# Ferndale vs Thornlie — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 4.4 km apart

Thornlie and Ferndale (WA) are neighbouring suburbs with different profiles. Thornlie is more family-oriented, with a higher share of children under 15 (19.5%) and a typical resident's age of 38. It is also more diverse, with 41.7% of people born overseas and 30.7% using another language at home. In contrast, Ferndale (WA) has a noticeably older population, with 22.9% aged 65 and over and a typical age of 41. Ferndale (WA) also has a higher share of adults with a bachelor degree or higher (24.6%) and more people who do not have a religion (44.5%).

These two areas are very similar in many ways, including their typical weekly household incomes of around $1,500 and almost identical First Nations unemployment rates of 19.4%. They also share similar rental markets, with about 21% of homes being rented. While both are well-served by public transport, Thornlie has a far larger number of transport stops and routes. This helps explain why a far higher share of its homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school (89.7%) or groceries (87.4%).

## Where they differ most

- Population: 19,208 larger in Thornlie
- Other language: 9.6 pts higher in Thornlie
- No religion: 9.2 pts higher in Ferndale
- Separate houses: 8.9 pts higher in Thornlie
- People / bedroom: 0.10 higher in Thornlie

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 4,457 | 23,665 | 19,208 larger in Thornlie | gap steady |
| Median age | 41 yrs | 38 yrs | 3 yrs older in Ferndale | gap steady |
| First Nations | 2.1% | 2.4% | 0.2 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 22.9% | 16.9% | 6.0 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Under 15 | 16.4% | 19.5% | 3.1 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |
| De facto | 10.9% | 8.9% | 2.0 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 27.3% | 26.8% | +0.5 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 22.8% | 24.6% | -1.9 |
| Seniors (65+) | 22.9% | 16.9% | +6.0 |
| Children (0–14) | 16.4% | 19.5% | -3.1 |
| Youth (15–24) | 10.8% | 12.2% | -1.4 |

### Marital status

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 47.1% | 50.6% | -3.5 |
| Never married | 33.8% | 33.7% | +0.2 |
| Divorced | 10.2% | 8.1% | +2.2 |
| Widowed | 6.4% | 4.3% | +2.1 |
| Separated | 2.8% | 3.4% | -0.6 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Ferndale male | Ferndale female | Thornlie male | Thornlie female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 2.9% |
| 5–9 | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| 10–14 | 2.3% | 2.4% | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| 15–19 | 2.7% | 2.4% | 3.1% | 3.0% |
| 20–24 | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| 25–29 | 2.8% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| 30–34 | 3.6% | 3.9% | 3.2% | 3.5% |
| 35–39 | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 3.6% |
| 40–44 | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.4% | 3.3% |
| 45–49 | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.3% |
| 50–54 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| 55–59 | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| 60–64 | 2.8% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.2% |
| 65–69 | 2.9% | 3.8% | 2.8% | 2.9% |
| 70–74 | 2.9% | 3.0% | 2.1% | 2.4% |
| 75–79 | 1.8% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| 80–84 | 1.1% | 1.5% | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| 85+ | 1.5% | 1.8% | 0.6% | 0.8% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 36.1% | 41.7% | 5.5 pts higher in Thornlie | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 58.9% | 54.2% | +4.8 |
| England | 8.1% | 6.6% | +1.5 |
| India | 2.1% | 4.0% | -1.9 |
| New Zealand | 2.6% | 3.0% | -0.4 |
| China | 2.4% | 2.5% | -0.2 |
| Philippines | 1.0% | 1.9% | -1.0 |
| South Africa | 1.1% | 1.1% | +0.0 |
| Vietnam | 0.6% | 0.6% | +0.0 |
| Italy | 0.5% | 0.4% | +0.1 |
| Nepal | 0.2% | 0.1% | +0.1 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 38.0% | 31.9% | +6.0 |
| Australian | 28.9% | 24.1% | +4.9 |
| Chinese | 8.2% | 10.1% | -1.9 |
| Irish | 9.5% | 6.6% | +2.9 |
| Scottish | 8.7% | 7.3% | +1.3 |
| Indian | 2.7% | 4.6% | -1.9 |
| Dutch | 3.3% | 1.8% | +1.6 |
| Italian | 3.2% | 3.3% | -0.1 |
| German | 3.3% | 2.3% | +1.0 |
| Filipino | 1.3% | 2.4% | -1.2 |
| Vietnamese | 0.7% | 0.7% | -0.1 |
| Greek | 0.4% | 0.3% | +0.1 |

