Bicton vs East FremantleTwo Perth suburbs compared for a home loan
Bicton (WA 6157) is approximately 10 km south-west of the Perth CBD, on the Swan River at Point Walter. East Fremantle (WA 6158) is approximately 13 km south-west of the Perth CBD, on the Swan River beside Fremantle. At the 2021 Census, Bicton had 6,961 residents with a median age of 45, and East Fremantle had 7,819 residents with a median age of 44.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was separate houses. Flats and apartments made up 5% of occupied dwellings in Bicton and 15% in East Fremantle, while 22% of Bicton households rented compared with 23% in East Fremantle. 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 6157 · Southern river suburbs of Perth
Bicton
Bicton is a riverside City of Melville suburb with a Class-A reserve at Point Walter, an older population and more than a quarter of homes attached.
City of Melville. Approximately 10 km south-west of the Perth CBD, on the Swan River at Point Walter.
Read the full Bicton guideWA 6158 · Fremantle and the southern river suburbs
East Fremantle
East Fremantle is a heritage river suburb coterminous with its own town council, built in gold rush phases from 1890, where 41.2 per cent own outright.
Town of East Fremantle. Approximately 13 km south-west of the Perth CBD, on the Swan River beside Fremantle.
Read the full East Fremantle guide
What buying in Bicton and East Fremantle 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 Bicton and East Fremantle.
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 Bicton to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for East Fremantle 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.
Bicton and East Fremantle: 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 | Bicton | East Fremantle |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 6,961 | 7,819 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 45 | 44 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $2,007 | $2,288 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $360 | $420 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $2,383 | $2,600 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 22% | 23% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 33% | 35% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 42% | 41% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 67% | 66% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 28% | 19% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 5% | 15% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 23% | 26% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 35% | 33% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 8% | 9% |
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 Bicton and East Fremantle
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.
Bicton
- Downsizers
- Upgraders
- Investors
- First home buyers
- More than a quarter of dwellings are attached, so strata levies and lender unit policy drive many outcomes.
- Small units can fall below the minimum internal floor area some lenders require.
- Downsizers buying before selling may need bridging finance, a common pattern given the age profile.
- The Class-A reserve at Point Walter is permanently public open space, so river frontage is public rather than private.
- Lots adjoining the Point Walter reserve may be designated bush fire prone.
East Fremantle
- Upgraders
- Downsizers
- Investors
- Heritage listing can constrain demolition and alterations and dictate repair materials.
- A listed dwelling can be harder and more expensive to insure, which a lender requires at settlement.
- Character housing is not directly comparable, so valuations are less predictable.
- Much of the stock dates from 1890 to 1940, so structural and damp inspections matter.
- Foreshore, flood and watercourse considerations apply near the Swan River.
Housing stock in Bicton and East Fremantle compared
Bicton
- Townhouses and villa units
- At 759 dwellings, or 27.7 per cent of occupied homes at the 2021 Census, more than double the national share.
- Detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 1,827 at the 2021 Census, 66.6 per cent of occupied homes, below the national 72.3 per cent.
- Three-bedroom homes
- The most common size at 1,123 dwellings counted at the 2021 Census, ahead of 812 with four bedrooms.
East Fremantle
- Workers' cottages and character houses
- Separate houses numbered 1,926 at the 2021 Census, 66.1 per cent of occupied homes.
- Townhouses and villa units
- At 548 dwellings, or 18.8 per cent of occupied homes, above the national 12.6 per cent.
- Apartments
- The 424 flats counted at the 2021 Census, 14.6 per cent of occupied homes.
Official sale price and rent figures for Bicton and East Fremantle
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.
Bicton
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Bicton, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
East Fremantle
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for East Fremantle, 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 Bicton and East Fremantle
Bicton
Transport
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Canning Highway (road)
- Stock Road (road)
- Fremantle line (train)
Amenities
- Point Walter Reserve
- Swan River foreshore
- Point Walter Golf Course
East Fremantle
Transport
- Fremantle Station (train)
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Canning Highway (road)
- Stirling Highway (road)
Amenities
- Swan River foreshore
- East Fremantle Oval
- George Street precinct
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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Request a free assessment: Bicton or East Fremantle
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Bicton and East Fremantle, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.