Southern River vs Harrisdale

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Southern River: a median of $1.05 million, against $950,000 in Harrisdale.

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

Southern River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more childcare (10 vs 7)

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

First-home buyers

Harrisdale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($950,000 vs $1,047,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

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

Southern River Harrisdale
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.

Southern River Harrisdale
Walkability 66 / 63
Southern River — Walkability: 66/100 Harrisdale — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 45 / 52
Southern River — Safety: 45/100 Harrisdale — Safety: 52/100
Low fire risk 50 / 41
Southern River — Low fire risk: 50/100 Harrisdale — Low fire risk: 41/100
Low flood risk 74 / 100
Southern River — Low flood risk: 74/100 Harrisdale — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Southern River Harrisdale
Population 12,852
+9% vs other
 11,667
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +24.2% +28.5%
Median age 33
same for both
Median household income $122,928/yr $125,424/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Southern River Harrisdale
0-4 7.5% / 9.5%
Southern River — 0-4: 7.5% Harrisdale — 0-4: 9.5%
5-14 17.7% / 19.5%
Southern River — 5-14: 17.7% Harrisdale — 5-14: 19.5%
15-19 7.6% / 5.5%
Southern River — 15-19: 7.6% Harrisdale — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 6.7% / 4.4%
Southern River — 20-24: 6.7% Harrisdale — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 12.7% / 15.2%
Southern River — 25-34: 12.7% Harrisdale — 25-34: 15.2%
35-44 18.1% / 23.3%
Southern River — 35-44: 18.1% Harrisdale — 35-44: 23.3%
45-54 13.9% / 10.7%
Southern River — 45-54: 13.9% Harrisdale — 45-54: 10.7%
55-64 8.6% / 6.6%
Southern River — 55-64: 8.6% Harrisdale — 55-64: 6.6%
65-74 5.0% / 3.9%
Southern River — 65-74: 5.0% Harrisdale — 65-74: 3.9%
75-84 1.8% / 1.1%
Southern River — 75-84: 1.8% Harrisdale — 75-84: 1.1%
85+ 0.3% / 0.2%
Southern River — 85+: 0.3% Harrisdale — 85+: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Southern River 70.5% couple families
Southern River — Couple Families: 70.5% Southern River — Lone Person: 14.0% Southern River — One Parent Families: 12.1% Southern River — Group Household: 2.0% Southern River — Other Families: 1.4%
Harrisdale 71.4% couple families
Harrisdale — Couple Families: 71.4% Harrisdale — Lone Person: 13.4% Harrisdale — One Parent Families: 12.3% Harrisdale — Group Household: 1.7% Harrisdale — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Southern River 16.9% renting
Southern River — Owned Outright: 20.0% Southern River — Mortgage: 63.1% Southern River — Renting: 16.9%
Harrisdale 20.3% renting
Harrisdale — Owned Outright: 11.7% Harrisdale — Mortgage: 68.0% Harrisdale — Renting: 20.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Southern River Harrisdale
Bachelor Degree 14.9% / 16.8%
Southern River — Bachelor Degree: 14.9% Harrisdale — Bachelor Degree: 16.8%
Certificate III & IV 11.9% / 11.1%
Southern River — Certificate III & IV: 11.9% Harrisdale — Certificate III & IV: 11.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 8.3%
Southern River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Harrisdale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 5.3% / 7.0%
Southern River — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3% Harrisdale — Postgraduate Degree: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.9%
Southern River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Harrisdale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Southern River Harrisdale
India 7.6% / 14.9%
Southern River — India: 7.6% Harrisdale — India: 14.9%
England 5.2% / 5.2%
Southern River — England: 5.2% Harrisdale — England: 5.2%
Malaysia 4.2% / 4.0%
Southern River — Malaysia: 4.2% Harrisdale — Malaysia: 4.0%
South Africa 3.1% / 2.9%
Southern River — South Africa: 3.1% Harrisdale — South Africa: 2.9%
China 3.2% / 2.3%
Southern River — China: 3.2% Harrisdale — China: 2.3%
New Zealand 2.2% / 2.4%
Southern River — New Zealand: 2.2% Harrisdale — New Zealand: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Southern River 97.1% houses
Southern River — Houses: 97.1% Southern River — Townhouses: 2.4% Southern River — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Harrisdale 98.5% houses
Harrisdale — Houses: 98.5% Harrisdale — Townhouses: 1.4% Harrisdale — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Southern River Harrisdale
Median house price $1,047,500 $950,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $735,000 $780,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 149 sales
 26 days
from 156 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.

