West Swan vs Herne Hill

West Swan is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 46 in Herne Hill. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. West Swan is closer to the city centre: 23.3 km, against 28.9 km.

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

Herne Hill

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (41/100 vs 77/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 55%)

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

First-home buyers

Herne Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 40%)

Weighs house 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

West Swan

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (27 min vs 34 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (23.3 km vs 28.9 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

  • West Swan has more units and townhouses to downsize into (17% vs 2%)
  • Herne Hill carries lower crime risk (41/100 vs 77/100)

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

Investors

Herne Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (1.0% vs -12.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

West Swan Herne Hill
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.

West Swan Herne Hill
Walkability 18 / 25
West Swan — Walkability: 18/100 Herne Hill — Walkability: 25/100
Safety 23 / 59
West Swan — Safety: 23/100 Herne Hill — Safety: 59/100
Low fire risk 42 / 25
West Swan — Low fire risk: 42/100 Herne Hill — Low fire risk: 25/100
Low flood risk 39 / 48
West Swan — Low flood risk: 39/100 Herne Hill — Low flood risk: 48/100

Demographics

Herne Hill has more residents (1,542 vs 786); Herne Hill has higher household incomes ($87,308 vs $77,376).

West Swan Herne Hill
Population 786 1,542
+96% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -12.6% +1.0%
Median age 42 46
Median household income $77,376/yr $87,308/yr
+13% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+4% vs other
 $335/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

West Swan Herne Hill
0-4 3.1% / 5.2%
West Swan — 0-4: 3.1% Herne Hill — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 6.6% / 11.7%
West Swan — 5-14: 6.6% Herne Hill — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 2.7% / 5.4%
West Swan — 15-19: 2.7% Herne Hill — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 6.4% / 5.1%
West Swan — 20-24: 6.4% Herne Hill — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 16.9% / 10.2%
West Swan — 25-34: 16.9% Herne Hill — 25-34: 10.2%
35-44 16.8% / 10.6%
West Swan — 35-44: 16.8% Herne Hill — 35-44: 10.6%
45-54 13.2% / 14.3%
West Swan — 45-54: 13.2% Herne Hill — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 15.5% / 14.5%
West Swan — 55-64: 15.5% Herne Hill — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 11.8% / 14.6%
West Swan — 65-74: 11.8% Herne Hill — 65-74: 14.6%
75-84 5.9% / 7.0%
West Swan — 75-84: 5.9% Herne Hill — 75-84: 7.0%
85+ 1.8% / 1.8%
West Swan — 85+: 1.8% Herne Hill — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

West Swan 45.7% couple families
West Swan — Couple Families: 45.7% West Swan — Lone Person: 38.0% West Swan — One Parent Families: 9.3% West Swan — Group Household: 4.7% West Swan — Other Families: 2.3%
Herne Hill 50.1% couple families
Herne Hill — Couple Families: 50.1% Herne Hill — Lone Person: 30.2% Herne Hill — One Parent Families: 15.9% Herne Hill — Group Household: 2.7% Herne Hill — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

West Swan 14.8% renting
West Swan — Owned Outright: 55.1% West Swan — Mortgage: 30.1% West Swan — Renting: 14.8%
Herne Hill 13.6% renting
Herne Hill — Owned Outright: 46.3% Herne Hill — Mortgage: 40.1% Herne Hill — Renting: 13.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

West Swan Herne Hill
Certificate III & IV 11.3% / 18.7%
West Swan — Certificate III & IV: 11.3% Herne Hill — Certificate III & IV: 18.7%
Bachelor Degree 8.9% / 7.1%
West Swan — Bachelor Degree: 8.9% Herne Hill — Bachelor Degree: 7.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.3% / 7.3%
West Swan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.3% Herne Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 1.8% / 1.3%
West Swan — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8% Herne Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.6% / 1.4%
West Swan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6% Herne Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

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.

