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10 Best Suburbs for Families in Perth
Choosing where to raise your family is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make as a parent. The right suburb means your children walk to a good school, play safely in local parks, and grow up in a community that supports families.
The wrong one can mean long school commutes, safety anxiety, and a lifestyle that doesn't match your family's needs.
How we ranked family suburbs
We combined the two metrics that parents consistently rank as their top priorities:
- School quality (50%) — NAPLAN-based percentile from ACARA data, measuring reading, writing, numeracy, grammar, and spelling performance relative to the national average
- Crime safety (50%) — our composite crime score from WA Police data, covering violent crime, property crime, drug offences, and other offences per 100 residents
Why the 2-school threshold matters
We only included suburbs with at least two schools and a population above 500. The two-school requirement matters because it gives your family choice — if one school's teaching style doesn't suit your child, there's an alternative nearby without changing suburbs.
It also signals the suburb has enough family population density to support what kids need: sports clubs, playgrounds, libraries, and after-school activities.
Where the best family suburbs are
The suburbs that top this list tend to be established residential areas in Perth's middle ring — the 10-25km band from the CBD. These are places where families have been settling for decades, where school communities are mature, and where the data consistently shows both strong NAPLAN performance and low crime.
Some are expensive; others are surprisingly affordable. All have the combination of safety and education quality that makes them genuinely good places to raise children.
Rossmoyne
Rossmoyne is a quiet, established riverside suburb in Perth's south that families actively seek out for access to one of WA's top public high schools. Sitting along the Canning River, it offers leafy streets, parkland walks, and a peaceful atmosphere, though limited local dining and high property prices mean it appeals primarily to affluent families rather than young singles or retirees on a budget.
Floreat
Floreat is an affluent, established western suburb defined by its stunning beach, sweeping bushland in Bold Park, and generous residential blocks. Families and professionals are drawn by the coastal lifestyle, excellent schools nearby, and quiet tree-lined streets, though car dependence is the norm and the price of entry is steep. Community life tends toward the private side, with sports clubs filling the social calendar rather than a buzzing strip.
Sorrento
Sorrento is one of Perth's most coveted northern coastal suburbs, where the beach is the centrepiece of daily life. Residents wake to stunning Indian Ocean sunsets, swim between groynes, and grab coffee with a view. The suburb carries a well-heeled, established feel. It is quiet, safe and family-friendly, though thoroughly car-dependent, and the local marina precinct has seen better days.
Churchlands
Churchlands is a quiet, established suburb in Perth's inner northwest, best known for its catchment to Churchlands Senior High School, one of the city's most sought-after public schools. Large homes line leafy streets beside Herdsman Lake, offering easy access to nature trails and birdlife. The area is car-dependent with little in the way of cafes or retail, but families consistently rate it highly for its safe, unhurried atmosphere and strong school options.
Attadale
Attadale is a quiet, well-established riverside suburb that locals describe as ideal for families chasing green space and good schools. Residents note easy access to Attadale Reserve, Alfred Cove, and Wireless Hill Park, making it a favourite for walkers and dog owners. People say property prices reflect the premium location, significantly dearer than comparable suburbs, but the peaceful river-adjacent lifestyle and proximity to Fremantle and the CBD are seen as justifying the cost.
Ardross
Ardross sits comfortably in Perth's south-of-river prestige belt, sharing borders and reputation with Applecross and Booragoon. It's a quiet, established suburb favoured by families and older residents, with Riseley Square providing a local retail and services hub. Property demand is strong and prices reflect it, but Ardross has also earned a tongue-in-cheek reputation for aggressive driving and an entitled local attitude, a backhanded compliment to its affluent character.
Leeming
Leeming is a well-established, quiet suburb south of the river, popular with families drawn to its school catchments and relative affordability compared to pricier neighbours like Winthrop. Predominantly car-dependent, with Murdoch station a drive away and buses infrequent. Sports facilities get regular mention. The suburb has a noticeably multicultural character and a settled, unpretentious feel with mature gardens and older homes.
City Beach
City Beach is one of Perth's most admired coastal suburbs, celebrated across years of posts for its sweeping Indian Ocean views, crystal-clear water and world-class sunsets. The beach draws regulars and first-timers alike who describe it as peaceful and spacious, with Clancy's restaurant and the adjacent Bold Park nature reserve rounding out a lifestyle that feels both relaxed and connected to nature. Property prices reflect the premium, homes trade well into the millions, and residents have been vocal opponents of new apartment projects, though planning bodies have begun overriding that resistance.