## Language

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 21.1% | 30.7% | 9.6 pts higher in Thornlie | gap widening |
| Limited English | 3.3% | 5.2% | 1.8 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 73.7% | 64.8% | +8.9 |
| Mandarin | 4.4% | 5.1% | -0.7 |
| Arabic | 0.7% | 2.0% | -1.3 |
| Cantonese | 1.2% | 1.9% | -0.7 |
| Punjabi | 0.5% | 1.7% | -1.2 |
| Tagalog | 0.2% | 0.8% | -0.6 |
| Vietnamese | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.0 |
| Italian | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1 |
| Hindi | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.0 |
| Greek | 0.2% | 0.1% | +0.1 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 44.5% | 35.3% | 9.2 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 44.5% | 35.3% | +9.2 |
| Christianity | 39.1% | 39.5% | -0.4 |
| Islam | 3.8% | 11.4% | -7.5 |
| Not stated | 6.9% | 5.8% | +1.1 |
| Buddhism | 3.2% | 4.0% | -0.8 |
| Hinduism | 1.7% | 2.0% | -0.4 |
| Other religions | 0.9% | 2.0% | -1.0 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 59.9% | 55.3% | 4.5 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| Bachelor+ | 24.6% | 18.6% | 6.0 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Schools/1k kids | 1.37 | 1.52 | 0.15 more in Thornlie |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 31 | 42 | 11 more in Thornlie |  |
| Avg size | 442 | 517 | 75 larger in Thornlie |  |
| ICSEA | 1,040 | 1,022 | 17 higher in Ferndale |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 59.9% | 55.3% | +4.5 |
| Year 10 | 18.1% | 21.4% | -3.3 |
| Year 11 | 8.7% | 9.5% | -0.8 |
| Year 9 or below | 6.4% | 8.7% | -2.3 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 28.8% | 32.2% | -3.4 |
| Bachelor degree | 27.0% | 23.0% | +4.1 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 14.9% | 16.6% | -1.6 |
| Postgraduate degree | 6.8% | 6.7% | +0.1 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 4.0% | 2.7% | +1.2 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.6% | 2.9% | -0.2 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Engineering & related | 16.9% | 19.5% | -2.6 |
| Management & commerce | 16.5% | 18.3% | -1.8 |
| Health | 11.4% | 8.9% | +2.5 |
| Society & culture | 11.4% | 11.4% | 0.0 |
| Education | 7.5% | 7.3% | +0.2 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.1% | 6.0% | -0.8 |
| Architecture & building | 4.7% | 5.0% | -0.3 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 4.1% | 3.1% | +1.0 |
| Creative arts | 3.7% | 3.0% | +0.8 |
| Information technology | 2.6% | 3.2% | -0.6 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.9% | 1.2% | +0.7 |

