Compare
Melbourne - North West vs Perth - South West
Region (SA4) comparison ≈ 2,691 km apart · Melbourne - North West profile · Perth - South West profile
Melbourne - North West Perth - South West
Perth - South West and Melbourne - North West are both large, populous regions, but they differ sharply in their social and professional make-up. Melbourne - North West is far more linguistically diverse, with 41.3% of people using a language other than English at home compared to 16.3% in Perth - South West. There is also a major difference in how people work; 22.5% of residents in Melbourne - North West work from home, while only 7.5% do so in Perth - South West. In contrast, Perth - South West has a much higher share of people with no religion at 45.8%, while the figure for Melbourne - North West is 24.1%.
These differences in home and work life have become more pronounced since 2011, with the gaps in working from home and religious non-affiliation both widening over time. Despite this, the two areas remain very similar in other ways. They share almost identical rates of home ownership, similar typical weekly household incomes, and a nearly equal share of detached houses. Both areas also have about 60% of their residents completing Year 12, placing them in a similar position regarding school qualifications.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 318,483
- First area, 2016: 363,371
- First area, 2021: 424,328
- Second area, 2011: 352,747
- Second area, 2016: 403,334
- Second area, 2021: 443,407
- First area, 2011: 36 yrs
- First area, 2016: 35 yrs
- First area, 2021: 35 yrs
- Second area, 2011: 36 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 36 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 38 yrs
Age structure
Marital status
Age & sex structure
Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.
- 85+ in Melbourne - North West: 0.7% males, 1.1% females; 85+ in Perth - South West: 0.8% males, 1.2% females
- 80–84 in Melbourne - North West: 0.8% males, 1.0% females; 80–84 in Perth - South West: 0.9% males, 1.1% females
- 75–79 in Melbourne - North West: 1.2% males, 1.3% females; 75–79 in Perth - South West: 1.4% males, 1.5% females
- 70–74 in Melbourne - North West: 1.6% males, 1.9% females; 70–74 in Perth - South West: 1.9% males, 2.1% females
- 65–69 in Melbourne - North West: 1.9% males, 2.1% females; 65–69 in Perth - South West: 2.3% males, 2.5% females
- 60–64 in Melbourne - North West: 2.3% males, 2.5% females; 60–64 in Perth - South West: 2.7% males, 2.8% females
- 55–59 in Melbourne - North West: 2.8% males, 2.9% females; 55–59 in Perth - South West: 3.0% males, 3.1% females
- 50–54 in Melbourne - North West: 3.0% males, 3.1% females; 50–54 in Perth - South West: 3.2% males, 3.4% females
- 45–49 in Melbourne - North West: 3.0% males, 3.2% females; 45–49 in Perth - South West: 3.3% males, 3.4% females
- 40–44 in Melbourne - North West: 3.4% males, 3.4% females; 40–44 in Perth - South West: 3.4% males, 3.5% females
- 35–39 in Melbourne - North West: 4.1% males, 4.1% females; 35–39 in Perth - South West: 3.7% males, 3.9% females
- 30–34 in Melbourne - North West: 4.1% males, 4.3% females; 30–34 in Perth - South West: 3.5% males, 3.7% females
- 25–29 in Melbourne - North West: 3.8% males, 3.6% females; 25–29 in Perth - South West: 3.2% males, 3.2% females
- 20–24 in Melbourne - North West: 3.3% males, 3.0% females; 20–24 in Perth - South West: 3.1% males, 3.0% females
- 15–19 in Melbourne - North West: 3.1% males, 2.8% females; 15–19 in Perth - South West: 3.0% males, 2.9% females
- 10–14 in Melbourne - North West: 3.4% males, 3.2% females; 10–14 in Perth - South West: 3.4% males, 3.2% females
- 5–9 in Melbourne - North West: 3.7% males, 3.5% females; 5–9 in Perth - South West: 3.4% males, 3.3% females
- 0–4 in Melbourne - North West: 3.7% males, 3.4% females; 0–4 in Perth - South West: 3.3% males, 3.0% females
Ancestry & Birthplace
Country of birth
Ancestry
Language
Language used at home
Religion
Religious affiliation
Education & Qualifications
Highest year of school
Highest qualification level
Field of qualification
Income
- First area, 2011: $499
- First area, 2016: $579
- First area, 2021: $732
- Second area, 2011: $666
- Second area, 2016: $732
- Second area, 2021: $871
- First area, 2011: $1,210
- First area, 2016: $1,422
- First area, 2021: $1,791
- Second area, 2011: $1,477
- Second area, 2016: $1,669
- Second area, 2021: $1,897
- First area, 2011: $1,366
- First area, 2016: $1,598
- First area, 2021: $2,031
- Second area, 2011: $1,812
- Second area, 2016: $1,997
- Second area, 2021: $2,298
Household income distribution
Personal income distribution
Health & Disability
Long-term health conditions reported
Number of long-term health conditions
Community Participation
First Nations
Family & Households
- First area, 2011: 2.9
- First area, 2016: 2.9
- First area, 2021: 2.9
- Second area, 2011: 2.6
- Second area, 2016: 2.6
- Second area, 2021: 2.6
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $290
- First area, 2016: $330
- First area, 2021: $380
- Second area, 2011: $310
- Second area, 2016: $360
- Second area, 2021: $350
- First area, 2011: $1,733
- First area, 2016: $1,733
- First area, 2021: $1,924
- Second area, 2011: $2,000
- Second area, 2016: $2,000
- Second area, 2021: $1,900
- First area, 2011: 1.10
- First area, 2016: 0.90
- First area, 2021: 0.90
- Second area, 2011: 1.10
- Second area, 2016: 0.80
- Second area, 2021: 0.70
How homes are owned or rented
Types of homes
Bedrooms per home
Weekly rent distribution
Monthly mortgage distribution
Transport & Vehicles
How people get to work
Motor vehicles per home
Migration & Movement
Jobs & Industry
Industries people work in
Occupations people work in
Economy & Advantage
Environment & Climate
Walkability
Compare Melbourne - North West with nearby areas
Compare Perth - South West with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Melbourne - North West vs Perth - South West [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa4/210/melbourne-north-west/vs/507/perth-south-west