses cost more in Hamersley: a median of $1.05 million, against $727,000 in Balga, and rent is higher there too. Balga is closer to the city centre: 13.6 km, against 16.1 km. On these figures, Hamersley tends to suit couples and older residents, while Balga suits renters, young adults, and 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

They split

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

  • Hamersley carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 77/100)
  • Balga has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Balga

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($727,000 vs $1,050,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Balga

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (50% vs 16%)
  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $380/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Balga

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (13.6 km vs 16.1 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

  • Hamersley carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 77/100)
  • Balga has more units and townhouses to downsize into (32% vs 10%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Hamersley Balga
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.

Hamersley Balga
Walkability 83 / 80
Hamersley — Walkability: 83/100 Balga — Walkability: 80/100
Safety 68 / 23
Hamersley — Safety: 68/100 Balga — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 100 / 62
Hamersley — Low fire risk: 100/100 Balga — Low fire risk: 62/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Hamersley — Low flood risk: 100/100 Balga — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Balga has more residents (13,864 vs 5,209); Hamersley has higher household incomes ($96,512 vs $67,548).

Hamersley Balga
Population 5,209 13,864
+166% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.6% +9.3%
Median age 39 32
Median household income $96,512/yr
+30% vs other
 $67,548/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+18% vs other
 $310/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hamersley Balga
0-4 7.1% / 8.6%
Hamersley — 0-4: 7.1% Balga — 0-4: 8.6%
5-14 12.6% / 12.4%
Hamersley — 5-14: 12.6% Balga — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 5.0% / 4.2%
Hamersley — 15-19: 5.0% Balga — 15-19: 4.2%
20-24 4.5% / 7.4%
Hamersley — 20-24: 4.5% Balga — 20-24: 7.4%
25-34 12.9% / 21.6%
Hamersley — 25-34: 12.9% Balga — 25-34: 21.6%
35-44 14.4% / 15.9%
Hamersley — 35-44: 14.4% Balga — 35-44: 15.9%
45-54 12.4% / 10.4%
Hamersley — 45-54: 12.4% Balga — 45-54: 10.4%
55-64 9.9% / 8.1%
Hamersley — 55-64: 9.9% Balga — 55-64: 8.1%
65-74 12.8% / 6.5%
Hamersley — 65-74: 12.8% Balga — 65-74: 6.5%
75-84 6.9% / 3.8%
Hamersley — 75-84: 6.9% Balga — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 1.3% / 0.9%
Hamersley — 85+: 1.3% Balga — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hamersley 48.7% couple families
Hamersley — Couple Families: 48.7% Hamersley — Lone Person: 30.8% Hamersley — One Parent Families: 17.0% Hamersley — Group Household: 2.3% Hamersley — Other Families: 1.3%
Balga 30.1% couple families
Balga — Couple Families: 30.1% Balga — Lone Person: 39.8% Balga — One Parent Families: 20.0% Balga — Group Household: 7.5% Balga — Other Families: 2.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hamersley 16.2% renting
Hamersley — Owned Outright: 40.5% Hamersley — Mortgage: 43.3% Hamersley — Renting: 16.2%
Balga 49.7% renting
Balga — Owned Outright: 15.7% Balga — Mortgage: 34.6% Balga — Renting: 49.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Hamersley Balga
Certificate III & IV 15.5% / 12.6%
Hamersley — Certificate III & IV: 15.5% Balga — Certificate III & IV: 12.6%
Bachelor Degree 15.5% / 10.1%
Hamersley — Bachelor Degree: 15.5% Balga — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 7.7%
Hamersley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Balga — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.5% / 3.5%
Hamersley — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5% Balga — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 0.9%
Hamersley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Balga — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.5%).

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.