## Income

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $745 | $682 | $63 higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,533 | $1,571 | $38 higher in Thornlie | gap narrowing |
| Family income | $2,003 | $1,825 | $178 higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| High earners | 10.5% | 7.9% | 2.6 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 18.2% | 15.8% | 2.4 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 29.1% | 31.8% | -2.7 |
| $650–$1,499 | 28.7% | 29.0% | -0.3 |
| Under $650 | 17.2% | 15.3% | +1.9 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 9.8% | 9.5% | +0.4 |
| $4,000 or more | 8.4% | 6.3% | +2.0 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 42.3% | 46.0% | -3.6 |
| $650–$1,499 | 29.5% | 31.6% | -2.2 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 18.2% | 15.3% | +2.8 |
| $3,000 or more | 2.9% | 2.1% | +0.8 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 29.9% | 27.8% | 2.2 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Mental health | 8.8% | 7.8% | 1.1 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Needs assistance | 6.2% | 4.8% | 1.4 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 9.2% | 8.0% | +1.2 |
| Mental health | 8.8% | 7.8% | +1.1 |
| Other condition | 8.5% | 8.2% | +0.3 |
| Asthma | 7.7% | 7.7% | +0.0 |
| Diabetes | 5.6% | 6.2% | -0.6 |
| Heart disease | 4.2% | 4.0% | +0.2 |
| Cancer | 3.5% | 2.7% | +0.8 |
| Lung condition | 2.1% | 1.8% | +0.3 |
| Stroke | 1.2% | 0.9% | +0.3 |
| Dementia | 1.0% | 0.4% | +0.6 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 62.3% | 65.4% | -3.1 |
| One condition | 19.8% | 19.1% | +0.6 |
| Two conditions | 7.2% | 5.9% | +1.3 |
| Three or more | 3.0% | 2.7% | +0.3 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 16.3% | 12.8% | 3.6 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| Unpaid carers | 12.2% | 11.2% | 1.0 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 26.8% | 29.3% | 2.5 pts higher in Thornlie | gap widening |
| Defence service | 3.4% | 2.2% | 1.2 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 20.5% | 20.4% | 0.0 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 95 | 562 | 467 larger in Thornlie |  |
| Median age | 22 yrs | 22 yrs |  |  |
| Year 12 | 25.4% | 40.5% | 15.1 pts higher in Thornlie |  |
| Unemployment | 19.4% | 19.4% |  |  |
| Median income | $474 | $502 | $28 higher in Thornlie |  |
| Household income | $1,187 | $1,528 | $341 higher in Thornlie |  |
| Indigenous language | 17.9% | 10.3% | 7.6 pts higher in Ferndale |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.4 | 2.7 | 0.3 larger in Thornlie | gap narrowing |
| One-parent | 13.5% | 14.6% | 1.1 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |
| Living alone | 28.1% | 21.0% | 7.1 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |

### Family composition

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 55.0% | 60.0% | -5.0 |
| Couples without children | 29.4% | 24.1% | +5.3 |
| One-parent families | 13.5% | 14.6% | -1.1 |
| Other families | 1.9% | 1.3% | +0.6 |

