Helena Valley vs Darlington

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Helena Valley, about half of households are couple families. In Darlington, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Darlington: a median of $1.23 million, against $935,000 in Helena Valley. Helena Valley is closer to the city centre: 22.9 km, against 28.6 km. On these figures, Helena Valley tends to suit 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

They split

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

  • Helena Valley has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • Darlington has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Helena Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($640,000 vs $1,040,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($935,000 vs $1,230,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Helena Valley

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (22.9 km vs 28.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (29 min vs 35 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Helena Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Helena Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.1% vs 1.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Helena Valley Darlington
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.

Helena Valley Darlington
Walkability 37 / 36
Helena Valley — Walkability: 37/100 Darlington — Walkability: 36/100
Safety 77 / 74
Helena Valley — Safety: 77/100 Darlington — Safety: 74/100
Low fire risk 16 / 19
Helena Valley — Low fire risk: 16/100 Darlington — Low fire risk: 19/100
Low flood risk 39 / 100
Helena Valley — Low flood risk: 39/100 Darlington — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Darlington has higher household incomes ($124,176 vs $105,924); Darlington skews older (44 vs 42).

Helena Valley Darlington
Population 4,130
+10% vs other
 3,725
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.1% +1.9%
Median age 42 44
Median household income $105,924/yr $124,176/yr
+17% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $420/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Helena Valley Darlington
0-4 6.3% / 4.9%
Helena Valley — 0-4: 6.3% Darlington — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 11.4% / 15.5%
Helena Valley — 5-14: 11.4% Darlington — 5-14: 15.5%
15-19 5.6% / 6.2%
Helena Valley — 15-19: 5.6% Darlington — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 6.1% / 3.9%
Helena Valley — 20-24: 6.1% Darlington — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 12.1% / 6.4%
Helena Valley — 25-34: 12.1% Darlington — 25-34: 6.4%
35-44 11.1% / 13.2%
Helena Valley — 35-44: 11.1% Darlington — 35-44: 13.2%
45-54 12.6% / 15.2%
Helena Valley — 45-54: 12.6% Darlington — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 13.3% / 14.0%
Helena Valley — 55-64: 13.3% Darlington — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 12.9% / 12.1%
Helena Valley — 65-74: 12.9% Darlington — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 7.5% / 6.8%
Helena Valley — 75-84: 7.5% Darlington — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 1.6% / 1.6%
Helena Valley — 85+: 1.6% Darlington — 85+: 1.6%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Helena Valley 53.6% couple families
Helena Valley — Couple Families: 53.6% Helena Valley — Lone Person: 30.9% Helena Valley — One Parent Families: 12.3% Helena Valley — Group Household: 2.2% Helena Valley — Other Families: 1.0%
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%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Helena Valley 12.1% renting
Helena Valley — Owned Outright: 40.7% Helena Valley — Mortgage: 47.1% Helena Valley — Renting: 12.1%
Darlington 6.2% renting
Darlington — Owned Outright: 41.4% Darlington — Mortgage: 52.4% Darlington — Renting: 6.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Helena Valley Darlington
Bachelor Degree 10.0% / 19.9%
Helena Valley — Bachelor Degree: 10.0% Darlington — Bachelor Degree: 19.9%
Certificate III & IV 18.0% / 11.0%
Helena Valley — Certificate III & IV: 18.0% Darlington — Certificate III & IV: 11.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 9.3%
Helena Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Darlington — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 6.6%
Helena Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Darlington — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 3.8%
Helena Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Darlington — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8%

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.

