West Swan vs Middle Swan

Middle Swan is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 42 in West Swan. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In West Swan, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in West Swan: a median of $1.78 million, against $722,000 in Middle Swan, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, West Swan tends to suit couples, while Middle Swan suits families with children and 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

Middle Swan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more schools inside the suburb (6 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Middle Swan

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($722,500 vs $1,780,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 40%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Middle Swan

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (30% vs 15%)
  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Middle Swan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 18/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Middle Swan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 18/100)

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

Investors

Middle Swan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (0.2% vs -12.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

West Swan and Middle Swan 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 Middle Swan
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 Middle Swan
Walkability 18 / 37
West Swan — Walkability: 18/100 Middle Swan — Walkability: 37/100
Safety 23 / 24
West Swan — Safety: 23/100 Middle Swan — Safety: 24/100
Low fire risk 42 / 100
West Swan — Low fire risk: 42/100 Middle Swan — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 39 / 34
West Swan — Low flood risk: 39/100 Middle Swan — Low flood risk: 34/100

Demographics

Middle Swan has more residents (2,852 vs 786); West Swan has higher household incomes ($77,376 vs $68,432).

West Swan Middle Swan
Population 786 2,852
+263% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -12.6% +0.2%
Median age 42 39
Median household income $77,376/yr
+12% vs other
 $68,432/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+11% vs other
 $310/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

West Swan Middle Swan
0-4 3.1% / 5.6%
West Swan — 0-4: 3.1% Middle Swan — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 6.6% / 12.6%
West Swan — 5-14: 6.6% Middle Swan — 5-14: 12.6%
15-19 2.7% / 6.0%
West Swan — 15-19: 2.7% Middle Swan — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 6.4% / 6.0%
West Swan — 20-24: 6.4% Middle Swan — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 16.9% / 13.8%
West Swan — 25-34: 16.9% Middle Swan — 25-34: 13.8%
35-44 16.8% / 12.9%
West Swan — 35-44: 16.8% Middle Swan — 35-44: 12.9%
45-54 13.2% / 12.8%
West Swan — 45-54: 13.2% Middle Swan — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 15.5% / 13.4%
West Swan — 55-64: 15.5% Middle Swan — 55-64: 13.4%
65-74 11.8% / 9.4%
West Swan — 65-74: 11.8% Middle Swan — 65-74: 9.4%
75-84 5.9% / 5.4%
West Swan — 75-84: 5.9% Middle Swan — 75-84: 5.4%
85+ 1.8% / 1.8%
West Swan — 85+: 1.8% Middle Swan — 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%
Middle Swan 33.2% couple families
Middle Swan — Couple Families: 33.2% Middle Swan — Lone Person: 39.2% Middle Swan — One Parent Families: 21.2% Middle Swan — Group Household: 4.7% Middle Swan — Other Families: 1.8%
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%
Middle Swan 29.6% renting
Middle Swan — Owned Outright: 30.2% Middle Swan — Mortgage: 40.2% Middle Swan — Renting: 29.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

West Swan Middle Swan
Certificate III & IV 11.3% / 17.2%
West Swan — Certificate III & IV: 11.3% Middle Swan — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Bachelor Degree 8.9% / 6.7%
West Swan — Bachelor Degree: 8.9% Middle Swan — Bachelor Degree: 6.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.3% / 6.7%
West Swan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.3% Middle Swan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.8% / 2.1%
West Swan — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8% Middle Swan — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.6% / 0.9%
West Swan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6% Middle Swan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

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.

West Swan Middle Swan
England 6.0% / 4.3%
West Swan — England: 6.0% Middle Swan — England: 4.3%
New Zealand 1.8% / 3.9%
West Swan — New Zealand: 1.8% Middle Swan — New Zealand: 3.9%
Philippines — / 4.8%
West Swan — Philippines: not among its largest Middle Swan — Philippines: 4.8%
India — / 4.3%
West Swan — India: not among its largest Middle Swan — India: 4.3%
Italy 2.2% / 1.4%
West Swan — Italy: 2.2% Middle Swan — Italy: 1.4%
Vietnam 2.0% / 0.5%
West Swan — Vietnam: 2.0% Middle Swan — Vietnam: 0.5%
China 0.8% / 1.0%
West Swan — China: 0.8% Middle Swan — China: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.0%).

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%
Middle Swan 85.4% houses
Middle Swan — Houses: 85.4% Middle Swan — Flats / Apartments: 6.9% Middle Swan — Townhouses: 7.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

West Swan Middle Swan
Median house price $1,780,000 $722,500
Median unit price — $543,750
Median land price — $725,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 19 days
from 32 sales

Development activity

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

West Swan Middle Swan
Houses — 4.9%
$750/wk on $799K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

West Swan Middle Swan
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 40% of WA Higher than 26% of WA
Schools — Higher than 18% of WA
Walkability Higher than 74% of WA Higher than 79% 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 80% of WA
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 77% of WA

Liveability

Middle Swan is more walkable (37 vs 18); West Swan scores higher overall (34 vs 27).

West Swan Middle Swan
Grade C D
Score 34/100 27/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

West Swan carries more bushfire risk (58 vs 0).

West Swan Middle Swan
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
77/100
 High
76/100
Flood Moderate
61/100
 Moderate
66/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 12
within 5 km
 11
within 5 km

Schools

West Swan Middle Swan
Inside the suburb 1 6
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in West Swan

  • Caversham Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Middle Swan

  • La Salle College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • St Brigid's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Swan Christian College Independent · Secondary below peers
  • Moorditj Noongar Community College Government · Primary
  • Swan Christian College - Junior School Campus Independent · Primary
  • Alta-1 College - Middle Swan campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

West Swan Middle Swan
Cafes & restaurants 3
same for both
Childcare 1 2
Fuel stations 1
same for both
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 3 4

Mobility

West Swan Middle Swan
Walkability score 18/100 37/100
Distance to Perth 23.3 km 25.1 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 27 min 30 min
Public transport score 36/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 91.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
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 Middle Swan
Car (driver) 73.2% / 78.8%
West Swan — Car (driver): 73.2% Middle Swan — Car (driver): 78.8%
Worked from Home 18.4% / 6.1%
West Swan — Worked from Home: 18.4% Middle Swan — Worked from Home: 6.1%
Car (passenger) 2.2% / 5.6%
West Swan — Car (passenger): 2.2% Middle Swan — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Walked Only 4.8% / 1.8%
West Swan — Walked Only: 4.8% Middle Swan — Walked Only: 1.8%
Train 1.3% / 4.3%
West Swan — Train: 1.3% Middle Swan — Train: 4.3%
Bus — / 2.6%
West Swan — Bus: not among its largest Middle Swan — Bus: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.8%).

Setting

West Swan Middle Swan
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 22.6 km 25.3 km

NBN connectivity

West Swan Middle Swan
Connectivity score 80/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 65%
353 premises
 42%
1,368 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

West Swan Middle Swan
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

Middle Swan

Acreage Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with West Swan

West Swan vs Brabham West Swan vs Caversham West Swan vs Dayton West Swan vs Henley Brook West Swan vs Herne Hill

Other comparisons with Middle Swan

Middle Swan vs Caversham Middle Swan vs Midland Middle Swan vs Jane Brook Middle Swan vs Stratton Middle Swan vs Midvale Middle Swan vs Herne Hill
Full data on West Swan Full data on Middle Swan
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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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