Armadale vs KelmscottTwo Perth suburbs compared for a home loan
Armadale (WA 6112) is approximately 28 km south-east of the Perth CBD, at the foot of the Darling Range. Kelmscott (WA 6111) is approximately 23 km south-east of the Perth CBD, bisected by the Canning River. At the 2021 Census, Armadale had 13,415 residents with a median age of 39, and Kelmscott had 10,575 residents with a median age of 40.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was separate houses. Flats and apartments made up 2% of occupied dwellings in Armadale and 2% in Kelmscott, while 41% of Armadale households rented compared with 27% in Kelmscott. These differences matter for finance, because lenders assess apartments, strata buildings and houses on land differently.
Both suburbs are in the same state, so transfer duty is calculated on the same scale and the difference in upfront cost comes from the purchase price. The panel below applies that scale, and an estimate of lenders mortgage insurance, to the prices you enter.
WA 6112 · South-east metropolitan Perth
Armadale
Armadale is a strategic metropolitan centre in Perth's outer south-east with a rebuilt elevated station, older houses and villas, and many renters.
City of Armadale. Approximately 28 km south-east of the Perth CBD, at the foot of the Darling Range.
Read the full Armadale guideWA 6111 · South-eastern suburbs of Perth
Kelmscott
Kelmscott is one of the Swan River Colony's four original townsites, bisected by the Canning River, with an Armadale line station and affordable stock.
City of Armadale. Approximately 23 km south-east of the Perth CBD, bisected by the Canning River.
Read the full Kelmscott guide
What buying in Armadale and Kelmscott would mean for the loan
The difference between two suburbs is usually a difference in price, and price drives the deposit, the transfer duty, any lenders mortgage insurance and the repayment. Enter the prices you are seeing and the panel works out each of those for Armadale and Kelmscott.
Your prices and deposit
Enter the price you are seeing in each suburb. BorrowWise does not quote prices, so the comparison uses yours.
Enter a price for Armadale to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Kelmscott to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Warning: The interest rate used here is an example only. It is not a comparison rate and is not a rate offered by any lender, and it does not include fees and charges. Different rates, terms, fees or loan amounts will give a different result.
Estimates only. Repayments assume a principal and interest loan at a constant rate, which is an assumption and not a current market rate. Transfer duty is indicative for established homes, first home buyer relief depends on eligibility, and upfront cash includes an allowance of $3,000 for conveyancing and inspections. Lenders mortgage insurance is an estimate and is added to the loan. A lender makes its own assessment.
Armadale and Kelmscott: Census profile compared
Figures are from the 2021 Census, so rents, repayments and incomes have moved since. They are most useful for comparing one suburb with another and with Australia as a whole.
| Measure | Armadale | Kelmscott |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 13,415 | 10,575 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 39 | 40 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $1,020 | $1,355 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $270 | $290 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $1,300 | $1,500 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 41% | 27% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 31% | 41% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 24% | 31% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 67% | 82% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 31% | 16% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 2% | 2% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 18% | 10% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 19% | 35% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 11% | 8% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0). Tenure shares exclude households that did not state their tenure. Dwelling shares are of occupied private dwellings.
Home loan considerations in Armadale and Kelmscott
Lenders treat houses on land, townhouses and apartments differently, and some apply extra conditions to small apartments, high-density buildings or particular postcodes. These are the points each guide raises.
Armadale
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Downsizers
- Some lenders and mortgage insurers vary maximum loan-to-value ratios by postcode, so it may be prudent to confirm policy for postcode 6112 early.
- Small deposits are common, which makes lenders mortgage insurance or the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme relevant to many purchases.
- Older houses may draw valuer comments about condition, asbestos-containing materials or unapproved additions, and lenders can ask for further reports.
- Small villas may fall below the minimum internal floor area that certain lenders require, and strata levies reduce assessed borrowing capacity.
- Properties within the mapped Neerigen Brook floodplain or a bush fire prone area may cost more to insure, and insurance is required at settlement.
- Western Australian contracts have no mandatory cooling-off period, so finance and inspection conditions need to be written into the offer.
Kelmscott
- First home buyers
- Upgraders
- Investors
- The Canning River bisects the suburb, and the two sides differ in terrain, housing and hazard profile.
- Bushfire designation is more likely on the rising eastern side towards the scarp, which affects insurance.
- Comparable evidence should be drawn from the relevant side of the river rather than the suburb as a whole.
- Strata levies on the townhouse stock are counted in serviceability assessments.
- Median weekly household income of $1,355 means serviceability often binds before deposit.
Housing stock in Armadale and Kelmscott compared
Armadale
- Older three-bedroom houses
- Single-storey houses on traditional lots; three-bedroom dwellings numbered 3,321 at the 2021 Census.
- Villas, duplexes and townhouses
- Semi-detached, terrace and townhouse dwellings made up 1,683 of the occupied homes counted at the 2021 Census, most in small strata groups.
- Flats and apartments
- Only 89 flats or apartments were counted at the 2021 Census, so apartment stock in the suburb is minimal.
Kelmscott
- Detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 3,334 at the 2021 Census, 81.5 per cent of occupied homes across both sides of the river.
- Townhouses and villa units
- At 639 dwellings, or 15.6 per cent of occupied homes, attached infill is above the national share.
- Three-bedroom homes
- The dominant size at 2,173 dwellings counted at the 2021 Census, against 1,182 with four bedrooms.
Official sale price and rent figures for Armadale and Kelmscott
Only figures published free of charge by a government agency are shown. Where none is published the space is left empty rather than filled with an estimate. Each guide charts the full series.
Armadale
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Armadale, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Kelmscott
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Kelmscott, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Transport, schools and amenities in Armadale and Kelmscott
Armadale
Transport
- Armadale Station (train)
- Byford Rail Extension (train)
- Route 220 (bus)
- Armadale Station bus services (bus)
- Albany Highway and South Western Highway (road)
- Armadale Road (road)
Schools and campuses
- Armadale Senior High School (secondary, government)
- Cecil Andrews College (secondary, government)
- Armadale Primary School (primary, government)
- Neerigen Brook Primary School (primary, government)
- Kingsley Primary School (primary, government)
- South Metropolitan TAFE, Armadale campus (tertiary, tafe)
Amenities
- Armadale Health Service (Mount Nasura)
- Armadale Central Shopping Centre
- Armadale Shopping City
- Jull Street Mall
- Minnawarra Park
- Memorial Park
Kelmscott
Transport
- Kelmscott Station (train)
- Route 243 (bus)
- Albany Highway (road)
- Armadale Station (train)
Amenities
- Kelmscott town centre
- Canning River corridor
- Armadale district centre
School listings show name, level and sector only. Enrolment areas change, so confirm eligibility for a specific address with the school or the Western Australia education department.
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