Maddington vs ThornlieTwo Perth suburbs compared for a home loan
Maddington (WA 6109) is approximately 16 km south-east of the Perth CBD, between the Canning River and Tonkin Highway. Thornlie (WA 6108) is approximately 15 km south-east of the Perth CBD, on the Canning River. At the 2021 Census, Maddington had 12,419 residents with a median age of 35, 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 4% of occupied dwellings in Maddington and 1% in Thornlie, while 28% of Maddington 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 6109 · South-east metropolitan Perth
Maddington
Maddington is an established City of Gosnells suburb with older houses, infill villas, an Armadale Line station and the Maddington Central centre.
City of Gosnells. Approximately 16 km south-east of the Perth CBD, between the Canning River and Tonkin Highway.
Read the full Maddington 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 Maddington 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 Maddington 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 Maddington 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.
Maddington 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 | Maddington | Thornlie |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 12,419 | 23,665 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 35 | 38 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $1,364 | $1,571 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $300 | $330 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $1,509 | $1,625 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 28% | 21% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 45% | 43% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 23% | 34% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 84% | 91% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 11% | 8% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 4% | 1% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 11% | 7% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 35% | 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 Maddington 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.
Maddington
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Downsizers
- Upgraders
- Certain lenders and mortgage insurers apply lower maximum loan-to-value ratios in some postcodes, so the treatment of postcode 6109 is worth confirming early.
- Buyers with modest deposits will usually need lenders mortgage insurance or, if eligible, a place in the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme.
- Small villas and flats can fall below a lender's minimum internal floor area, and strata levies are counted as an expense when borrowing capacity is assessed.
- A valuation normally reflects the existing dwelling, so a price that includes a premium for subdivision potential may not be fully supported.
- Valuers may note the condition of an older house, possible asbestos-containing materials or additions without approval, which can prompt a lender to request reports.
- Insurance can cost more within the mapped Canning River floodplain or a bush fire prone area, and lenders need cover in place by settlement.
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 Maddington and Thornlie compared
Maddington
- Older three-bedroom houses
- The most common dwelling size, with 2,242 three-bedroom homes counted at the 2021 Census, mostly older houses on full-sized lots.
- Villas, duplexes and townhouses
- The 2021 Census counted 474 semi-detached, terrace or townhouse dwellings, typically strata titled and in small groups.
- Four-bedroom family houses
- The 2021 Census counted 1,311 four-bedroom homes and 189 with five or more bedrooms.
- Flats and apartments
- A small segment of the market: the 2021 Census counted 165 flats or apartments.
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 Maddington 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.
Maddington
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Maddington, 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 Maddington and Thornlie
Maddington
Transport
- Maddington Station (train)
- Route 227 (bus)
- Route 220 (bus)
- Maddington Station bus services (bus)
- Albany Highway (road)
- Tonkin Highway (road)
Schools and campuses
- Yule Brook College (secondary, government)
- Maddington Primary School (primary, government)
- East Maddington Primary School (primary, government)
- Bramfield Park Primary School (primary, government)
- Maddington Education Support Centre (special, government)
Amenities
- Maddington Central
- Harmony Fields
- Ashford Park
- Maddington Homestead
- Armadale Health Service (Mount Nasura)
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.
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