# Ferndale vs Wilson — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 1.6 km apart

Wilson and Ferndale (WA) are neighbouring areas in Perth with very different resident profiles. Wilson is a young and diverse hub where 46.3% of people were born overseas and 36.7% use a language other than English at home. It is also a highly mobile area, with 48.1% of residents moving in the last five years, which helps explain why renting is far more common there at 36.6%. In contrast, Ferndale (WA) is noticeably older, with a typical resident aged 41 and a higher share of people aged 65 and over (22.9%).

Everyday life in both places shares many similarities, with nearly identical typical weekly family incomes of around $2,000 and the same share of First Nations residents at 2.1%. However, their local environments differ; Ferndale (WA) is far more walkable, especially for health services and groceries. While Wilson has more separate houses, Ferndale (WA) has more homes owned outright. Over time, the gap in education has widened, with Wilson now seeing far higher rates of bachelor degrees and Year 12 completion.

## Where they differ most

- Recent movers: 16.3 pts higher in Wilson
- Other language: 15.6 pts higher in Wilson
- Renting: 15.0 pts higher in Wilson
- Recent arrivals: 14.2 pts higher in Wilson
- Separate houses: 13.3 pts higher in Wilson

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 4,457 | 6,608 | 2,151 larger in Wilson | gap widening |
| Median age | 41 yrs | 35 yrs | 6 yrs older in Ferndale | gap steady |
| First Nations | 2.1% | 2.1% |  | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 22.9% | 17.0% | 5.9 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 16.4% | 15.2% | 1.2 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |
| De facto | 10.9% | 8.1% | 2.8 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |

### Age structure

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 27.3% | 32.6% | -5.2 |
| Seniors (65+) | 22.9% | 17.0% | +5.9 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 22.8% | 20.7% | +2.0 |
| Children (0–14) | 16.4% | 15.2% | +1.2 |
| Youth (15–24) | 10.8% | 14.6% | -3.8 |

