# Ferndale vs Shelley — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 3.3 km apart

Shelley (WA) and Ferndale (WA) are neighbouring suburbs with similar population sizes, but they differ significantly in wealth and education. Shelley (WA) has a much higher proportion of university-qualified adults (42.4%) and households earning $3,000 or more a week (34.2%). This is consistent with the typical weekly household income being well higher in Shelley (WA) at $2,186, compared to $1,533 in Ferndale (WA). Shelley (WA) also has a far higher share of people born overseas (47.5%) and those using another language at home (33.9%).

Both areas share a very similar housing landscape, with nearly the same proportion of homes having three or more bedrooms and almost identical commute times to the city. They are also effectively alike in their unemployment rates and the share of people who have served in the Defence Force. While Ferndale (WA) has more public transport departures and better access to groceries, Shelley (WA) has far more homes within a short walk of a school.

## Where they differ most

- Bachelor+: 17.8 pts higher in Shelley
- Year 12: 15.6 pts higher in Shelley
- Other language: 12.8 pts higher in Shelley
- Born overseas: 11.4 pts higher in Shelley
- Household income: $653 higher in Shelley

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 4,457 | 4,795 | 338 larger in Shelley | gap widening |
| Median age | 41 yrs | 42 yrs | 1 yrs older in Shelley | gap steady |
| First Nations | 2.1% | 0.4% | 1.8 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| Aged 65+ | 22.9% | 18.7% | 4.2 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 16.4% | 18.4% | 2.0 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| De facto | 10.9% | 6.0% | 4.9 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Older adults (45–64) | 22.8% | 27.4% | -4.7 |
| Young adults (25–44) | 27.3% | 21.8% | +5.5 |
| Seniors (65+) | 22.9% | 18.7% | +4.2 |
| Children (0–14) | 16.4% | 18.4% | -2.0 |
| Youth (15–24) | 10.8% | 13.6% | -2.8 |

### Marital status

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 47.1% | 59.1% | -12.0 |
| Never married | 33.8% | 28.6% | +5.2 |
| Divorced | 10.2% | 6.2% | +4.0 |
| Widowed | 6.4% | 4.0% | +2.4 |
| Separated | 2.8% | 2.2% | +0.5 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Ferndale male | Ferndale female | Shelley male | Shelley female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.1% | 3.0% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| 5–9 | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| 10–14 | 2.3% | 2.4% | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| 15–19 | 2.7% | 2.4% | 3.4% | 3.9% |
| 20–24 | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| 25–29 | 2.8% | 3.1% | 2.0% | 2.3% |
| 30–34 | 3.6% | 3.9% | 1.9% | 2.3% |
| 35–39 | 3.8% | 3.7% | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| 40–44 | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| 45–49 | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.5% | 3.9% |
| 50–54 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| 55–59 | 2.8% | 2.8% | 3.8% | 3.3% |
| 60–64 | 2.8% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| 65–69 | 2.9% | 3.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| 70–74 | 2.9% | 3.0% | 2.4% | 2.8% |
| 75–79 | 1.8% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 1.8% |
| 80–84 | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| 85+ | 1.5% | 1.8% | 0.5% | 0.8% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 36.1% | 47.5% | 11.4 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 58.9% | 50.4% | +8.5 |
| England | 8.1% | 6.7% | +1.4 |
| India | 2.1% | 6.2% | -4.1 |
| China | 2.4% | 4.1% | -1.8 |
| New Zealand | 2.6% | 2.0% | +0.6 |
| South Africa | 1.1% | 1.5% | -0.5 |
| Philippines | 1.0% | 0.7% | +0.3 |
| Vietnam | 0.6% | 0.8% | -0.2 |
| Italy | 0.5% | 0.4% | +0.1 |
| Nepal | 0.2% | 0.1% | +0.1 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 38.0% | 32.3% | +5.7 |
| Australian | 28.9% | 18.7% | +10.2 |
| Chinese | 8.2% | 16.8% | -8.6 |
| Irish | 9.5% | 7.8% | +1.8 |
| Scottish | 8.7% | 7.7% | +0.9 |
| Indian | 2.7% | 8.1% | -5.4 |
| Italian | 3.2% | 3.8% | -0.6 |
| Dutch | 3.3% | 1.9% | +1.4 |
| German | 3.3% | 2.5% | +0.8 |
| Filipino | 1.3% | 1.1% | +0.2 |
| Vietnamese | 0.7% | 1.1% | -0.4 |
| Greek | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.0 |