West Swan Herne Hill
England 6.0% / 6.7%
West Swan — England: 6.0% Herne Hill — England: 6.7%
Italy 2.2% / 2.7%
West Swan — Italy: 2.2% Herne Hill — Italy: 2.7%
New Zealand 1.8% / 3.0%
West Swan — New Zealand: 1.8% Herne Hill — New Zealand: 3.0%
Vietnam 2.0% / 0.4%
West Swan — Vietnam: 2.0% Herne Hill — Vietnam: 0.4%
China 0.8% / —
West Swan — China: 0.8% Herne Hill — China: not among its largest
Ireland — / 0.5%
West Swan — Ireland: not among its largest Herne Hill — Ireland: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

West Swan 83.0% houses
West Swan — Houses: 83.0% West Swan — Flats / Apartments: 13.2% West Swan — Townhouses: 3.8%
Herne Hill 98.0% houses
Herne Hill — Houses: 98.0% Herne Hill — Flats / Apartments: 1.3% Herne Hill — Townhouses: 0.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

West Swan Herne Hill
Median house price $1,780,000 $1,650,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 35 days
from 14 sales

Development activity

West Swan Herne Hill
New dwellings approved 2,486
across Swan
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
same for both

Ranking within WA

West Swan Herne Hill
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 40% of WA Higher than 51% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of WA Higher than 76% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 85% of WA Higher than 70% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of WA Higher than 61% of WA

Liveability

West Swan Herne Hill
Grade C
same for both
Score 34/100 35/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

West Swan carries more crime risk (77 vs 41); Herne Hill carries more bushfire risk (75 vs 58).

West Swan Herne Hill
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 High
75/100
Crime High
77/100
 Moderate
41/100
Flood Moderate
61/100
 Moderate
52/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 12
within 5 km
 7
within 5 km

Schools

West Swan Herne Hill
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in West Swan

  • Caversham Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Herne Hill

  • Herne Hill Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

West Swan Herne Hill
Cafes & restaurants 3
same for both
Childcare 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

Herne Hill sits further from the CBD (28.9 km vs 23.3 km).

West Swan Herne Hill
Walkability score 18/100 25/100
Distance to Perth 23.3 km 28.9 km
+24% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 27 min 34 min
Public transport score 36/100
Bus
 60/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 27.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 6055
 0.8%
postcode 6056
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 96
postcode 6055
 56
postcode 6056

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.

West Swan Herne Hill
Car (driver) 73.2% / 73.6%
West Swan — Car (driver): 73.2% Herne Hill — Car (driver): 73.6%
Worked from Home 18.4% / 15.7%
West Swan — Worked from Home: 18.4% Herne Hill — Worked from Home: 15.7%
Walked Only 4.8% / 2.7%
West Swan — Walked Only: 4.8% Herne Hill — Walked Only: 2.7%
Car (passenger) 2.2% / 4.3%
West Swan — Car (passenger): 2.2% Herne Hill — Car (passenger): 4.3%
Train 1.3% / 1.9%
West Swan — Train: 1.3% Herne Hill — Train: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.6%).

Setting

West Swan Herne Hill
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 22.6 km 26.5 km

NBN connectivity

West Swan Herne Hill
Connectivity score 80/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 65%
353 premises
 0%
678 premises

Climate

West Swan Herne Hill
Annual rainfall 663 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 32.3°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Council rates

West Swan Herne Hill
Average residential rate $2,699/yr
same for both
Council Swan
same for both

Federal electorate

West Swan Herne Hill
Division Hasluck
same for both
Member Tania Lawrence
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

West Swan Herne Hill
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

West Swan

Middle-Ring Quiet

Herne Hill

Acreage Outer Premium Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with West Swan

West Swan vs Brabham West Swan vs Caversham West Swan vs Dayton West Swan vs Middle Swan West Swan vs Henley Brook

Other comparisons with Herne Hill

Herne Hill vs Middle Swan Herne Hill vs Henley Brook Herne Hill vs Millendon Herne Hill vs Red Hill
Full data on West Swan Full data on Herne Hill
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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