### Marital status

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 47.1% | 44.0% | +3.1 |
| Never married | 33.8% | 40.4% | -6.5 |
| Divorced | 10.2% | 7.8% | +2.4 |
| Widowed | 6.4% | 5.3% | +1.1 |
| Separated | 2.8% | 2.5% | +0.3 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Ferndale male | Ferndale female | Wilson male | Wilson female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 2.6% |
| 5–9 | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.6% |
| 10–14 | 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.1% |
| 15–19 | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| 20–24 | 3.0% | 2.8% | 5.5% | 4.5% |
| 25–29 | 2.8% | 3.1% | 5.8% | 4.3% |
| 30–34 | 3.6% | 3.9% | 4.6% | 4.2% |
| 35–39 | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 4.0% |
| 40–44 | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| 45–49 | 2.8% | 3.0% | 2.5% | 2.7% |
| 50–54 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| 55–59 | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.5% | 2.7% |
| 60–64 | 2.8% | 3.0% | 2.6% | 2.9% |
| 65–69 | 2.9% | 3.8% | 2.0% | 2.1% |
| 70–74 | 2.9% | 3.0% | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| 75–79 | 1.8% | 2.4% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| 80–84 | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| 85+ | 1.5% | 1.8% | 1.3% | 2.2% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 36.1% | 46.3% | 10.2 pts higher in Wilson | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 58.9% | 49.7% | +9.2 |
| England | 8.1% | 4.8% | +3.3 |
| China | 2.4% | 4.6% | -2.2 |
| India | 2.1% | 4.1% | -2.0 |
| New Zealand | 2.6% | 1.5% | +1.1 |
| South Africa | 1.1% | 1.0% | +0.1 |
| Philippines | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.0 |
| Italy | 0.5% | 0.8% | -0.3 |
| Vietnam | 0.6% | 0.8% | -0.2 |
| Nepal | 0.2% | 0.4% | -0.3 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 38.0% | 27.7% | +10.2 |
| Australian | 28.9% | 21.4% | +7.5 |
| Chinese | 8.2% | 17.1% | -8.9 |
| Irish | 9.5% | 7.0% | +2.5 |
| Scottish | 8.7% | 6.1% | +2.5 |
| Indian | 2.7% | 4.5% | -1.8 |
| Italian | 3.2% | 4.2% | -1.1 |
| Dutch | 3.3% | 2.5% | +0.8 |
| German | 3.3% | 2.2% | +1.0 |
| Filipino | 1.3% | 1.3% | -0.1 |
| Vietnamese | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.0 |
| Greek | 0.4% | 0.3% | +0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 21.1% | 36.7% | 15.6 pts higher in Wilson | gap steady |
| Limited English | 3.3% | 5.2% | 1.8 pts higher in Wilson | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 73.7% | 58.8% | +14.8 |
| Mandarin | 4.4% | 9.4% | -5.0 |
| Cantonese | 1.2% | 3.0% | -1.7 |
| Punjabi | 0.5% | 1.4% | -0.9 |
| Arabic | 0.7% | 1.4% | -0.6 |
| Italian | 0.4% | 0.8% | -0.3 |
| Vietnamese | 0.7% | 0.7% | -0.1 |
| Hindi | 0.4% | 0.7% | -0.2 |
| Tagalog | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1 |
| Greek | 0.2% | 0.1% | +0.2 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 44.5% | 36.1% | 8.4 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 44.5% | 36.1% | +8.4 |
| Christianity | 39.1% | 41.1% | -2.0 |
| Islam | 3.8% | 7.0% | -3.2 |
| Not stated | 6.9% | 5.9% | +1.0 |
| Buddhism | 3.2% | 5.7% | -2.5 |
| Hinduism | 1.7% | 2.6% | -1.0 |
| Other religions | 0.9% | 1.6% | -0.6 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 59.9% | 70.0% | 10.1 pts higher in Wilson | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 24.6% | 35.6% | 11.0 pts higher in Wilson | gap widening |
| Schools/1k kids | 1.37 | 1.00 | 0.37 more in Ferndale |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 31 | 32 | 1 more in Wilson |  |
| Avg size | 442 | 461 | 19 larger in Wilson |  |
| ICSEA | 1,040 | 1,045 | 5 higher in Wilson |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 59.9% | 70.0% | -10.1 |
| Year 10 | 18.1% | 11.9% | +6.2 |
| Year 11 | 8.7% | 5.4% | +3.3 |
| Year 9 or below | 6.4% | 7.0% | -0.6 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 27.0% | 35.2% | -8.2 |
| Certificate III / IV | 28.8% | 18.4% | +10.4 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 14.9% | 14.7% | +0.3 |
| Postgraduate degree | 6.8% | 12.9% | -6.2 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 4.0% | 4.1% | -0.2 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.6% | 2.1% | +0.5 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 16.5% | 21.7% | -5.1 |
| Engineering & related | 16.9% | 16.3% | +0.6 |
| Health | 11.4% | 11.3% | +0.0 |
| Society & culture | 11.4% | 10.2% | +1.2 |
| Education | 7.5% | 6.8% | +0.7 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 4.1% | 5.2% | -1.1 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.1% | 5.0% | +0.2 |
| Architecture & building | 4.7% | 4.2% | +0.5 |
| Information technology | 2.6% | 4.5% | -1.9 |
| Creative arts | 3.7% | 3.3% | +0.5 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.9% | 1.3% | +0.7 |