## Language

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 21.1% | 33.9% | 12.8 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Limited English | 3.3% | 3.1% | 0.2 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 73.7% | 63.7% | +9.9 |
| Mandarin | 4.4% | 8.0% | -3.6 |
| Cantonese | 1.2% | 2.6% | -1.4 |
| Arabic | 0.7% | 1.5% | -0.7 |
| Punjabi | 0.5% | 1.1% | -0.6 |
| Hindi | 0.4% | 1.1% | -0.7 |
| Vietnamese | 0.7% | 0.7% | -0.1 |
| Italian | 0.4% | 0.6% | -0.2 |
| Greek | 0.2% | 0.1% | +0.1 |
| Tagalog | 0.2% | 0.1% | +0.1 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 44.5% | 35.3% | 9.1 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 44.5% | 35.3% | +9.1 |
| Christianity | 39.1% | 42.3% | -3.3 |
| Not stated | 6.9% | 3.5% | +3.4 |
| Buddhism | 3.2% | 6.4% | -3.2 |
| Hinduism | 1.7% | 6.3% | -4.6 |
| Islam | 3.8% | 4.4% | -0.6 |
| Other religions | 0.9% | 1.7% | -0.8 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 59.9% | 75.5% | 15.6 pts higher in Shelley | gap narrowing |
| Bachelor+ | 24.6% | 42.4% | 17.8 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Schools/1k kids | 1.37 | 1.14 | 0.23 more in Ferndale |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 31 | 35 | 4 more in Shelley |  |
| Avg size | 442 | 624 | 182 larger in Shelley |  |
| ICSEA | 1,040 | 1,102 | 62 higher in Shelley |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 59.9% | 75.5% | -15.6 |
| Year 10 | 18.1% | 11.9% | +6.2 |
| Year 11 | 8.7% | 5.2% | +3.5 |
| Year 9 or below | 6.4% | 4.0% | +2.4 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 27.0% | 37.8% | -10.7 |
| Certificate III / IV | 28.8% | 15.5% | +13.3 |
| Postgraduate degree | 6.8% | 18.0% | -11.2 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 14.9% | 14.1% | +0.8 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 4.0% | 4.5% | -0.5 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.6% | 1.2% | +1.5 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 16.5% | 22.9% | -6.4 |
| Engineering & related | 16.9% | 17.3% | -0.4 |
| Health | 11.4% | 12.8% | -1.4 |
| Society & culture | 11.4% | 10.3% | +1.1 |
| Education | 7.5% | 9.4% | -1.9 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 4.1% | 6.3% | -2.2 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.1% | 3.0% | +2.1 |
| Architecture & building | 4.7% | 3.2% | +1.5 |
| Creative arts | 3.7% | 2.8% | +0.9 |
| Information technology | 2.6% | 3.4% | -0.8 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.9% | 1.5% | +0.4 |

