Scarborough vs Wembley Downs

Scarborough is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 41 in Wembley Downs. In both, most households own their home. In Scarborough, about half of households are people living alone. In Wembley Downs, most homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Wembley Downs: a median of $1.9 million, against $1.34 million in Scarborough, and rent is higher there too. Wembley Downs is closer to the city centre: 11.6 km, against 14.5 km. On these figures, Scarborough tends to suit young adults, people living alone, and share households, while Wembley Downs suits families with children and 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

Wembley Downs

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 61/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (72% vs 36%)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

  • Scarborough has cheaper houses ($1,340,000 vs $1,900,000)
  • Wembley Downs has cheaper units ($560,000 vs $723,750)

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

Renters

Scarborough

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (40% vs 16%)
  • has cheaper rent ($405/wk vs $470/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Scarborough is more walkable (86/100 vs 78/100)
  • Wembley Downs sits closer to the CBD (11.6 km vs 14.5 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Scarborough has more units and townhouses to downsize into (64% vs 28%)
  • Wembley Downs carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 61/100)

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

Investors

Scarborough

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (13.8% vs 6.7%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.4% vs 3.3%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Scarborough Wembley Downs
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.

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Walkability 86 / 78
Scarborough — Walkability: 86/100 Wembley Downs — Walkability: 78/100
Safety 39 / 73
Scarborough — Safety: 39/100 Wembley Downs — Safety: 73/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Scarborough — Low fire risk: 100/100 Wembley Downs — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Scarborough — Low flood risk: 100/100 Wembley Downs — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Scarborough has more residents (17,605 vs 6,743); Wembley Downs has higher household incomes ($136,552 vs $109,564).

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Population 17,605
+62% vs other
 6,743
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.8% +6.7%
Median age 36 41
Median household income $109,564/yr $136,552/yr
+25% vs other
Median weekly rent $405/wk $470/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Scarborough Wembley Downs
0-4 5.8% / 5.3%
Scarborough — 0-4: 5.8% Wembley Downs — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 8.7% / 15.5%
Scarborough — 5-14: 8.7% Wembley Downs — 5-14: 15.5%
15-19 3.9% / 8.6%
Scarborough — 15-19: 3.9% Wembley Downs — 15-19: 8.6%
20-24 5.1% / 4.9%
Scarborough — 20-24: 5.1% Wembley Downs — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 23.9% / 7.6%
Scarborough — 25-34: 23.9% Wembley Downs — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 17.7% / 13.0%
Scarborough — 35-44: 17.7% Wembley Downs — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 12.4% / 15.5%
Scarborough — 45-54: 12.4% Wembley Downs — 45-54: 15.5%
55-64 9.9% / 11.4%
Scarborough — 55-64: 9.9% Wembley Downs — 55-64: 11.4%
65-74 7.1% / 8.6%
Scarborough — 65-74: 7.1% Wembley Downs — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 4.0% / 6.7%
Scarborough — 75-84: 4.0% Wembley Downs — 75-84: 6.7%
85+ 1.5% / 2.7%
Scarborough — 85+: 1.5% Wembley Downs — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Scarborough 28.9% couple families
Scarborough — Couple Families: 28.9% Scarborough — Lone Person: 47.2% Scarborough — One Parent Families: 12.2% Scarborough — Group Household: 10.1% Scarborough — Other Families: 1.5%
Wembley Downs 56.6% couple families
Wembley Downs — Couple Families: 56.6% Wembley Downs — Lone Person: 26.8% Wembley Downs — One Parent Families: 13.0% Wembley Downs — Group Household: 2.9% Wembley Downs — Other Families: 0.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Scarborough 40.3% renting
Scarborough — Owned Outright: 24.1% Scarborough — Mortgage: 35.6% Scarborough — Renting: 40.3%
Wembley Downs 15.9% renting
Wembley Downs — Owned Outright: 43.2% Wembley Downs — Mortgage: 40.9% Wembley Downs — Renting: 15.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Bachelor Degree 23.4% / 24.2%
Scarborough — Bachelor Degree: 23.4% Wembley Downs — Bachelor Degree: 24.2%
Certificate III & IV 12.2% / 6.1%
Scarborough — Certificate III & IV: 12.2% Wembley Downs — Certificate III & IV: 6.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 8.0%
Scarborough — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Wembley Downs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 7.1% / 9.2%
Scarborough — Postgraduate Degree: 7.1% Wembley Downs — Postgraduate Degree: 9.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 4.2%
Scarborough — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Wembley Downs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.2%).

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.