Coolbinia
Coolbinia is a quiet, leafy inner suburb tucked between Mt Lawley and Menora, known for its collection of mid-century Iwanoff modernist bungalows and its relaxed, neighbourhood feel. Residents value the community warmth and pleasant streetscape, though heritage advocates worry as period homes face pressure from new development. It is an established, sought-after pocket with a distinctly unhurried vibe.
Duncraig
Duncraig is a well-established, quiet northern suburb that families prize for its leafy streets, proximity to Hillarys Boat Harbour, and solid schools. It sits comfortably in Perth's middle-class heartland — not flashy, but reliable. Residents moving away for semi-retirement note they miss the walkable restaurant culture found closer to the city. Safety is generally good but periodic incidents with door knockers and teen trouble in surrounding suburbs keep people vigilant. Property prices are strong, making it aspirational for buyers who compare it favourably to cheaper neighbours like Warwick.
Beyond the data
The suburbs on this list share traits that go beyond what numbers capture — active P&C associations, established sports clubs, and the kind of community cohesion that comes from families staying in one area for years.
Multiple school options within each suburb also mean you can choose between government, independent, and Catholic schools without a long commute.
A note on school ratings
Our school rating is a suburb-level average. A suburb that ranks lower overall might contain one exceptional school that's perfect for your child. We recommend drilling into individual school data using our school ratings explorer, where you can see NAPLAN results, attendance rates, and ICSEA scores for every school.
What about cost?
Some of Perth's best family suburbs are also among its most expensive. If budget is a constraint:
- Check our Safest Suburbs Under $800/Week Rent guide
- Use the explore map to filter by your rent ceiling alongside school quality and safety
Data & methodology
Suburbs are ranked by a 50/50 composite of school rating and crime score. School rating is a NAPLAN percentile (0-100) based on ACARA data — it measures how students in the suburb's schools perform in five domains (reading, writing, numeracy, grammar, spelling) relative to the national average. Crime score (0-100) is derived from WA Police offence data, normalised per 100 residents.
Qualification criteria: 2+ schools in the suburb (ensuring family choice), population above 500 (ensuring community infrastructure), and both a school rating and crime score on file. Suburbs missing either metric are excluded.
Why 50/50 weighting? In user research, parents ranked safety and school quality as roughly equal priorities. Adjusting the weighting (e.g., 60/40 toward schools) shifts a few positions but the top suburbs remain largely the same.
Data sources: ACARA/MySchool (school NAPLAN results, attendance, ICSEA), WA Police (crime), real estate websites + WA Rental Bonds (rent), ABS Census 2021 (population, school counts).
Nick Lilleyman
Founder & Data Lead, Burb Score
Nick built Burb Score to give Perth families a data-driven view of where to live. He works directly with the ACARA, WA Police, ABS Census, WA Rental Bonds and real estate datasets that power every ranking on this site. Rankings are generated programmatically from official data sources, not opinions, and refresh automatically. No sponsored content or paid placements.
Frequently asked questions
What does "school rating" measure?
School rating is a percentile score (0-100) based on NAPLAN results. It reflects how students in the suburb's schools perform in reading, writing, numeracy, grammar, and spelling compared to the national average. A rating of 75 means the suburb's schools outperform 75% of schools nationally. The score is an average across all schools in the suburb — individual schools may score higher or lower.
Why filter for suburbs with 2+ schools?
Having multiple schools in your suburb gives your family choice. If one school's teaching style doesn't suit your child, or if class sizes are too large, there's an alternative within walking or short driving distance. It also indicates the suburb has sufficient family population to support community infrastructure like sports clubs and playgrounds.
Are private schools included in the ratings?
Yes. Our school ratings include government, independent (private), and Catholic schools — all school types that report NAPLAN data through ACARA. The suburb-level rating is an average across all school types present in the suburb.
How much does it cost to live in these suburbs?
It varies significantly. Some of Perth's best family suburbs have median rents of $800-1,100/week, while others are more accessible at $550-700. Each suburb card shows the median rent alongside the family score. For budget-conscious families, try our Safest Suburbs Under $800 Rent guide.
What about childcare and early learning?
Our current data covers primary and secondary schools (via NAPLAN). Childcare and early learning centres are not yet included in the rankings. We plan to add childcare availability data in a future update. In the meantime, the population threshold (500+) and school count (2+) serve as reasonable proxies for suburbs with adequate family services.
Explore these suburbs further