The Perth suburbs in demand thanks to their local public school

Some of the biggest schools in Perth are facing the chance of further increased demand, with new figures showing people specifically searched for their catchment areas when looking to buy a home in 2024.

Domain data indicated Mount Lawley Senior High School was the main catchment of choice for parents, who searched the property website using the school’s name rather than by price point or location.

The school recently received 20 new classrooms to the tune of $15 million from the state government, which increased its capacity from 1700 to 2200 students. The school had been well over capacity before the changes.

It overtook Rossmoyne Senior High School, which was the top-searched school in 2023.

Willetton Senior High School also dropped from third-most searched to eighth, with Bob Hawke College taking its spot.

Two new schools were added to the list – John Forrest Secondary College and Carine Senior High School – which replaced Melville Senior High School and Ashdale Secondary College.

Seven schools on the list already have more than 2000 students, with another almost at the milestone.

Domain chief of research and economics Dr Nicola Powell said when governments made large investments in schools, it could indicate it was worth parents’ time investing in that school too.

Powell also said school catchment zones could change, and the increase in Mount Lawley’s capacity may have led parents to search and see if areas had been added or rearranged.

The price of property can also be impacted by local school zones, with Powell stating houses in the same suburb, or even the same street, could be advertised for vastly different price points.

“These buyers are highly driven and determined so that really drives up the competition and prices,” she said.

“Although state government funding for school upgrades can influence parents, I would say the biggest draw card is academic performance, or the offerings of specialist programs like music or sport.”

Although school ATAR results are not made public, all but one in the top 10 list scored above or well above other students nationally in this year’s NAPLAN testing in every tested subject.

Although John Forrest Secondary College did not receive the same results, it still recorded results at a similar level to others nationally, and also offers specialist programs in music, cricket, netball and tennis.

Powell said anecdotally, parents would also look to rent in a suburb within certain catchment zones, particularly when the cost to buy continued to climb.

Perth’s housing market continues to stand out nationally, with the median house price rising by around $27,000 over the September quarter to a record $894,842.

Domain also lets people search suburbs by where private schools are located, but none made the top 10 list, likely because enrolments were not restricted by catchments.

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