## Income

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $745 | $898 | $153 higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,533 | $2,186 | $653 higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Family income | $2,003 | $2,609 | $606 higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| High earners | 10.5% | 20.3% | 9.8 pts higher in Shelley | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 18.2% | 34.2% | 15.9 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 29.1% | 25.9% | +3.2 |
| $650–$1,499 | 28.7% | 21.2% | +7.6 |
| $4,000 or more | 8.4% | 22.4% | -14.0 |
| Under $650 | 17.2% | 12.1% | +5.1 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 9.8% | 11.8% | -1.9 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 42.3% | 39.3% | +3.1 |
| $650–$1,499 | 29.5% | 25.7% | +3.7 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 18.2% | 22.1% | -4.0 |
| $3,000 or more | 2.9% | 9.7% | -6.8 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 29.9% | 24.1% | 5.9 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Mental health | 8.8% | 6.0% | 2.8 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Needs assistance | 6.2% | 3.0% | 3.2 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 9.2% | 6.8% | +2.4 |
| Mental health | 8.8% | 6.0% | +2.8 |
| Other condition | 8.5% | 7.9% | +0.6 |
| Asthma | 7.7% | 5.4% | +2.3 |
| Diabetes | 5.6% | 4.5% | +1.1 |
| Heart disease | 4.2% | 3.9% | +0.3 |
| Cancer | 3.5% | 2.6% | +0.8 |
| Lung condition | 2.1% | 1.3% | +0.9 |
| Stroke | 1.2% | 0.6% | +0.6 |
| Dementia | 1.0% | 0.4% | +0.7 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 62.3% | 71.2% | -8.9 |
| One condition | 19.8% | 18.0% | +1.8 |
| Two conditions | 7.2% | 4.4% | +2.8 |
| Three or more | 3.0% | 1.7% | +1.3 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 16.3% | 20.3% | 3.9 pts higher in Shelley | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 12.2% | 12.8% | 0.7 pts higher in Shelley | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid child care | 26.8% | 31.6% | 4.8 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Defence service | 3.4% | 2.8% | 0.6 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 20.5% | 23.1% | 2.6 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 95 | 18 | 77 larger in Ferndale |  |
| Median age | 22 yrs | 48 yrs | 26 yrs older in Shelley |  |
| Year 12 | 25.4% | — |  |  |
| Unemployment | 19.4% | — |  |  |
| Median income | $474 | $575 | $101 higher in Shelley |  |
| Household income | $1,187 | $1,312 | $125 higher in Shelley |  |
| Indigenous language | 17.9% | — |  |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.4 | 2.7 | 0.3 larger in Shelley | gap steady |
| One-parent | 13.5% | 9.7% | 3.8 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Living alone | 28.1% | 19.4% | 8.7 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 55.0% | 65.7% | -10.7 |
| Couples without children | 29.4% | 24.1% | +5.3 |
| One-parent families | 13.5% | 9.7% | +3.8 |
| Other families | 1.9% | 0.5% | +1.4 |

