How Perth’s most in-demand schools impact nearby property prices

The price growth of properties in multiple suburbs surrounding some of Perth’s most in demand schools has far exceeded the average growth across the city over the past 30 years, a new report has revealed.

But not all suburbs near those schools saw a significant spike, proving that while what parents’ perceive to be a good school does concentrate demand, other factors are also in play according to the buyers’ agency that compiled the findings.

Buyers Advocate Perth pulled data from the Real Estate Institute of WA on the median house price across six public and private school precincts between 1995 and 2026.

Suburbs surrounding Christ Church Grammar, Hale School and St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School were all analysed, as well as suburbs around Shenton College, and both Rossmoyne and Applecross Senior High School.

Those schools were chosen as they were well established, providing consistent data over the long term, and because they experienced consistently high enrolment demand.

The results reveal a pattern, according to company director and licensed buyer’s agent Ray Chua.

Chua said while schools were rarely the sole driver of property prices, suburbs associated with strong school catchments had generally experienced stronger long-term performance than Greater Perth.

“A good school gives families another reason to compete for a limited number of homes and families, they’re not just choosing a house, they’re choosing a lifestyle, and schooling can be a major part of that decision,” he said.

“But schools don’t create demand on their own. They concentrate long-term owner-occupier demand into neighbourhoods families already aspire to live in.”

Christ Church Grammar has long been associated with one of Perth’s most established family precincts, Chua said.

Families drawn to the school were choosing an area characterised by “mature streets, established homes, lifestyle amenity and limited opportunities for significant new housing”.

The nearby suburbs of Claremont, Swanbourne and Nedlands all substantially outperformed Greater Perth over the study period.

Turning to Hale School, and the results across Wembley Downs, City Beach and Floreat produced the same story, alongside Karrinyup, Trigg and Gwelup close to St Mary’s.

Private schools do not have a catchment area, so Chua said he had chosen to look at the suburbs closest to those schools.