Southern River Harrisdale
3 bed $780K / $840K
Southern River — 3 bed: $780K (43 sales) Harrisdale — 3 bed: $840K (103 sales)

43 vs 103 sales

4 bed $1.08M / $1.07M
Southern River — 4 bed: $1.08M (171 sales) Harrisdale — 4 bed: $1.07M (133 sales)

171 vs 133 sales

5 bed $1.39M / $1.32M
Southern River — 5 bed: $1.39M (16 sales) Harrisdale — 5 bed: $1.32M (12 sales)

16 vs 12 sales

Development activity

Southern River Harrisdale
New dwellings approved 660
across Gosnells
 1,811
across Armadale
Approvals change year on year +17% +70%

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.

Southern River Harrisdale
Houses 4.2%
$815/wk on $1M
 4.2%
$850/wk on $1.05M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Southern River Harrisdale
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 88% of WA Higher than 89% of WA
Schools Higher than 98% of WA
same for both
Walkability Higher than 89% of WA Higher than 87% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 73% of WA Higher than 84% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of WA Higher than 96% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 40% of WA Higher than 38% of WA

Liveability

Harrisdale scores higher overall (73 vs 68).

Southern River Harrisdale
Grade B A
Score 68/100 73/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Southern River carries more flood risk (26 vs 0).

Southern River Harrisdale
Bushfire Moderate
50/100
 Moderate
59/100
Crime Moderate
55/100
 Moderate
48/100
Flood Low
26/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Southern River Harrisdale
Inside the suburb 4
same for both
Rated above peers 3
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Southern River

  • Bletchley Park Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Providence Christian College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Southern Grove Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Yarralinka Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Harrisdale

  • Carey Baptist College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Harrisdale Senior High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • North Harrisdale Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Harrisdale Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Southern River Harrisdale
Supermarkets 4 5
Cafes & restaurants 7 12
Parks & reserves 18 19
Childcare 10 7
GPs 2 3
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 5 1
EV chargers 1
same for both
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Southern River Harrisdale
Walkability score 66/100 63/100
Distance to Perth 27.9 km 28.8 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 33 min 31 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 152.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 131.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 6110
 1.2%
postcode 6112
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 67
postcode 6110
 75
postcode 6112

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.

Southern River Harrisdale
Car (driver) 78.5% / 78.0%
Southern River — Car (driver): 78.5% Harrisdale — Car (driver): 78.0%
Worked from Home 8.0% / 8.1%
Southern River — Worked from Home: 8.0% Harrisdale — Worked from Home: 8.1%
Train 5.3% / 6.4%
Southern River — Train: 5.3% Harrisdale — Train: 6.4%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 4.5%
Southern River — Car (passenger): 5.3% Harrisdale — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Bus 2.1% / 2.0%
Southern River — Bus: 2.1% Harrisdale — Bus: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.5%).

Setting

Southern River Harrisdale
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 18.6 km
3.1 km to a named beach
 15.9 km

NBN connectivity

Southern River Harrisdale
Connectivity score 87/100 93/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 75%
5,318 premises
 87%
3,768 premises

Climate

Southern River Harrisdale
Annual rainfall 745 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Southern River Harrisdale
Average residential rate $2,067/yr $2,388/yr
Council Gosnells Armadale

Federal electorate

Southern River Harrisdale
Division Burt
same for both
Member Matt Keogh
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Southern River Harrisdale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Southern River

Family Large Blocks Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Quiet

Harrisdale

Family Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Southern River

Southern River vs Canning Vale Southern River vs Thornlie Southern River vs Gosnells Southern River vs Huntingdale Southern River vs Champion Lakes Southern River vs Forrestdale

Other comparisons with Harrisdale

Harrisdale vs Canning Vale Harrisdale vs Piara Waters Harrisdale vs Treeby Harrisdale vs Forrestdale
Full data on Southern River Full data on Harrisdale
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