It’s the question that divides our city, where is better, north or south of the river? While the question may pose a passionate debate in suburban rivalry, the answer is not so black and white.
If you’re looking to buy or rent, but can’t decide on which end of Perth you want to live in, we have analysed the lifestyle aspects and attractions, as well as given you the property market breakdown of both north and south of the river,
to give you an insight into both worlds.
North of the river
The lifestyle
Living north of the river gives you the best of both worlds being close to the coast and Perth’s vibrant city life. Generally speaking, the northern suburbs are considered livelier with more attractions and a larger density of people.
Its nightlife far outshines the south, with Northbridge, North Perth, Leederville, Mt Lawley and Scarborough all being popular night-time hotspots for people from all over Perth.
For people who love living near the coast, north of the river beaches includes a fine stretch of pristine coast including City Beach, Trigg, Scarborough and Mettam’s Pool.
A lot of northern suburbs, in particular Scarborough, have endured significant development growth to its infrastructure and tourist attractions, invigorating its lifestyle and drawing in more and more people.
The property market
Despite it being generally more expensive to buy and rent north of the river (mainly due to the inclusion of the Western Suburbs), the housing markets in the north and south are generally quite similar.
House prices have experienced less of a decline in the north than in the south, with suburbs like Wembley Downs, Mullaloo and Karrinyup experiencing high annual growth to its median house price during the last 12 months.
reiwa.com north of the river data:
- Median house price: $529,000, a five year decline of two per cent
- Average days on market: 71 days
- Median weekly rent price: $380
- Average days to lease: 40 days
South of the river
The lifestyle
While the north is considered the livelier place to live, the south is also home to lively precincts, like Fremantle and Victoria Park which are popular activity centres.
Traditionally, south of the river is popular among families with there being greater schooling options and parklands. Southerners will also tell you about their laid back lifestyle having easy access to the riverfront and beaches like Leighton, Coogee
and South Fremantle.
Fremantle is a popular destination in the south and could be considered the metropolis of the area. It’s historical charm and urban feel draws people from all over Perth.
Nightlife in Fremantle is thriving with hip bars, restaurants and nightclubs constantly being introduced and is always a popular go to place for the locals.
The property market
South of the river ticks all the boxes for affordability, with its median house price and weekly rent price lower than north of the river suburbs. You can find larger blocks of land this side of town, however unit stock levels are usually lower. Seven
out of the 10 Perth suburbs which had the highest annual growth over the last 12 months were south of the river suburbs (see below) which is a good indication that there is growing interest from buyers in the south.
reiwa.com south of the river data:
- Median house price: $460,000, a five year decline of 2.6 per cent
- Average days on market: 78 days
- Median weekly rent price: $360
- Average days to lease: 40 days
Top growth suburbs
| SUBURB | MEDIAN SALE PRICE | ANNUAL GROWTH | FIVE YEAR GROWTH |
|---|
| 1. Wembley Downs (north) | $1,100,000 | 8.6% | 2.2% |
| 2. Mullaloo (north) | $700,000 | 8.5% | -0.9% |
| 3. Attadale (south) | $1,100,000 | 6.4% | -1.7% |
| 4. Carlisle (south) | $510,000 | 6.3% | -2.2% |
| 5. Parmelia (south) | $265,000 | 5.6% | -4.0% |
| 6. South Perth (south) | $1,350,000 | 5.5% | 3.1% |
| 7. Karrinyup (north) | $816,500 | 5.4% | -0.7% |
| 8. Falcon (south) | $370,000 | 4.2% | -2.0% |
| 9. Rivervale (south) | $510,000 | 4.1% | -3.6% |
| 10. Safety Bay (south) | $395,000 | 3.9% | -1.7% |
*Data in this table is for the year to December 2019.
While there is no outright winner, both sides of the river are unique in their own ways. Choosing where to live comes down to your personal preferences - you may get to experience living in both areas, or you may want to stay close to family and friends
and decide to rent or buy close to where you’re used to.
Are you looking to buy in Perth? Speak to a REIWA agent for advice on where to buy and start searching properties for sale in Perth.
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