Question 1

Is Highgate a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Highgate is a compact inner-city pocket between the Perth CBD and Mount Lawley, with leafy streets and a low-rise residential character. Small Federation and interwar cottages sit alongside modest apartment buildings, creating a quieter alternative to neighbouring shopping strips. Residents have nearby cafes and shops along Beaufort Street, easy access to Hyde Park, and frequent bus routes with rail connections close by.

The community has a median age of 34 and leans towards couple households without children, and homes are more often rented than owner-occupied, with 57.5% rented. Recent and planned local works include an expanded Highgate Primary School now in use, construction under way to replace the former Stirling Towers with 109 social, affordable and disability apartments, an underground power conversion that is progressing, and council plans for a youth skate space and child health clinic renewal. That mix tends to suit young professionals, students and downsizers seeking walkable, village-style living close to the city; whether it suits you depends on what you value.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Highgate?

Accepted Answer

Rents in Highgate take up a substantial share of what a typical local household earned at the last Census. A house rent of $795 a week is about 43% of the suburb's median weekly household income of $1,852 at the last Census, and a unit rent of $650 a week is about 35% of that income, so renting would use a sizeable to large share of a typical local household's weekly earnings at the last Census.

For buyers, the current median unit price of $650,000 works out to about 6.7 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census, which places buying a unit well above local incomes. Whether that feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Question 3

Is Highgate a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

Over the past 12 months Highgate’s housing and unit markets moved in opposite directions. Median unit values jumped 39.7%, a large rise, while median house values fell 4.2%, a modest decline. On the income side, house rents rose 9.7% and unit rents rose 8.3% — both solid increases, with house rents up slightly more than unit rents. For someone weighing Highgate as an investment, the figures separate capital growth and rental income: units showed strong capital growth this year, while houses provided the stronger rental uplift despite a small fall in price. Whether that pattern suits your goals and circumstances is for you to decide.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	N/A	$650K
Change in value Past 12 months	-4.2%	39.7%
Sold Past 3 months	6	15
Median days on market Past 12 months	9	7
Average rent Past 12 months	$795	$650
Change in rent Past 12 months	9.7%	8.3%

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