Melville vs Bicton

Melville is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 45 in Bicton. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Melville, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Bicton tends to suit 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

Melville

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (63% vs 53%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (78% vs 67%)
  • But Bicton has more parks and reserves (9 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Melville has cheaper land ($866,000 vs $1,100,000)
  • Bicton has cheaper units ($650,000 vs $832,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bicton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($360/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bicton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 53/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Bicton

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 2)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (33% vs 22%)
  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 53/100)

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

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

Melville Bicton
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.

Melville Bicton
Walkability 53 / 76
Melville — Walkability: 53/100 Bicton — Walkability: 76/100
Safety 42 / 34
Melville — Safety: 42/100 Bicton — Safety: 34/100
Low fire risk 76 / 100
Melville — Low fire risk: 76/100 Bicton — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 66
Melville — Low flood risk: 100/100 Bicton — Low flood risk: 66/100

Demographics

Melville rents higher ($420/wk vs $360/wk); Bicton skews older (45 vs 42).

Melville Bicton
Population 6,204 6,961
+12% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.9% +5.9%
Median age 42 45
Median household income $113,516/yr
+8% vs other
 $104,364/yr
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+14% vs other
 $360/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Melville Bicton
0-4 5.3% / 4.5%
Melville — 0-4: 5.3% Bicton — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 14.0% / 11.0%
Melville — 5-14: 14.0% Bicton — 5-14: 11.0%
15-19 7.1% / 6.0%
Melville — 15-19: 7.1% Bicton — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 5.4% / 5.8%
Melville — 20-24: 5.4% Bicton — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 9.8% / 9.6%
Melville — 25-34: 9.8% Bicton — 25-34: 9.6%
35-44 12.6% / 12.2%
Melville — 35-44: 12.6% Bicton — 35-44: 12.2%
45-54 15.5% / 14.0%
Melville — 45-54: 15.5% Bicton — 45-54: 14.0%
55-64 12.7% / 13.9%
Melville — 55-64: 12.7% Bicton — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 8.4% / 12.4%
Melville — 65-74: 8.4% Bicton — 65-74: 12.4%
75-84 5.2% / 7.0%
Melville — 75-84: 5.2% Bicton — 75-84: 7.0%
85+ 4.0% / 3.8%
Melville — 85+: 4.0% Bicton — 85+: 3.8%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Melville 49.8% couple families
Melville — Couple Families: 49.8% Melville — Lone Person: 32.5% Melville — One Parent Families: 13.3% Melville — Group Household: 3.0% Melville — Other Families: 1.4%
Bicton 42.1% couple families
Bicton — Couple Families: 42.1% Bicton — Lone Person: 42.7% Bicton — One Parent Families: 10.8% Bicton — Group Household: 2.8% Bicton — Other Families: 1.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Melville 15.7% renting
Melville — Owned Outright: 39.2% Melville — Mortgage: 45.1% Melville — Renting: 15.7%
Bicton 22.9% renting
Bicton — Owned Outright: 43.3% Bicton — Mortgage: 33.8% Bicton — Renting: 22.9%
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.

Melville Bicton
England 6.9% / 8.1%
Melville — England: 6.9% Bicton — England: 8.1%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.9%
Melville — New Zealand: 1.7% Bicton — New Zealand: 1.9%
South Africa 1.0% / 1.4%
Melville — South Africa: 1.0% Bicton — South Africa: 1.4%
Scotland 0.8% / 1.3%
Melville — Scotland: 0.8% Bicton — Scotland: 1.3%
Italy 0.9% / 1.0%
Melville — Italy: 0.9% Bicton — Italy: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.1%).

Qualifications

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

Melville Bicton
Bachelor Degree 19.0% / 20.8%
Melville — Bachelor Degree: 19.0% Bicton — Bachelor Degree: 20.8%
Certificate III & IV 11.2% / 10.8%
Melville — Certificate III & IV: 11.2% Bicton — Certificate III & IV: 10.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 8.9%
Melville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Bicton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 5.6% / 6.6%
Melville — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6% Bicton — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 3.7%
Melville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Bicton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Melville 78.0% houses
Melville — Houses: 78.0% Melville — Townhouses: 19.0% Melville — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Bicton 66.6% houses
Bicton — Houses: 66.6% Bicton — Townhouses: 27.7% Bicton — Flats / Apartments: 5.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Melville Bicton
Median house price $1,530,000 $1,501,000
Median unit price $832,000 $650,000
Median land price $866,000 $1,100,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 80 sales
 39 days
from 82 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.