Hamersley Balga
England 6.8% / 2.8%
Hamersley — England: 6.8% Balga — England: 2.8%
India 1.3% / 6.1%
Hamersley — India: 1.3% Balga — India: 6.1%
New Zealand 3.2% / 2.3%
Hamersley — New Zealand: 3.2% Balga — New Zealand: 2.3%
Vietnam 1.0% / 3.4%
Hamersley — Vietnam: 1.0% Balga — Vietnam: 3.4%
Myanmar — / 2.5%
Hamersley — Myanmar: not among its largest Balga — Myanmar: 2.5%
Ireland 1.5% / —
Hamersley — Ireland: 1.5% Balga — Ireland: not among its largest
South Africa 1.2% / —
Hamersley — South Africa: 1.2% Balga — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hamersley 90.5% houses
Hamersley — Houses: 90.5% Hamersley — Townhouses: 9.1% Hamersley — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Balga 67.4% houses
Balga — Houses: 67.4% Balga — Townhouses: 29.1% Balga — Flats / Apartments: 3.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Hamersley Balga
Median house price $1,050,000 $727,000
Median unit price — $585,000
Median land price — $635,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 44 days
from 59 sales
 39 days
from 215 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Hamersley Balga
3 bed $982K / $725K
Hamersley — 3 bed: $982K (40 sales) Balga — 3 bed: $725K (283 sales)

40 vs 283 sales

4 bed $1.11M / $795K
Hamersley — 4 bed: $1.11M (44 sales) Balga — 4 bed: $795K (39 sales)

44 vs 39 sales

Development activity

Hamersley Balga
New dwellings approved 1,557
across Stirling
same for both
Approvals change year on year +23%
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.

Hamersley Balga
Houses 4.9%
$890/wk on $950K
 5.1%
$735/wk on $749K
Units — 4.9%
$608/wk on $650K

Ranking within WA

Hamersley Balga
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 61% of WA Higher than 25% of WA
Schools Higher than 2% of WA Higher than 81% of WA
Walkability Higher than 96% of WA Higher than 95% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 80% of WA Higher than 72% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of WA Higher than 82% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 76% of WA Higher than 86% of WA
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 26% of WA

Liveability

Hamersley scores higher overall (68 vs 56).

Hamersley Balga
Grade B
same for both
Score 68/100 56/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Balga carries more bushfire risk (38 vs 0); Balga carries more crime risk (77 vs 32).

Hamersley Balga
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
38/100
Crime Low
32/100
 High
77/100
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 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Hamersley Balga
Inside the suburb 3 7
Rated above peers 0 3
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0 2

Schools in Hamersley

  • East Hamersley Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Glendale Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • West Coast Language Development Centre - East Hamersley Campus Government · Primary · Special school

Schools in Balga

  • Balga Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • North Balga Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Warriapendi Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Balga Senior High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Majella Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Gladys Newton School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Hamersley Balga
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 4 15
Childcare 5 10
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Hamersley sits further from the CBD (16.1 km vs 13.6 km).

Hamersley Balga
Walkability score 83/100 80/100
Distance to Perth 16.1 km
+16% vs other
 13.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 18 min 20 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 94/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 259.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 288.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 6022
 0.8%
postcode 6061
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 63
postcode 6022
 29
postcode 6061

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.

Hamersley Balga
Car (driver) 74.7% / 81.1%
Hamersley — Car (driver): 74.7% Balga — Car (driver): 81.1%
Worked from Home 10.2% / 4.4%
Hamersley — Worked from Home: 10.2% Balga — Worked from Home: 4.4%
Train 7.7% / 3.4%
Hamersley — Train: 7.7% Balga — Train: 3.4%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 5.9%
Hamersley — Car (passenger): 4.8% Balga — Car (passenger): 5.9%
Bus 1.4% / 4.6%
Hamersley — Bus: 1.4% Balga — Bus: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.1%).

Setting

Hamersley Balga
Elevation 32 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 60 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.8 km 8.3 km

NBN connectivity

Hamersley Balga
Connectivity score 74/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
2,243 premises
 45%
6,850 premises

Climate

Hamersley Balga
Annual rainfall 650 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Hamersley Balga
Average residential rate $1,615/yr
same for both
Council Stirling
same for both

Federal electorate

Hamersley Balga
Division Cowan
same for both
Member Anne Aly
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Hamersley Balga
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hamersley

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks Quiet

Balga

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Townhouses Transport Hub Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hamersley

Hamersley vs Duncraig Hamersley vs Balcatta Hamersley vs Girrawheen Hamersley vs Carine Hamersley vs Westminster Hamersley vs Warwick

Other comparisons with Balga

Balga vs Balcatta Balga vs Girrawheen Balga vs Mirrabooka Balga vs Westminster Balga vs Koondoola
Full data on Hamersley Full data on Balga
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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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