### Household size

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 34.1% | 33.7% | +0.3 |
| 1 person | 28.1% | 21.0% | +7.1 |
| 3 people | 16.4% | 17.6% | -1.1 |
| 4 people | 14.2% | 16.0% | -1.8 |
| 5 people | 4.9% | 7.3% | -2.5 |
| 6 or more | 1.9% | 4.4% | -2.5 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $314 | $330 | $16 higher in Thornlie | gap steady |
| Mortgage | $1,700 | $1,625 | $75 higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.70 | 0.80 | 0.10 higher in Thornlie | gap steady |
| Renting | 21.6% | 21.1% | 0.4 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 35.5% | 33.3% | 2.2 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 82.2% | 91.1% | 8.9 pts higher in Thornlie | gap narrowing |
| 3+ bedrooms | 89.5% | 92.0% | 2.6 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned with a mortgage | 40.2% | 42.6% | -2.4 |
| Owned outright | 35.5% | 33.3% | +2.2 |
| Rented | 21.6% | 21.1% | +0.4 |
| Other tenure | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.0 |
| Not stated | 0.6% | 1.3% | -0.8 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 82.2% | 91.1% | -8.9 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 17.4% | 7.6% | +9.7 |
| Flat or apartment | 0.3% | 1.2% | -0.9 |
| Other dwelling | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 51.4% | 39.8% | +11.5 |
| 4 bedrooms | 33.0% | 45.4% | -12.3 |
| 2 bedrooms | 8.9% | 5.9% | +3.0 |
| 5 or more | 5.1% | 6.8% | -1.7 |
| 1 bedroom | 1.4% | 0.7% | +0.7 |
| Studio / none | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $200–$349 | 48.8% | 45.3% | +3.5 |
| $350–$549 | 34.9% | 39.4% | -4.6 |
| Under $200 | 12.9% | 10.1% | +2.8 |
| $550–$749 | 0.0% | 1.0% | -1.0 |
| $750 or more | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 40.1% | 40.8% | -0.7 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 33.4% | 30.1% | +3.3 |
| Under $1,000 | 16.1% | 16.6% | -0.5 |
| $3,000 or more | 8.1% | 6.7% | +1.3 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 4.6% | 4.0% | 0.7 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 4.6% | 2.3 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| PT commute | 3.0% | 4.1% | 1.1 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |
| PT stops | 34 | 128 | 94 more in Thornlie |  |
| Stops/1k | 7.63 | 5.41 | 2.22 more in Ferndale |  |
| Departures/1k | 2,486.2 | 1,792.6 | 693.6 more in Ferndale |  |
| PT routes | 5 | 14 | 9 more in Thornlie |  |
| Stop walk | 6 | 3 | 3 longer in Ferndale |  |
| Drive to city | 16 | 19 | 3 longer in Thornlie |  |
| Reach 30 min | 13,992 | 48,080 | 34,088 more in Thornlie |  |
| Reach 45 min | 33,254 | 85,980 | 52,726 more in Thornlie |  |
| Transit to city | 65 | 53 | 12 longer in Ferndale |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 64.9% | 67.0% | -2.1 |
| Worked at home | 6.9% | 4.6% | +2.3 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.9% | 5.0% | -1.1 |
| Train | 0.9% | 2.2% | -1.3 |
| Bus | 2.1% | 1.9% | +0.3 |
| Bicycle | 0.8% | 0.2% | +0.6 |
| Walked | 0.6% | 0.7% | -0.1 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 40.6% | 40.2% | +0.4 |
| 1 vehicle | 37.0% | 32.7% | +4.2 |
| 3 vehicles | 12.5% | 14.9% | -2.4 |
| 4 or more | 5.5% | 8.3% | -2.7 |
| No vehicle | 4.6% | 4.0% | +0.7 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 31.8% | 31.5% | 0.2 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Recent arrivals | 7.9% | 9.5% | 1.6 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 7.1% | 1.9 pts higher in Thornlie | gap widening |
| Participation | 59.5% | 61.8% | 2.3 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |
| Full-time | 58.2% | 59.4% | 1.2 pts higher in Thornlie | gap steady |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 15.3% | 13.1% | +2.2 |
| Education & training | 10.3% | 7.9% | +2.4 |
| Retail trade | 9.2% | 9.6% | -0.4 |
| Construction | 7.5% | 8.7% | -1.3 |
| Professional & technical | 7.6% | 4.8% | +2.7 |
| Transport & warehousing | 5.5% | 7.2% | -1.7 |
| Accommodation & food | 6.0% | 7.1% | -1.1 |
| Manufacturing | 5.7% | 7.0% | -1.2 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.0% | 5.6% | +0.3 |
| Mining | 5.8% | 4.7% | +1.1 |
| Other services | 3.8% | 4.6% | -0.8 |
| Administrative & support | 3.2% | 3.6% | -0.4 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Ferndale % | Thornlie % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 23.7% | 15.9% | +7.7 |
| Technicians & trades | 15.0% | 17.5% | -2.5 |
| Community & personal service | 13.6% | 12.7% | +0.9 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.1% | 13.4% | -1.3 |
| Labourers | 10.0% | 12.1% | -2.1 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 7.5% | 10.5% | -3.0 |
| Managers | 9.4% | 7.9% | +1.5 |
| Sales workers | 7.8% | 8.4% | -0.7 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Ferndale | Thornlie | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.6 | 6.8 | 0.2 higher in Thornlie |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 6.8 | 6.7 | 0.1 more in Ferndale |  |
| 15-min city | 90.0% | 89.6% | 0.4 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Walk to shops | 76.9% | 87.4% | 10.5 pts higher in Thornlie |  |
| Walk to transit | 99.9% | 99.7% | 0.3 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Walk to school | 56.7% | 89.7% | 33.0 pts higher in Thornlie |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 85.5% | 74.9% | 10.6 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Amenities/1k | 25.6 | 21.8 | 3.8 more in Ferndale |  |
| Intersections/km² | 188 | 225 | 37 higher in Thornlie |  |
| Mean slope | 4.9% | 3.8% | 1.1 pts higher in Ferndale |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL50502/ferndale/vs/SAL51448/thornlie