Melville Bicton
2 bed $1.03M / $786K
Melville — 2 bed: $1.03M (12 sales) Bicton — 2 bed: $786K (12 sales)

12 vs 12 sales

3 bed $1.32M / $1.22M
Melville — 3 bed: $1.32M (57 sales) Bicton — 3 bed: $1.22M (52 sales)

57 vs 52 sales

4 bed $1.75M / $2.09M
Melville — 4 bed: $1.75M (64 sales) Bicton — 4 bed: $2.09M (48 sales)

64 vs 48 sales

5 bed $2.13M / $2.5M
Melville — 5 bed: $2.13M (6 sales) Bicton — 5 bed: $2.5M (9 sales)

6 vs 9 sales

Development activity

Melville Bicton
New dwellings approved 727
across Melville
same for both
Approvals change year on year +268%
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.

Melville Bicton
Houses 3.8%
$875/wk on $1.2M
 3.6%
$825/wk on $1.2M
Units — 3.8%
$550/wk on $750K

Ranking within WA

Melville Bicton
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 80% of WA Higher than 71% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of WA Higher than 93% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 93% of WA Higher than 89% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of WA Higher than 79% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 20% of WA Higher than 16% of WA
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 6% of WA

Liveability

Bicton is more walkable (76 vs 53).

Melville Bicton
Grade A
same for both
Score 76/100 74/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Bicton carries more flood risk (34 vs 0); Melville carries more bushfire risk (24 vs 0).

Melville Bicton
Bushfire Low
24/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
66/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
34/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 9
within 5 km
 10
within 5 km

Schools

Melville Bicton
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Notre Dame Australia - Fremantle, 4.3 km
 3
The University of Notre Dame Australia - Fremantle, 3.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.1% 3.6%

Schools in Melville

  • Melville Senior High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Melville Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Bicton

  • Bicton Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Melville Bicton
Supermarkets 1 2
Cafes & restaurants 6 12
Parks & reserves 1 9
Childcare 3
same for both
GPs 2 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Beaches 0 1

Mobility

Melville Bicton
Walkability score 53/100 76/100
Distance to Perth 14.9 km 16 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 21 min 22 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 173.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 93.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 0.5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.9%
postcode 6156
 1.4%
postcode 6157
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 6156
 37
postcode 6157

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.

Melville Bicton
Car (driver) 74.4% / 73.9%
Melville — Car (driver): 74.4% Bicton — Car (driver): 73.9%
Worked from Home 11.3% / 12.2%
Melville — Worked from Home: 11.3% Bicton — Worked from Home: 12.2%
Bus 4.4% / 5.0%
Melville — Bus: 4.4% Bicton — Bus: 5.0%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 4.2%
Melville — Car (passenger): 4.5% Bicton — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Train 3.5% / 2.1%
Melville — Train: 3.5% Bicton — Train: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.4%).

Setting

Melville Bicton
Elevation 47 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.2 km
2.6 km to a named beach
 3.4 km
668 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Melville Bicton
Connectivity score 89/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 54%
2,757 premises
 36%
3,373 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

Melville Bicton
Average residential rate $2,396/yr
same for both
Council Melville
same for both

Federal electorate

Melville Bicton
Division Tangney
same for both
Member Sam Lim
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Melville Bicton
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Melville

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Premium Professionals Quiet Transport Hub

Bicton

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Melville

Melville vs Palmyra Melville vs Attadale Melville vs Willagee Melville vs Alfred Cove Melville vs Myaree

Other comparisons with Bicton

Bicton vs East Fremantle Bicton vs Palmyra Bicton vs Attadale
Full data on Melville Full data on Bicton
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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