Mount Barker vs Porongurup

Mount Barker is the younger of the two, with a median age of 48 against 51 in Porongurup. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Porongurup, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Porongurup: a median of $950,000, against $582,000 in Mount Barker, though rent is higher in Mount Barker. On these figures, Mount Barker 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

Porongurup

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 75/100)

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

First-home buyers

Mount Barker

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($582,500 vs $950,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Mount Barker has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 8%)
  • Porongurup leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 20%)

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

Commuting to the city

Mount Barker

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (253 min vs 274 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (363.9 km vs 387.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Porongurup

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 75/100)

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

Investors

Porongurup

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (17.9% vs 4.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mount Barker Porongurup
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.

Mount Barker Porongurup
Walkability 4 / 0
Mount Barker — Walkability: 4/100 Porongurup — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 25 / 82
Mount Barker — Safety: 25/100 Porongurup — Safety: 82/100
Low fire risk 64 / 53
Mount Barker — Low fire risk: 64/100 Porongurup — Low fire risk: 53/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Mount Barker — Low flood risk: 100/100 Porongurup — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Mount Barker has more residents (2,855 vs 342); Porongurup has higher household incomes ($73,216 vs $57,408).

Mount Barker Porongurup
Population 2,855
+88% vs other
 342
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.2% +17.9%
Median age 48 51
Median household income $57,408/yr $73,216/yr
+28% vs other
Median weekly rent $225/wk
+7% vs other
 $210/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Barker Porongurup
0-4 5.0% / 4.7%
Mount Barker — 0-4: 5.0% Porongurup — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 12.5% / 9.1%
Mount Barker — 5-14: 12.5% Porongurup — 5-14: 9.1%
15-19 6.2% / 4.1%
Mount Barker — 15-19: 6.2% Porongurup — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 3.7% / 4.7%
Mount Barker — 20-24: 3.7% Porongurup — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 8.7% / 5.6%
Mount Barker — 25-34: 8.7% Porongurup — 25-34: 5.6%
35-44 10.1% / 7.9%
Mount Barker — 35-44: 10.1% Porongurup — 35-44: 7.9%
45-54 12.9% / 18.1%
Mount Barker — 45-54: 12.9% Porongurup — 45-54: 18.1%
55-64 15.9% / 17.8%
Mount Barker — 55-64: 15.9% Porongurup — 55-64: 17.8%
65-74 14.5% / 17.0%
Mount Barker — 65-74: 14.5% Porongurup — 65-74: 17.0%
75-84 6.7% / 7.9%
Mount Barker — 75-84: 6.7% Porongurup — 75-84: 7.9%
85+ 3.4% / 0.9%
Mount Barker — 85+: 3.4% Porongurup — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Barker 42.2% lone person
Mount Barker — Lone Person: 42.2% Mount Barker — Couple Families: 39.1% Mount Barker — One Parent Families: 14.7% Mount Barker — Group Household: 2.8% Mount Barker — Other Families: 1.2%
Porongurup 45.6% lone person
Porongurup — Lone Person: 45.6% Porongurup — Couple Families: 43.0% Porongurup — One Parent Families: 7.6% Porongurup — Group Household: 3.8% Porongurup — 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.

Mount Barker 25.5% renting
Mount Barker — Owned Outright: 43.0% Mount Barker — Mortgage: 31.5% Mount Barker — Renting: 25.5%
Porongurup 8.2% renting
Porongurup — Owned Outright: 57.4% Porongurup — Mortgage: 34.4% Porongurup — Renting: 8.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Barker Porongurup
Certificate III & IV 15.6% / 13.7%
Mount Barker — Certificate III & IV: 15.6% Porongurup — Certificate III & IV: 13.7%
Bachelor Degree 7.0% / 12.6%
Mount Barker — Bachelor Degree: 7.0% Porongurup — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 9.1%
Mount Barker — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% Porongurup — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 4.7%
Mount Barker — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Porongurup — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 2.0%
Mount Barker — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Porongurup — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.6%).

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.

