Malabaine vs Northam

Northam is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 57 in Malabaine. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Malabaine, most households are couple families. On these figures, Malabaine tends to suit couples.

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

Northam

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (8 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • But Malabaine is already more of a family suburb (60% vs 50%)

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

First-home buyers

Northam

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 31%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Malabaine

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (14% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($228/wk vs $250/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Northam

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (67/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (95.9 km vs 109 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (80 min vs 89 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Northam

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (67/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • But Malabaine has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 21%)

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

Investors

Malabaine

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.3% vs 2.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Malabaine Northam
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.

Malabaine Northam
Walkability 0 / 67
Malabaine — Walkability: 0/100 Northam — Walkability: 67/100
Safety 16 / 11
Malabaine — Safety: 16/100 Northam — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 100 / 82
Malabaine — Low fire risk: 100/100 Northam — Low fire risk: 82/100
Low flood risk 100 / 32
Malabaine — Low flood risk: 100/100 Northam — Low flood risk: 32/100

Demographics

Northam has more residents (6,679 vs 51); Malabaine skews older (57 vs 42).

Malabaine Northam
Population 51 6,679
+12996% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.3% +2.0%
Median age 57 42
Median household income $84,500/yr
+23% vs other
 $64,792/yr
Median weekly rent $228/wk $250/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Malabaine Northam
0-4 11.8% / 5.8%
Malabaine — 0-4: 11.8% Northam — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 9.8% / 13.4%
Malabaine — 5-14: 9.8% Northam — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 — / 6.4%
Malabaine — 15-19: not among its largest Northam — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 — / 5.5%
Malabaine — 20-24: not among its largest Northam — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 7.8% / 10.9%
Malabaine — 25-34: 7.8% Northam — 25-34: 10.9%
35-44 11.8% / 10.9%
Malabaine — 35-44: 11.8% Northam — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 7.8% / 12.1%
Malabaine — 45-54: 7.8% Northam — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 21.6% / 13.9%
Malabaine — 55-64: 21.6% Northam — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 13.7% / 12.0%
Malabaine — 65-74: 13.7% Northam — 65-74: 12.0%
75-84 13.7% / 6.4%
Malabaine — 75-84: 13.7% Northam — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ — / 2.7%
Malabaine — 85+: not among its largest Northam — 85+: 2.7%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Malabaine 60.0% couple families
Malabaine — Couple Families: 60.0% Malabaine — Lone Person: 40.0% Malabaine — One Parent Families: 0.0% Malabaine — Group Household: 0.0% Malabaine — Other Families: 0.0%
Northam 30.7% couple families
Northam — Couple Families: 30.7% Northam — Lone Person: 44.0% Northam — One Parent Families: 19.6% Northam — Group Household: 3.9% Northam — Other Families: 1.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Malabaine 22.2% renting
Malabaine — Owned Outright: 55.6% Malabaine — Mortgage: 22.2% Malabaine — Renting: 22.2%
Northam 31.1% renting
Northam — Owned Outright: 36.1% Northam — Mortgage: 32.9% Northam — Renting: 31.1%
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.

Malabaine Northam
England 5.9% / 3.6%
Malabaine — England: 5.9% Northam — England: 3.6%
Philippines 5.9% / 1.8%
Malabaine — Philippines: 5.9% Northam — Philippines: 1.8%
New Zealand — / 2.3%
Malabaine — New Zealand: not among its largest Northam — New Zealand: 2.3%
India — / 0.8%
Malabaine — India: not among its largest Northam — India: 0.8%
Germany — / 0.8%
Malabaine — Germany: not among its largest Northam — Germany: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

Qualifications

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

Malabaine Northam
Certificate III & IV 5.9% / 14.3%
Malabaine — Certificate III & IV: 5.9% Northam — Certificate III & IV: 14.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.8% / 4.7%
Malabaine — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.8% Northam — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.7%
Postgraduate Degree 5.9% / 1.4%
Malabaine — Postgraduate Degree: 5.9% Northam — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%
Bachelor Degree — / 5.4%
Malabaine — Bachelor Degree: not among its largest Northam — Bachelor Degree: 5.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.1%
Malabaine — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Northam — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Malabaine 100.0% houses
Malabaine — Houses: 100.0% Malabaine — Townhouses: 0.0% Malabaine — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Northam 92.5% houses
Northam — Houses: 92.5% Northam — Townhouses: 5.5% Northam — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Malabaine Northam
Median house price — $505,000
Median unit price — $263,000
Median land price — $142,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 48 days
from 69 sales

Development activity

Malabaine Northam
New dwellings approved 85
across Northam
same for both
Approvals change year on year -68%
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.

Malabaine Northam
Houses — 5.1%
$580/wk on $590K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Malabaine Northam
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 47% of WA Higher than 23% of WA
Schools — Higher than 22% of WA
Walkability Higher than 9% of WA Higher than 89% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 29% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 59% of WA Higher than 73% of WA
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 86% of WA

Liveability

Northam is more walkable (67 vs 0).

Malabaine Northam
Grade — D
Score — 23/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Northam carries more flood risk (68 vs 0); Northam carries more bushfire risk (18 vs 0).

Malabaine Northam
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
18/100
Crime High
84/100
 High
89/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
68/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Malabaine Northam
Inside the suburb 0 8
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 4

Schools in Malabaine

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

Schools in Northam

  • West Northam Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Avonvale Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Northam Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Northam Senior High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • St Joseph's School - Secondary Campus Catholic · Secondary below peers
  • OneSchool Global WA - Cunderdin Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Malabaine Northam
Supermarkets 0 5
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 0 6
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 3
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 2
same for both
EV chargers 0 3
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Malabaine sits further from the CBD (109 km vs 95.9 km).

Malabaine Northam
Walkability score 0/100 67/100
Distance to Perth 109 km
+12% vs other
 95.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 89 min 80 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 6401
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 6401
same for both

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.

Malabaine Northam
Car (driver) 23.1% / 79.8%
Malabaine — Car (driver): 23.1% Northam — Car (driver): 79.8%
Worked from Home 76.9% / 4.5%
Malabaine — Worked from Home: 76.9% Northam — Worked from Home: 4.5%
Car (passenger) — / 8.2%
Malabaine — Car (passenger): not among its largest Northam — Car (passenger): 8.2%
Walked Only — / 6.2%
Malabaine — Walked Only: not among its largest Northam — Walked Only: 6.2%
Bus — / 0.7%
Malabaine — Bus: not among its largest Northam — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.8%).

Setting

Malabaine Northam
Elevation 225 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 162 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Malabaine Northam
Connectivity score 30/100 58/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
31 premises
 25%
3,983 premises

Climate

Malabaine Northam
Annual rainfall 399 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 34.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Malabaine Northam
Average residential rate $2,471/yr
same for both
Council Northam
same for both

Federal electorate

Malabaine Northam
Division Bullwinkel
same for both
Member Trish Cook
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Malabaine Northam
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Malabaine

Professionals Retirees Rural Young Families

Northam

Acreage Affordable River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Malabaine

Malabaine vs Muluckine Malabaine vs Grass Valley Malabaine vs Irishtown Malabaine vs Southern Brook Malabaine vs Jennapullin

Other comparisons with Northam

Northam vs Burlong Northam vs Muluckine Northam vs Irishtown
Full data on Malabaine Full data on Northam
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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