Beckenham vs ThornlieTwo Perth suburbs compared for a home loan
Beckenham (WA 6107) is approximately 14 km south-east of the Perth CBD, where the Thornlie line branches. Thornlie (WA 6108) is approximately 15 km south-east of the Perth CBD, on the Canning River. At the 2021 Census, Beckenham had 9,092 residents with a median age of 34, and Thornlie had 23,665 residents with a median age of 38.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was separate houses. Flats and apartments made up 5% of occupied dwellings in Beckenham and 1% in Thornlie, while 36% of Beckenham households rented compared with 21% in Thornlie. 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 6107 · South-eastern suburbs of Perth
Beckenham
Beckenham is a City of Gosnells suburb where the Thornlie line branches from the Armadale line, with a young population and land released from 2011.
City of Gosnells. Approximately 14 km south-east of the Perth CBD, where the Thornlie line branches.
Read the full Beckenham guideWA 6108 · South-eastern suburbs of Perth
Thornlie
Thornlie is a large City of Gosnells suburb developed in five stages since the 1950s, with big family homes and a low rental share for the corridor.
City of Gosnells. Approximately 15 km south-east of the Perth CBD, on the Canning River.
Read the full Thornlie guide
What buying in Beckenham and Thornlie 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 Beckenham and Thornlie.
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 Beckenham to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Thornlie 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.
Beckenham and Thornlie: 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 | Beckenham | Thornlie |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 9,092 | 23,665 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 34 | 38 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $1,667 | $1,571 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $340 | $330 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $1,733 | $1,625 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 36% | 21% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 39% | 43% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 23% | 34% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 81% | 91% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 14% | 8% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 5% | 1% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 14% | 7% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 37% | 52% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 8% | 6% |
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 Beckenham and Thornlie
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.
Beckenham
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Upgraders
- The suburb mixes established housing with post-2011 subdivisions, so comparables need to match age.
- Older records may describe the area as Buckingham or Waverley, which affects sales research.
- Strata levies on the townhouse and apartment stock are counted in serviceability assessments.
- Some lenders apply a lower maximum loan-to-value ratio where former public housing is concentrated.
- The Canning River corridor on the south-western outskirts can carry flood considerations.
Thornlie
- Upgraders
- First home buyers
- Investors
- The suburb developed in five stages, so housing age and lot size differ materially between areas.
- Comparable sales should be drawn from the relevant development stage rather than the suburb as a whole.
- The Canning River corridor on the northern side can carry flood and watercourse considerations.
- Only 21.4 per cent of households with a stated tenure rented, so the tenant pool is smaller than nearby.
- Western Australian contracts have no mandatory cooling-off period and no mandatory seller disclosure statement.
Housing stock in Beckenham and Thornlie compared
Beckenham
- Detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 2,614 at the 2021 Census, 80.6 per cent of occupied homes.
- Post-2011 subdivision housing
- In 2011 the suburb released many new divisions of land, so a notable share of stock is comparatively recent.
- Townhouses and flats
- The 450 semi-detached or townhouse dwellings and 176 flats counted at the 2021 Census.
Thornlie
- Four-bedroom family homes
- The most common size at 3,810 dwellings counted at the 2021 Census, with 574 more having five or more bedrooms.
- Three-bedroom houses
- The 3,347 three-bedroom dwellings counted at the 2021 Census, concentrated in the earlier development stages.
- Townhouses
- The 642 semi-detached or townhouse dwellings counted at the 2021 Census, with only 104 flats.
Official sale price and rent figures for Beckenham and Thornlie
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.
Beckenham
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Beckenham, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Thornlie
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Thornlie, 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 Beckenham and Thornlie
Beckenham
Transport
- Beckenham Station (train)
- Route 220 (bus)
- Route 224 (bus)
- Albany Highway (road)
Amenities
- Westfield Carousel
- Beckenham local shops
- Canning River corridor
Thornlie
Transport
- Thornlie Station (train)
- Beckenham Station (train)
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Roe Highway (road)
Amenities
- Forest Lakes shopping centre
- Thornlie Square
- Canning River corridor
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 Beckenham or Thornlie with another suburb
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Request a free assessment: Beckenham or Thornlie
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Beckenham and Thornlie, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.