Balcatta vs WestminsterTwo Perth suburbs compared for a home loan
Balcatta (WA 6021) is approximately 10 km north of the Perth CBD, west of Mirrabooka Avenue. Westminster (WA 6061) is approximately 10 km north of the Perth CBD, between Balga and Tuart Hill. At the 2021 Census, Balcatta had 10,813 residents with a median age of 39, and Westminster had 7,042 residents with a median age of 34.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was separate houses. Flats and apartments made up 0% of occupied dwellings in Balcatta and 1% in Westminster, while 32% of Balcatta households rented compared with 45% in Westminster. 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 6021 · Northern suburbs of Perth
Balcatta
Balcatta is a large City of Stirling suburb where townhouses nearly match houses, shaped by market gardens, migration and a substantial industrial area.
City of Stirling. Approximately 10 km north of the Perth CBD, west of Mirrabooka Avenue.
Read the full Balcatta guideWA 6061 · Northern suburbs of Perth
Westminster
Westminster is a City of Stirling suburb renamed from southern Balga in 1995, with a young population, extensive townhouse infill and 45 per cent renting.
City of Stirling. Approximately 10 km north of the Perth CBD, between Balga and Tuart Hill.
Read the full Westminster guide
What buying in Balcatta and Westminster 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 Balcatta and Westminster.
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 Balcatta to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Westminster 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.
Balcatta and Westminster: 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 | Balcatta | Westminster |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 10,813 | 7,042 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 39 | 34 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $1,537 | $1,404 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $340 | $330 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $1,756 | $1,517 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 32% | 45% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 34% | 35% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 32% | 19% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 53% | 63% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 46% | 36% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 0% | 1% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 18% | 18% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 24% | 8% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 7% | 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 Balcatta and Westminster
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.
Balcatta
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Upgraders
- Downsizers
- Attached dwellings make up nearly half of all homes, so strata levies and lender unit policy drive many outcomes.
- Much of the suburb is commercial and industrial, and lenders may view security near industrial land conservatively.
- Small units can fall below the minimum internal floor area some lenders require.
- A lot with remaining subdivision capacity is valued on different evidence from one already built out.
- Western Australian contracts have no mandatory cooling-off period and no mandatory seller disclosure statement.
Westminster
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Upgraders
- Some lenders apply a lower maximum loan-to-value ratio where former public housing is concentrated.
- Records predating 1995 may describe the area as Balga, which affects historical sales research.
- Outright ownership of only 18.9 per cent means budgets are sensitive to changes in repayments.
- Strata levies on the townhouse stock are counted in serviceability assessments.
- Western Australian contracts have no mandatory cooling-off period and no mandatory seller disclosure statement.
Housing stock in Balcatta and Westminster compared
Balcatta
- Townhouses and villa units
- At 2,136 dwellings, or 46.5 per cent of occupied homes at the 2021 Census, nearly four times the national share.
- Detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 2,436 at the 2021 Census, only 53.0 per cent of occupied homes.
- Three-bedroom homes
- The dominant size at 2,621 dwellings counted at the 2021 Census.
Westminster
- Original detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 1,783 at the 2021 Census, 62.8 per cent of occupied homes, from the State Housing Commission era.
- Townhouses and villa units
- At 1,012 dwellings, or 35.7 per cent of occupied homes, nearly three times the national share.
- Three-bedroom homes
- Overwhelmingly dominant at 2,034 dwellings counted at the 2021 Census.
Official sale price and rent figures for Balcatta and Westminster
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.
Balcatta
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Balcatta, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Westminster
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Westminster, 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 Balcatta and Westminster
Balcatta
Transport
- Stirling Station (train)
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Wanneroo Road (road)
- Reid Highway (road)
- Mitchell Freeway (road)
Amenities
- Balcatta local shops
- Karrinyup Shopping Centre
- Balcatta reserves
Westminster
Transport
- Stirling Station (train)
- Glendalough Station (train)
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Reid Highway (road)
Amenities
- Mirrabooka Square
- Westminster local shops
- Westminster reserves
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.
Compare Balcatta or Westminster with another suburb
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Request a free assessment: Balcatta or Westminster
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Balcatta and Westminster, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.