Upper Swan is a suburb in Western Australia, 36 km from Perth CBD, around 40 minutes by car. Population is 549; the median age is 52 and the median household income is $77,064 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population fell 5.0% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $300 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,885. The area shows high crime risk and high bushfire risk. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Upper Swan a good suburb?
Upper Swan scores a D (26/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Some car dependence
Walkability 5/100 · 35.6 km · 40 min drive to Perth
Median available
Median $660K
High bushfire risk
Fire 77/100 · Crime 88/100 · Flood 62/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 5/10 · median age 52 · 549 residents
Liveability Rating
26 / 100 · Ranked #481 in WAEach bar is Upper Swan's rank among WA suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Upper Swan?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
26 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataUpper Swan's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $660,000, about 4% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$660,000
19% below its 3 neighbours (median $810,000)
Based on 57 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 30 days — median across 19 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 14 sales $703K
- 4 bed 39 sales $427K
Land
$355,000
Based on 42 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 31 days — median across 3 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Upper Swan are currently listed at around $1 million on average. Based on 8 houses listed in the past six months.
$1M
8 houses listed in the last 6 months.
8 of the suburb's 206 dwellings (3.9%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Upper Swan rent for around $800 a week on average, based on 13 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$800/wk
13 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- All rentals
- $750/wk
- 17 bonds
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies. WA's bond data does not record bedrooms or dwelling type, so it covers all rentals together. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202591 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 33% of its income on the median rent in postcode 6069.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$800/week ($42,000 a year) on a $1 million median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
2 active Airbnb listings: 2 whole homes and 0 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.9% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Schools
One school serve Upper Swan, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 398 students in one school (avg 398)
Primary
Walkability
Upper Swan is very car-dependent on foot — at 5/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Upper Swan.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 51.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 12.9 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 14.6 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 13.3 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Upper Swan.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 75%
- Premises covered
- 574
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Swan: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Upper Swan is home to 549 residents, with a median age of 52 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $77,000 a year, with unemployment at 7.2%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
549
Median Age
52
Median Household Income
$77,064/yr
Census Median Rent
$300/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,885/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$34,268/yr
Unemployment Rate
7.2%
Unoccupied Dwellings
7.3%
Total Dwellings
206
Owner-Occupier Rate
89.7%
Houses
101.0%
Rental Stress
20.2%
Mortgage Stress
29.4%
Work From Home
12.3%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 74.7%
- English Spoken at Home
- 93.3%
- Employment Rate
- 54.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 35.2%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
4 residents (0.7%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
7% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (19 of 264).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,699 a year through Swan based on 2023 figures.
Building Approvals: Swan
In the year to August 2026, 2,486 new dwellings were approved across Swan. That mix is 2,297 houses and 189 units. Approvals are up 1.8% on the same period a year earlier.
Climate & Setting
from Pearce RAAF, 11.0 kmModerate rainfall — very hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 23 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 28.7 km
- Annual rainfall
- 592 mm
- 68 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 33.5°C
- 48 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 8.5°C
- 1 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
2 facilities within 5 km- 4.2 km
- 4.3 km
EV adoption
In postcode 6069, 387 of 36,731 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.9% (1,081 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 6069, 13,387 rooftop-solar systems totalling 74.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 16,174 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 805 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $800,000.
Cap is $800,000 SOUTH of the 26th parallel (which includes all of metropolitan Perth) and $1,000,000 NORTH of it. We store the southern figure because that is where almost every buyer is; the northern cap is higher, so the stored value never overstates eligibility. The southern cap rose from $750,000 on 7 May 2026 in the 2026-27 Housing Taxation Package. The same package moved the first home owner RATE OF DUTY thresholds, which is a different scheme and lives in the web repo's app/stamp_duty.py.
Mortgage repayments
15 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 6069.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with RevenueWA
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $800,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Department of Finance WA.
At $660,000 this is under the $800,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Department of Finance WA.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Tania Lawrence Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tania Lawrence | 66.0% | 34.0% | +5.9 |
| 2022 | Tania Lawrence | 56.0% | 44.0% | -11.9 |
| 2019 | Ken Wyatt | 44.6% | 55.4% | +3.3 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Michelle Maynard WA Labor
Next state election: 10 March 2029.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Michelle Maynard ALP | 58.4% |
| 2021 | Jessica Shaw ALP | 77.1% |
| 2017 | Jessica Shaw ALP | 64.5% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2023, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Western Australian Electoral Commission.
Looking at a specific address in Upper Swan?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 549 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Perth There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Perth suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Compare Upper Swan to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other WA suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Upper Swan
Is Upper Swan a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Upper Swan is high (88/100, ranked against other WA suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Upper Swan?
Upper Swan has a high recorded bushfire history (77/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (62/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Upper Swan a good place to live?
Upper Swan has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (26/100), ranked against other WA suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Upper Swan?
Upper Swan, WA had a population of 549 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Upper Swan, WA?
The postcode for Upper Swan, WA is 6069.
How far is Upper Swan from Perth?
Upper Swan is 36 km from Perth CBD by road, about 40 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Upper Swan?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Upper Swan was $77,064 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Upper Swan?
The median advertised rent in Upper Swan is $800 a week for houses (13 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Upper Swan?
The median age of residents in Upper Swan was 52 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Upper Swan at risk of bushfire?
Upper Swan has a high recorded bushfire history (77/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Upper Swan?
There is 1 school inside the Upper Swan boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Upper Swan walkable?
Upper Swan scores 5/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Upper Swan?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Upper Swan, Pearce RAAF (11 km away), summer days average 33.5°C, winter nights 8.5°C, 592 mm of rain a year over 68 rainy days, and 48 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Upper Swan?
First-home buyers in WA may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $800,000. The grant is administered by Department of Finance WA; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Upper Swan belong to?
Upper Swan sits within the Swan local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Upper Swan?
The average residential rates bill through Swan is $2,699 a year (2023). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Upper Swan?
Across Swan, 2,486 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 1.8% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Upper Swan in?
Upper Swan sits within the federal Division of Hasluck, currently held by Tania Lawrence (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2023–24
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2025
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.