Helena Valley Darlington
England 9.5% / 12.9%
Helena Valley — England: 9.5% Darlington — England: 12.9%
New Zealand 2.3% / 2.0%
Helena Valley — New Zealand: 2.3% Darlington — New Zealand: 2.0%
South Africa 1.0% / 1.6%
Helena Valley — South Africa: 1.0% Darlington — South Africa: 1.6%
Scotland 1.1% / 0.9%
Helena Valley — Scotland: 1.1% Darlington — Scotland: 0.9%
India 1.3% / —
Helena Valley — India: 1.3% Darlington — India: not among its largest
Germany — / 1.0%
Helena Valley — Germany: not among its largest Darlington — Germany: 1.0%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Helena Valley 94.5% houses
Helena Valley — Houses: 94.5% Helena Valley — Townhouses: 5.4% Helena Valley — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Darlington 98.1% houses
Darlington — Houses: 98.1% Darlington — Townhouses: 1.0% Darlington — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Helena Valley Darlington
Median house price $935,000 $1,230,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $640,000 $1,040,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 37 sales
 24 days
from 34 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.

Helena Valley Darlington
3 bed $830K / $1.12M
Helena Valley — 3 bed: $830K (18 sales) Darlington — 3 bed: $1.12M (25 sales)

18 vs 25 sales

4 bed $990K / $1.38M
Helena Valley — 4 bed: $990K (48 sales) Darlington — 4 bed: $1.38M (32 sales)

48 vs 32 sales

5 bed $1.25M / $1.5M
Helena Valley — 5 bed: $1.25M (8 sales) Darlington — 5 bed: $1.5M (7 sales)

8 vs 7 sales

Development activity

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

Helena Valley Darlington
Houses 3.5%
$760/wk on $1.12M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Helena Valley Darlington
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 72% of WA Higher than 89% of WA
Schools — Higher than 25% of WA
Walkability Higher than 79% of WA
same for both
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 69% of WA Higher than 98% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of WA Higher than 69% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 14% of WA —

Liveability

Darlington scores higher overall (52 vs 43).

Helena Valley Darlington
Grade C B
Score 43/100 52/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Helena Valley carries more flood risk (61 vs 0).

Helena Valley Darlington
Bushfire High
84/100
 High
81/100
Crime Low
23/100
 Low
26/100
Flood Moderate
61/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
70/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Helena Valley Darlington
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Helena Valley

  • Helena Valley Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Darlington

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

Amenities in the suburb

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

Mobility

Darlington sits further from the CBD (28.6 km vs 22.9 km).

Helena Valley Darlington
Walkability score 37/100 36/100
Distance to Perth 22.9 km 28.6 km
+25% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 29 min 35 min
Public transport score 66/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 29.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 37.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 6056
 2.8%
postcode 6070
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 6056
 68
postcode 6070

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.

Helena Valley Darlington
Car (driver) 81.6% / 72.4%
Helena Valley — Car (driver): 81.6% Darlington — Car (driver): 72.4%
Worked from Home 8.7% / 16.0%
Helena Valley — Worked from Home: 8.7% Darlington — Worked from Home: 16.0%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 3.9%
Helena Valley — Car (passenger): 4.3% Darlington — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Train 2.5% / 4.2%
Helena Valley — Train: 2.5% Darlington — Train: 4.2%
Bus 1.6% / 1.2%
Helena Valley — Bus: 1.6% Darlington — Bus: 1.2%
Walked Only 1.1% / 1.6%
Helena Valley — Walked Only: 1.1% Darlington — Walked Only: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.6%).

Setting

Helena Valley Darlington
Elevation 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 110 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 26.8 km 30.7 km

NBN connectivity

Helena Valley Darlington
Connectivity score 62/100 46/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 32%
1,623 premises
 2%
1,498 premises

Climate

Helena Valley Darlington
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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Helena Valley

Large Blocks Middle-Ring

Darlington

Acreage Outer Professionals Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Helena Valley

Helena Valley vs Midland Helena Valley vs Gooseberry Hill Helena Valley vs Bellevue Helena Valley vs Koongamia Helena Valley vs Hazelmere Helena Valley vs Bushmead

Other comparisons with Darlington

Darlington vs Gooseberry Hill Darlington vs Glen Forrest Darlington vs Greenmount Darlington vs Hovea Darlington vs Boya Darlington vs Piesse Brook
Full data on Helena Valley Full data on Darlington
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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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