### Household size

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 34.1% | 32.6% | +1.4 |
| 1 person | 28.1% | 19.4% | +8.7 |
| 4 people | 14.2% | 20.8% | -6.6 |
| 3 people | 16.4% | 16.7% | -0.3 |
| 5 people | 4.9% | 8.3% | -3.4 |
| 6 or more | 1.9% | 2.3% | -0.4 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $314 | $380 | $66 higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Mortgage | $1,700 | $2,275 | $575 higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.70 | 0.80 | 0.10 higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Renting | 21.6% | 24.4% | 2.8 pts higher in Shelley | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 35.5% | 40.9% | 5.4 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 82.2% | 78.3% | 3.9 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 89.5% | 88.6% | 0.9 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 35.5% | 40.9% | -5.4 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 40.2% | 32.9% | +7.3 |
| Rented | 21.6% | 24.4% | -2.8 |
| Other tenure | 1.7% | 1.0% | +0.7 |
| Not stated | 0.6% | 0.6% | -0.1 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 82.2% | 78.3% | +3.9 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 17.4% | 21.2% | -3.8 |
| Flat or apartment | 0.3% | 0.2% | +0.1 |
| Other dwelling | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 51.4% | 37.6% | +13.8 |
| 4 bedrooms | 33.0% | 39.4% | -6.4 |
| 5 or more | 5.1% | 11.6% | -6.6 |
| 2 bedrooms | 8.9% | 10.2% | -1.3 |
| 1 bedroom | 1.4% | 0.9% | +0.4 |
| Studio / none | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $200–$349 | 48.8% | 30.4% | +18.4 |
| $350–$549 | 34.9% | 47.0% | -12.1 |
| Under $200 | 12.9% | 4.3% | +8.5 |
| $550–$749 | 0.0% | 10.6% | -10.6 |
| $750 or more | 0.0% | 3.1% | -3.1 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 40.1% | 17.0% | +23.1 |
| $3,000 or more | 8.1% | 34.5% | -26.5 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 33.4% | 27.7% | +5.7 |
| Under $1,000 | 16.1% | 14.5% | +1.6 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 4.6% | 3.0% | 1.7 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 8.9% | 2.0 pts higher in Shelley | gap steady |
| PT commute | 3.0% | 4.3% | 1.3 pts higher in Shelley | gap steady |
| PT stops | 34 | 21 | 13 more in Ferndale |  |
| Stops/1k | 7.63 | 4.38 | 3.25 more in Ferndale |  |
| Departures/1k | 2,486.2 | 896.4 | 1,589.9 more in Ferndale |  |
| PT routes | 5 | 7 | 2 more in Shelley |  |
| Stop walk | 6 | 3 | 3 longer in Ferndale |  |
| Drive to city | 16 | 15 | 1 longer in Ferndale |  |
| Reach 30 min | 13,992 | 14,518 | 526 more in Shelley |  |
| Reach 45 min | 33,254 | 41,810 | 8,556 more in Shelley |  |
| Transit to city | 65 | 56 | 9 longer in Ferndale |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 64.9% | 65.0% | -0.1 |
| Worked at home | 6.9% | 8.9% | -2.0 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.9% | 4.0% | -0.1 |
| Train | 0.9% | 2.2% | -1.4 |
| Bus | 2.1% | 2.0% | +0.1 |
| Bicycle | 0.8% | 0.6% | +0.3 |
| Walked | 0.6% | 0.4% | +0.2 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 40.6% | 45.5% | -4.9 |
| 1 vehicle | 37.0% | 29.5% | +7.4 |
| 3 vehicles | 12.5% | 14.1% | -1.6 |
| 4 or more | 5.5% | 7.7% | -2.2 |
| No vehicle | 4.6% | 3.0% | +1.7 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 31.8% | 40.9% | 9.1 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 7.9% | 11.4% | 3.4 pts higher in Shelley | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 4.8% | 0.4 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Participation | 59.5% | 62.9% | 3.4 pts higher in Shelley | gap widening |
| Full-time | 58.2% | 58.3% |  | gap narrowing |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 15.3% | 15.0% | +0.3 |
| Education & training | 10.3% | 12.3% | -2.1 |
| Professional & technical | 7.6% | 9.7% | -2.1 |
| Retail trade | 9.2% | 7.3% | +1.9 |
| Construction | 7.5% | 6.3% | +1.2 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.0% | 6.5% | -0.5 |
| Accommodation & food | 6.0% | 5.9% | +0.1 |
| Mining | 5.8% | 5.9% | -0.1 |
| Manufacturing | 5.7% | 4.6% | +1.2 |
| Transport & warehousing | 5.5% | 3.9% | +1.6 |
| Other services | 3.8% | 3.5% | +0.2 |
| Administrative & support | 3.2% | 2.9% | +0.3 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Ferndale % | Shelley % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 23.7% | 36.3% | -12.6 |
| Managers | 9.4% | 15.3% | -5.9 |
| Technicians & trades | 15.0% | 9.6% | +5.4 |
| Community & personal service | 13.6% | 8.8% | +4.8 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.1% | 12.8% | -0.7 |
| Labourers | 10.0% | 6.0% | +4.0 |
| Sales workers | 7.8% | 6.9% | +0.9 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 7.5% | 3.5% | +3.9 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Ferndale | Shelley | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.6 | 6.4 | 0.2 higher in Ferndale |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 6.8 | 6.7 | 0.1 more in Ferndale |  |
| 15-min city | 90.0% | 100.0% | 10.0 pts higher in Shelley |  |
| Walk to shops | 76.9% | 47.9% | 29.1 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Walk to transit | 99.9% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to school | 56.7% | 97.9% | 41.2 pts higher in Shelley |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 85.5% | 100.0% | 14.5 pts higher in Shelley |  |
| Amenities/1k | 25.6 | 10.2 | 15.4 more in Ferndale |  |
| Intersections/km² | 188 | 265 | 76 higher in Shelley |  |
| Mean slope | 4.9% | 5.5% | 0.6 pts higher in Shelley |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL50502/ferndale/vs/SAL51345/shelley