Scarborough Wembley Downs
England 7.7% / 6.9%
Scarborough — England: 7.7% Wembley Downs — England: 6.9%
South Africa 2.3% / 3.4%
Scarborough — South Africa: 2.3% Wembley Downs — South Africa: 3.4%
New Zealand 3.4% / 1.5%
Scarborough — New Zealand: 3.4% Wembley Downs — New Zealand: 1.5%
Brazil 2.2% / —
Scarborough — Brazil: 2.2% Wembley Downs — Brazil: not among its largest
Ireland 1.7% / —
Scarborough — Ireland: 1.7% Wembley Downs — Ireland: not among its largest
China — / 1.6%
Scarborough — China: not among its largest Wembley Downs — China: 1.6%
Malaysia — / 1.3%
Scarborough — Malaysia: not among its largest Wembley Downs — Malaysia: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Scarborough 36.2% houses
Scarborough — Houses: 36.2% Scarborough — Townhouses: 47.6% Scarborough — Flats / Apartments: 16.2%
Wembley Downs 72.5% houses
Wembley Downs — Houses: 72.5% Wembley Downs — Townhouses: 23.6% Wembley Downs — Flats / Apartments: 3.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Median house price $1,340,000 $1,900,000
Median unit price $723,750 $560,000
Median land price $1,580,000 $1,450,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 173 sales
 26 days
from 79 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.

Scarborough Wembley Downs
2 bed $836K / $1.15M
Scarborough — 2 bed: $836K (38 sales) Wembley Downs — 2 bed: $1.15M (9 sales)

38 vs 9 sales

3 bed $1.28M / $1.61M
Scarborough — 3 bed: $1.28M (137 sales) Wembley Downs — 3 bed: $1.61M (48 sales)

137 vs 48 sales

4 bed $1.6M / $2.2M
Scarborough — 4 bed: $1.6M (63 sales) Wembley Downs — 4 bed: $2.2M (54 sales)

63 vs 54 sales

5 bed $1.75M / $2.3M
Scarborough — 5 bed: $1.75M (7 sales) Wembley Downs — 5 bed: $2.3M (9 sales)

7 vs 9 sales

Development activity

Scarborough Wembley Downs
New dwellings approved 1,557
across Stirling
same for both
Approvals change year on year +23%
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.

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Houses 4.4%
$850/wk on $1M
 3.3%
$1,275/wk on $2M
Units 4.9%
$750/wk on $800K
 —

Ranking within WA

Scarborough Wembley Downs
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 75% of WA Higher than 93% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 98% of WA Higher than 93% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 93% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of WA Higher than 86% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 52% of WA Higher than 12% of WA
Rental yield (units) Higher than 27% of WA —

Liveability

Scarborough is more walkable (86 vs 78); Wembley Downs scores higher overall (94 vs 89).

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Grade A+
same for both
Score 89/100 94/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Scarborough carries more crime risk (61 vs 27).

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
61/100
 Low
27/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
63/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km None 3
ECU City Campus, 8.6 km

Schools in Scarborough

  • Scarborough Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St John's School Catholic · Primary below peers

Schools in Wembley Downs

  • Hale School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Wembley Downs Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Supermarkets 4 1
Cafes & restaurants 16 1
Parks & reserves 6 9
Childcare 5
same for both
GPs 3 2
Pharmacies 4 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 4 0
EV chargers 2 0
Beaches 1 0

Mobility

Scarborough sits further from the CBD (14.5 km vs 11.6 km).

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Walkability score 86/100 78/100
Distance to Perth 14.5 km
+20% vs other
 11.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 20 min 17 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 337.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 81.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.9%
postcode 6019
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 27
postcode 6019
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.

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Car (driver) 73.5% / 72.1%
Scarborough — Car (driver): 73.5% Wembley Downs — Car (driver): 72.1%
Worked from Home 11.2% / 14.0%
Scarborough — Worked from Home: 11.2% Wembley Downs — Worked from Home: 14.0%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 4.4%
Scarborough — Car (passenger): 4.2% Wembley Downs — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Train 6.0% / 2.6%
Scarborough — Train: 6.0% Wembley Downs — Train: 2.6%
Bus 2.6% / 3.8%
Scarborough — Bus: 2.6% Wembley Downs — Bus: 3.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.5%).

Setting

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 41 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 995 m
990 m to a named beach
 2.1 km
2.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Connectivity score 61/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 29%
10,010 premises
 53%
2,699 premises

Climate

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Annual rainfall 716 mm 650 mm
Summer max (Jan) 29.8°C —
Winter min (Jul) 10.4°C —

Council rates

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Average residential rate $1,615/yr
same for both
Council Stirling
same for both

Federal electorate

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Division Curtin
same for both
Member Kate Chaney
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Scarborough Wembley Downs
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Scarborough

Beach Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub Urban

Wembley Downs

Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Quiet Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Scarborough

Scarborough vs Karrinyup Scarborough vs Doubleview Scarborough vs City Beach Scarborough vs Trigg

Other comparisons with Wembley Downs

Wembley Downs vs Doubleview Wembley Downs vs Floreat Wembley Downs vs City Beach Wembley Downs vs Woodlands Wembley Downs vs Churchlands
Full data on Scarborough Full data on Wembley Downs
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or