## Income

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $745 | $752 | $7 higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |
| Household income | $1,533 | $1,668 | $135 higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |
| Family income | $2,003 | $2,065 | $62 higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |
| High earners | 10.5% | 10.4% | 0.2 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 18.2% | 21.1% | 2.8 pts higher in Wilson | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 29.1% | 28.6% | +0.5 |
| $650–$1,499 | 28.7% | 23.2% | +5.5 |
| Under $650 | 17.2% | 18.5% | -1.3 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 9.8% | 11.2% | -1.4 |
| $4,000 or more | 8.4% | 9.8% | -1.5 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 42.3% | 42.8% | -0.5 |
| $650–$1,499 | 29.5% | 29.8% | -0.3 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 18.2% | 17.6% | +0.5 |
| $3,000 or more | 2.9% | 3.5% | -0.6 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 29.9% | 24.7% | 5.2 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Mental health | 8.8% | 7.4% | 1.5 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Needs assistance | 6.2% | 6.3% | 0.1 pts higher in Wilson | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 9.2% | 7.0% | +2.2 |
| Mental health | 8.8% | 7.4% | +1.5 |
| Other condition | 8.5% | 8.3% | +0.2 |
| Asthma | 7.7% | 5.5% | +2.2 |
| Diabetes | 5.6% | 4.6% | +1.0 |
| Heart disease | 4.2% | 3.8% | +0.3 |
| Cancer | 3.5% | 2.8% | +0.7 |
| Lung condition | 2.1% | 1.5% | +0.6 |
| Dementia | 1.0% | 1.6% | -0.5 |
| Stroke | 1.2% | 0.7% | +0.5 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 62.3% | 69.3% | -7.0 |
| One condition | 19.8% | 17.1% | +2.6 |
| Two conditions | 7.2% | 5.0% | +2.2 |
| Three or more | 3.0% | 2.5% | +0.5 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 16.3% | 18.1% | 1.8 pts higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 12.2% | 10.7% | 1.5 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 26.8% | 23.1% | 3.7 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |
| Defence service | 3.4% | 2.1% | 1.3 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 20.5% | 16.4% | 4.1 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 95 | 141 | 46 larger in Wilson |  |
| Median age | 22 yrs | 22 yrs |  |  |
| Year 12 | 25.4% | 37.1% | 11.7 pts higher in Wilson |  |
| Unemployment | 19.4% | 18.6% | 0.8 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Median income | $474 | $507 | $33 higher in Wilson |  |
| Household income | $1,187 | $1,375 | $188 higher in Wilson |  |
| Indigenous language | 17.9% | 11.3% | 6.5 pts higher in Ferndale |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.4 | 2.5 | 0.1 larger in Wilson | gap steady |
| One-parent | 13.5% | 11.8% | 1.7 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| Living alone | 28.1% | 27.4% | 0.7 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |

### Family composition

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 55.0% | 56.2% | -1.3 |
| Couples without children | 29.4% | 29.2% | +0.2 |
| One-parent families | 13.5% | 11.8% | +1.7 |
| Other families | 1.9% | 2.5% | -0.6 |

