Ellenbrook vs JoondalupTwo Perth suburbs compared for a home loan
Ellenbrook (WA 6069) is approximately 25 km north-east of the Perth CBD, on the edge of the Swan Valley. Joondalup (WA 6027) is approximately 26 km north of the Perth CBD. At the 2021 Census, Ellenbrook had 24,668 residents with a median age of 32, and Joondalup had 9,193 residents with a median age of 39.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was separate houses. Flats and apartments made up 2% of occupied dwellings in Ellenbrook and 24% in Joondalup, while 25% of Ellenbrook households rented compared with 41% in Joondalup. 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 6069 · Outer north-east metropolitan Perth
Ellenbrook
Ellenbrook is a master-planned town in the City of Swan with modern detached houses, mostly mortgaged households and a rail terminus opened in 2024.
City of Swan. Approximately 25 km north-east of the Perth CBD, on the edge of the Swan Valley.
Read the full Ellenbrook guideWA 6027 · Northern suburbs of Perth
Joondalup
Joondalup is the planned regional centre of Perth's north, with a rail station, university, major hospital and a mix of houses and apartments.
City of Joondalup. Approximately 26 km north of the Perth CBD.
Read the full Joondalup guide
What buying in Ellenbrook and Joondalup 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 Ellenbrook and Joondalup.
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 Ellenbrook to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Joondalup 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.
Ellenbrook and Joondalup: 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 | Ellenbrook | Joondalup |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 24,668 | 9,193 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 32 | 39 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.3 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $1,846 | $1,688 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $350 | $360 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $1,833 | $1,733 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 25% | 41% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 59% | 33% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 15% | 25% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 89% | 57% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 9% | 19% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 2% | 24% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 10% | 26% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 56% | 41% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 6% | 10% |
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 Ellenbrook and Joondalup
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.
Ellenbrook
- First home buyers
- Upgraders
- Investors
- High loan-to-value borrowing is common, so lenders mortgage insurance or eligibility for the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme is often relevant.
- Construction loans are drawn in progress payments and valued on an as-if-complete basis, which differs from lending on an established home.
- A large part of Ellenbrook is designated bushfire prone, which can require a Bushfire Attack Level assessment and raise construction and insurance costs.
- Design guidelines and restrictions registered on a title can govern house style and the time allowed to build on vacant land.
- Valuers may test newly built homes against established sales in the same village, which matters where the deposit is small.
Joondalup
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Upgraders
- Downsizers
- Studio apartments and purpose-built student accommodation may not meet the minimum floor area or security type requirements of some lenders.
- Off-the-plan purchases are valued close to settlement, and a valuation below the contract price would need to be covered from the buyer's own funds.
- Lenders mortgage insurance is likely to apply to purchases with a small deposit, and adding the premium to the loan increases total interest costs.
- Strata levies on townhouses and apartments are counted as a living cost in serviceability assessments and reduce borrowing capacity.
- With no mandatory cooling-off period in Western Australia, a finance condition with a realistic approval date protects buyers whose loan is not yet formally approved.
Housing stock in Ellenbrook and Joondalup compared
Ellenbrook
- Four-bedroom project homes
- Single-storey brick family homes built by volume builders; four-bedroom dwellings numbered 4,147 at the 2021 Census.
- House and land packages
- Vacant lots in newer subdivisions bought with a separate building contract and funded by a construction loan drawn in stages.
- Townhouses and compact homes
- Semi-detached, terrace and townhouse dwellings numbered 725 at the 2021 Census, a small share of the town's housing.
Joondalup
- Detached brick and tile houses
- Family homes on moderately sized lots, mostly built from the late twentieth century onwards; 2,037 separate houses were counted at the 2021 Census.
- Townhouses and grouped dwellings
- Lower-maintenance strata homes located close to the station, university and shopping precinct.
- Apartments and student accommodation
- Low-rise units in the city centre, including some small dwellings designed primarily for student tenants.
Official sale price and rent figures for Ellenbrook and Joondalup
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.
Ellenbrook
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Ellenbrook, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Joondalup
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Joondalup, 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 Ellenbrook and Joondalup
Ellenbrook
Transport
- Ellenbrook Station (train)
- Ellenbrook Station bus interchange (bus)
- Tonkin Highway (NorthLink WA) (road)
- Drumpellier Drive (road)
Schools and campuses
- Ellenbrook Secondary College (secondary, government)
- Ellenbrook Primary School (primary, government)
- Malvern Springs Primary School (primary, government)
- Holy Cross College (combined, catholic)
- St Helena's Catholic Primary School (primary, catholic)
Amenities
- Ellenbrook Central
- Ellenbrook Library
- Ellenbrook Community Centre
- Ellenbrook Sports Hub
- Swan Active Ellenbrook (under construction)
Joondalup
Transport
- Joondalup Station (train)
- Joondalup CAT (bus)
- Mitchell Freeway (road)
- Joondalup Drive (road)
Schools and campuses
- Joondalup Primary School (primary, government)
- Lake Joondalup Baptist College (combined, independent)
- Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Campus (tertiary, university)
- North Metropolitan TAFE, Joondalup (Kendrew Crescent) (tertiary, tafe)
Amenities
- Joondalup Health Campus
- Lakeside Joondalup
- Yellagonga Regional Park
- Neil Hawkins Park
- Arena Joondalup
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 Ellenbrook or Joondalup with another suburb
Change either suburb, or add a third.
Related comparisons
Request a free assessment: Ellenbrook or Joondalup
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Ellenbrook and Joondalup, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.