Middleton Beach vs Port Albany

Port Albany is the younger of the two, with a median age of 52 against 56 in Middleton Beach. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Middleton Beach: a median of $1.46 million, against $900,000 in Port Albany, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Middleton Beach tends to suit older residents, while Port Albany suits 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

Port Albany

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 84%)

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

First-home buyers

Port Albany

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (15% vs 28%)
  • has cheaper houses ($900,000 vs $1,460,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Port Albany

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($280/wk vs $350/wk)
  • But Middleton Beach has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 20%)

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

Commuting to the city

Middleton Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (31/100 vs 9/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (294 min vs 299 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Middleton Beach

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (31/100 vs 9/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (16% vs 6%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (34% vs 23%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Middleton Beach Port Albany
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.

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Walkability 31 / 9
Middleton Beach — Walkability: 31/100 Port Albany — Walkability: 9/100
Safety 47 / 44
Middleton Beach — Safety: 47/100 Port Albany — Safety: 44/100
Low fire risk 100 / 66
Middleton Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100 Port Albany — Low fire risk: 66/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Middleton Beach — Low flood risk: 100/100 Port Albany — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Middleton Beach has more residents (759 vs 133); Middleton Beach rents higher ($350/wk vs $280/wk).

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Population 759
+82% vs other
 133
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% +4.7%
Median age 56 52
Median household income $76,284/yr $87,048/yr
+14% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+20% vs other
 $280/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Middleton Beach Port Albany
0-4 2.6% / —
Middleton Beach — 0-4: 2.6% Port Albany — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 9.7% / 9.8%
Middleton Beach — 5-14: 9.7% Port Albany — 5-14: 9.8%
15-19 5.5% / 9.8%
Middleton Beach — 15-19: 5.5% Port Albany — 15-19: 9.8%
20-24 2.8% / 2.3%
Middleton Beach — 20-24: 2.8% Port Albany — 20-24: 2.3%
25-34 7.5% / 6.0%
Middleton Beach — 25-34: 7.5% Port Albany — 25-34: 6.0%
35-44 8.6% / 12.8%
Middleton Beach — 35-44: 8.6% Port Albany — 35-44: 12.8%
45-54 11.5% / 12.0%
Middleton Beach — 45-54: 11.5% Port Albany — 45-54: 12.0%
55-64 16.6% / 18.8%
Middleton Beach — 55-64: 16.6% Port Albany — 55-64: 18.8%
65-74 17.7% / 13.5%
Middleton Beach — 65-74: 17.7% Port Albany — 65-74: 13.5%
75-84 9.1% / 7.5%
Middleton Beach — 75-84: 9.1% Port Albany — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 7.6% / 2.3%
Middleton Beach — 85+: 7.6% Port Albany — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Middleton Beach 56.1% lone person
Middleton Beach — Lone Person: 56.1% Middleton Beach — Couple Families: 25.9% Middleton Beach — One Parent Families: 13.2% Middleton Beach — Group Household: 3.3% Middleton Beach — Other Families: 1.4%
Port Albany 58.8% lone person
Port Albany — Lone Person: 58.8% Port Albany — Couple Families: 29.4% Port Albany — One Parent Families: 11.8% Port Albany — Group Household: 0.0% Port Albany — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Middleton Beach 33.1% renting
Middleton Beach — Owned Outright: 49.0% Middleton Beach — Mortgage: 17.9% Middleton Beach — Renting: 33.1%
Port Albany 20.0% renting
Port Albany — Owned Outright: 50.0% Port Albany — Mortgage: 30.0% Port Albany — Renting: 20.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Bachelor Degree 18.6% / 12.0%
Middleton Beach — Bachelor Degree: 18.6% Port Albany — Bachelor Degree: 12.0%
Certificate III & IV 11.3% / 17.3%
Middleton Beach — Certificate III & IV: 11.3% Port Albany — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 9.8%
Middleton Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Port Albany — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 7.5%
Middleton Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Port Albany — Postgraduate Degree: 7.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.9% / 3.8%
Middleton Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9% Port Albany — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

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.

Middleton Beach Port Albany
England 7.8% / 12.0%
Middleton Beach — England: 7.8% Port Albany — England: 12.0%
New Zealand 0.9% / 5.3%
Middleton Beach — New Zealand: 0.9% Port Albany — New Zealand: 5.3%
Scotland — / 2.3%
Middleton Beach — Scotland: not among its largest Port Albany — Scotland: 2.3%
France — / 2.3%
Middleton Beach — France: not among its largest Port Albany — France: 2.3%
South Africa 1.4% / —
Middleton Beach — South Africa: 1.4% Port Albany — South Africa: not among its largest
Fiji 0.9% / —
Middleton Beach — Fiji: 0.9% Port Albany — Fiji: not among its largest
Italy 0.7% / —
Middleton Beach — Italy: 0.7% Port Albany — Italy: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Middleton Beach 84.3% houses
Middleton Beach — Houses: 84.3% Middleton Beach — Townhouses: 14.7% Middleton Beach — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Port Albany 96.4% houses
Port Albany — Houses: 96.4% Port Albany — Townhouses: 5.5% Port Albany — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Median house price $1,460,000 $900,000
Median unit price $765,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 68 days
from 6 sales
 —

Development activity

Middleton Beach Port Albany
New dwellings approved 271
across Albany
same for both
Approvals change year on year -28%
same for both

Ranking within WA

Middleton Beach Port Albany
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of WA Higher than 51% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 77% of WA Higher than 69% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 38% of WA Higher than 36% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of WA Higher than 74% of WA

Liveability

Middleton Beach is more walkable (31 vs 9).

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Grade B —
Score 65/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
same for both

Risk profile

Port Albany carries more bushfire risk (34 vs 0).

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
34/100
Crime Moderate
53/100
 Moderate
56/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
11/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Middleton Beach Port Albany
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

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Cafes & restaurants 5 0
Parks & reserves 1 0

Mobility

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Walkability score 31/100 9/100
Distance to Perth 415.8 km
same for both
Drive time (normal traffic) 294 min 299 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 6330
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 31
postcode 6330
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.

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Car (driver) 79.8% / 80.4%
Middleton Beach — Car (driver): 79.8% Port Albany — Car (driver): 80.4%
Worked from Home 9.8% / 14.3%
Middleton Beach — Worked from Home: 9.8% Port Albany — Worked from Home: 14.3%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 5.4%
Middleton Beach — Car (passenger): 4.0% Port Albany — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 4.4% / —
Middleton Beach — Walked Only: 4.4% Port Albany — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 2.0% / —
Middleton Beach — Bus: 2.0% Port Albany — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.4%).

Setting

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Elevation 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 487 m
1.8 km to a named beach
 508 m
1.8 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Connectivity score 64/100 59/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 34%
552 premises
 26%
101 premises

Climate

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Annual rainfall 859 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 22.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Average residential rate $2,591/yr
same for both
Council Albany
same for both

Federal electorate

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Division O'connor
same for both
Member Rick Wilson
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Middleton Beach Port Albany
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Middleton Beach

Coastal Quiet Retirees

Port Albany

Coastal Professionals Quiet

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Port Albany

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Full data on Middleton Beach Full data on Port Albany
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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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