### Household size

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 34.1% | 31.3% | +2.8 |
| 1 person | 28.1% | 27.4% | +0.7 |
| 3 people | 16.4% | 16.5% | -0.1 |
| 4 people | 14.2% | 14.7% | -0.4 |
| 5 people | 4.9% | 7.1% | -2.2 |
| 6 or more | 1.9% | 3.2% | -1.3 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $314 | $350 | $36 higher in Wilson | gap widening |
| Mortgage | $1,700 | $1,842 | $142 higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.70 | 0.80 | 0.10 higher in Wilson | gap steady |
| Renting | 21.6% | 36.6% | 15.0 pts higher in Wilson | gap widening |
| Owned outright | 35.5% | 28.7% | 6.8 pts higher in Ferndale | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 82.2% | 95.5% | 13.3 pts higher in Wilson | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 89.5% | 84.1% | 5.3 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned with a mortgage | 40.2% | 29.3% | +10.9 |
| Rented | 21.6% | 36.6% | -15.0 |
| Owned outright | 35.5% | 28.7% | +6.8 |
| Other tenure | 1.7% | 4.3% | -2.6 |
| Not stated | 0.6% | 1.1% | -0.5 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 82.2% | 95.5% | -13.3 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 17.4% | 3.6% | +13.8 |
| Flat or apartment | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.2 |
| Other dwelling | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 51.4% | 41.6% | +9.7 |
| 4 bedrooms | 33.0% | 34.0% | -1.0 |
| 2 bedrooms | 8.9% | 10.9% | -2.0 |
| 5 or more | 5.1% | 8.5% | -3.4 |
| 1 bedroom | 1.4% | 3.4% | -2.0 |
| Studio / none | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $200–$349 | 48.8% | 29.5% | +19.3 |
| $350–$549 | 34.9% | 43.3% | -8.4 |
| Under $200 | 12.9% | 15.8% | -3.0 |
| $550–$749 | 0.0% | 5.1% | -5.1 |
| $750 or more | 0.0% | 1.1% | -1.1 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 40.1% | 29.7% | +10.4 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 33.4% | 35.8% | -2.4 |
| Under $1,000 | 16.1% | 17.0% | -0.9 |
| $3,000 or more | 8.1% | 13.0% | -4.9 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 4.6% | 6.7% | 2.1 pts higher in Wilson | gap steady |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 6.0% | 0.9 pts higher in Ferndale | gap steady |
| PT commute | 3.0% | 5.4% | 2.4 pts higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 34 | 37 | 3 more in Wilson |  |
| Stops/1k | 7.63 | 5.60 | 2.03 more in Ferndale |  |
| Departures/1k | 2,486.2 | 2,084.4 | 401.8 more in Ferndale |  |
| PT routes | 5 | 13 | 8 more in Wilson |  |
| Stop walk | 6 | 4 | 2 longer in Ferndale |  |
| Drive to city | 16 | 12 | 4 longer in Ferndale |  |
| Reach 30 min | 13,992 | 0 | 13,992 more in Ferndale |  |
| Reach 45 min | 33,254 | 86,700 | 53,446 more in Wilson |  |
| Transit to city | 65 | 58 | 7 longer in Ferndale |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 64.9% | 64.3% | +0.6 |
| Worked at home | 6.9% | 6.0% | +0.9 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.9% | 4.7% | -0.8 |
| Bus | 2.1% | 4.6% | -2.4 |
| Train | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.0 |
| Bicycle | 0.8% | 0.7% | +0.1 |
| Walked | 0.6% | 0.5% | +0.1 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 40.6% | 37.9% | +2.7 |
| 1 vehicle | 37.0% | 34.8% | +2.1 |
| 3 vehicles | 12.5% | 13.3% | -0.8 |
| 4 or more | 5.5% | 7.4% | -1.9 |
| No vehicle | 4.6% | 6.7% | -2.1 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 31.8% | 48.1% | 16.3 pts higher in Wilson | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 7.9% | 22.2% | 14.2 pts higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 6.0% | 0.8 pts higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |
| Participation | 59.5% | 63.1% | 3.7 pts higher in Wilson | gap narrowing |
| Full-time | 58.2% | 55.8% | 2.5 pts higher in Ferndale | gap narrowing |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 15.3% | 14.4% | +0.9 |
| Education & training | 10.3% | 10.1% | +0.2 |
| Retail trade | 9.2% | 7.8% | +1.4 |
| Accommodation & food | 6.0% | 8.9% | -2.9 |
| Professional & technical | 7.6% | 8.1% | -0.5 |
| Construction | 7.5% | 7.1% | +0.4 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.0% | 6.5% | -0.5 |
| Mining | 5.8% | 4.8% | +1.0 |
| Manufacturing | 5.7% | 4.4% | +1.3 |
| Transport & warehousing | 5.5% | 5.6% | -0.1 |
| Administrative & support | 3.2% | 3.9% | -0.7 |
| Other services | 3.8% | 3.7% | +0.1 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Ferndale % | Wilson % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 23.7% | 27.6% | -4.0 |
| Technicians & trades | 15.0% | 13.0% | +2.0 |
| Community & personal service | 13.6% | 13.8% | -0.3 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.1% | 11.6% | +0.5 |
| Labourers | 10.0% | 9.9% | +0.1 |
| Managers | 9.4% | 9.2% | +0.2 |
| Sales workers | 7.8% | 6.9% | +0.8 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 7.5% | 6.7% | +0.8 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Ferndale | Wilson | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.6 | 5.5 | 1.0 higher in Ferndale |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 6.8 | 5.3 | 1.5 more in Ferndale |  |
| 15-min city | 90.0% | 59.3% | 30.6 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Walk to shops | 76.9% | 58.8% | 18.1 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Walk to transit | 99.9% | 98.1% | 1.8 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Walk to school | 56.7% | 67.3% | 10.6 pts higher in Wilson |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 99.9% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 85.5% | 51.3% | 34.2 pts higher in Ferndale |  |
| Amenities/1k | 25.6 | 10.9 | 14.7 more in Ferndale |  |
| Intersections/km² | 188 | 186 | 2 higher in Ferndale |  |
| Mean slope | 4.9% | 4.9% |  |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL50502/ferndale/vs/SAL51617/wilson