Mount Barker Porongurup
England 6.4% / 11.4%
Mount Barker — England: 6.4% Porongurup — England: 11.4%
New Zealand 1.9% / 1.2%
Mount Barker — New Zealand: 1.9% Porongurup — New Zealand: 1.2%
Afghanistan 2.7% / —
Mount Barker — Afghanistan: 2.7% Porongurup — Afghanistan: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.4% / 1.8%
Mount Barker — Netherlands: 0.4% Porongurup — Netherlands: 1.8%
Philippines 1.2% / 0.9%
Mount Barker — Philippines: 1.2% Porongurup — Philippines: 0.9%
Germany 0.6% / 1.5%
Mount Barker — Germany: 0.6% Porongurup — Germany: 1.5%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.9%
Mount Barker — South Africa: 0.8% Porongurup — South Africa: 0.9%
India — / 1.2%
Mount Barker — India: not among its largest Porongurup — India: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Barker 95.4% houses
Mount Barker — Houses: 95.4% Mount Barker — Townhouses: 2.5% Mount Barker — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Porongurup 100.0% houses
Porongurup — Houses: 100.0% Porongurup — Townhouses: 0.0% Porongurup — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mount Barker Porongurup
Median house price $582,500 $950,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $322,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 18 sales
 —

Development activity

Mount Barker Porongurup
New dwellings approved 37
across Plantagenet
same for both
Approvals change year on year -57%
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.

Mount Barker Porongurup
Houses 3.4%
$420/wk on $650K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Mount Barker Porongurup
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 14% of WA Higher than 35% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 66% of WA Higher than 36% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 32% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of WA Higher than 40% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 12% of WA —

Liveability

Mount Barker Porongurup
Grade D —
Score 28/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Mount Barker carries more crime risk (75 vs 18); Porongurup carries more bushfire risk (47 vs 36).

Mount Barker Porongurup
Bushfire Low
36/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime High
75/100
 Low
18/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Mount Barker Porongurup
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Mount Barker

  • Mount Barker Community College Government · Combined at peers

Schools in Porongurup

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

Amenities in the suburb

Mount Barker Porongurup
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 2
Parks & reserves 4 5
Childcare 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 2 8

Mobility

Porongurup sits further from the CBD (387.4 km vs 363.9 km).

Mount Barker Porongurup
Walkability score 4/100 0/100
Distance to Perth 363.9 km 387.4 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 253 min 274 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 6324
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 35
postcode 6324
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.

Mount Barker Porongurup
Car (driver) 79.7% / 61.8%
Mount Barker — Car (driver): 79.7% Porongurup — Car (driver): 61.8%
Worked from Home 8.3% / 21.3%
Mount Barker — Worked from Home: 8.3% Porongurup — Worked from Home: 21.3%
Walked Only 4.2% / 14.7%
Mount Barker — Walked Only: 4.2% Porongurup — Walked Only: 14.7%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 2.2%
Mount Barker — Car (passenger): 7.1% Porongurup — Car (passenger): 2.2%
Bus 0.4% / —
Mount Barker — Bus: 0.4% Porongurup — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.7%).

Setting

Mount Barker Porongurup
Elevation 265 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 275 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 46.2 km 31.8 km

NBN connectivity

Mount Barker Porongurup
Connectivity score 47/100 17/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 18%
1,498 premises
 0%
129 premises

Climate

Mount Barker Porongurup
Annual rainfall 619 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Council rates

Mount Barker Porongurup
Average residential rate $3,167/yr
same for both
Council Plantagenet
same for both

Federal electorate

Mount Barker Porongurup
Division O'connor
same for both
Member Rick Wilson
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mount Barker Porongurup
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mount Barker

Affordable Rural

Porongurup

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Barker

Mount Barker vs Kendenup Mount Barker vs Narrikup Mount Barker vs Forest Hill Mount Barker vs Woogenellup Mount Barker vs Denbarker

Other comparisons with Porongurup

Porongurup vs Narrikup Porongurup vs Napier Porongurup vs Takalarup Porongurup vs Woogenellup
Full data on Mount Barker Full data on Porongurup
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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