WA 6530 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Beachlands

A 14.2% vacancy rate in a suburb where the median house price is just $287,000 tells the real story of Beachlands. Household income sits at the 23.5th percentile nationally, placing it well below average, yet housing stress is low because prices are so affordable: rent-to-income runs at 17% and mortgage-to-income at 25.5%. The median resident age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, and 74.1% of people stayed at the same address, pointing to a stable, long-settled community rather than a transient one. At 77.8%, separate houses dominate the stock in this 1.42 square kilometre suburb of 1,400 people.

Beachlands urban fabric map

Population

1,400

Median Age

45.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,177/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

0

Median House

$287K

Estimated from rent (2025)

1.42 km²· 988.3 people/km²· Family income $1,868/wk

At $287,000, the median house price in Beachlands is well below the WA state median, making entry accessible for buyers who do not need a central location. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and with household income at the 23.5th percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio holds at 25.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is 77.8% separate houses and 20.3% semi-detached, with apartments at only 1.9%, so buyers get genuine detached housing at modest prices. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.2% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom for 16.2%. Outright owners make up 23.7% and mortgage holders 33.8%, with renters at 42.5%, higher than the national average.

For Buyers

At $287,000, the median house price in Beachlands is well below the WA state median, making entry accessible for buyers who do not need a central location. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and with household income at the 23.5th percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio holds at 25.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is 77.8% separate houses and 20.3% semi-detached, with apartments at only 1.9%, so buyers get genuine detached housing at modest prices. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.2% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom for 16.2%. Outright owners make up 23.7% and mortgage holders 33.8%, with renters at 42.5%, higher than the national average.

For Investors

The 42.5% renter share is a positive signal for landlords, but the 14.2% vacancy rate points to oversupply relative to demand in this small, 1,400-person suburb. Weekly rent of $200 against a $287,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.6%, reasonable compared to major metro markets. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, suggesting supply is not growing through new construction. The high vacancy and low income base (household income at the 23.5th percentile nationally) mean tenant demand is thin, so vacancy periods may be longer than average. Investors should weigh the affordable entry price and decent yield against the structural vacancy risk.

Demographics

The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, reflecting the aging-resident-base character of the suburb. Overseas-born residents account for 16.2% of the population, which is 5.4 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile: English (587), Irish (134) and Scottish (130) are the three largest ancestry groups. University qualifications reach 25.8%, which is 4.3 points below national. Average household size is 2.0, half a person below the national average, and 33.5% of families are couples without children, typical of an older demographic where children have left home. No non-English languages appear in the data.

Age Distribution

0-14
14.1%
15-24
8.6%
25-44
26.1%
45-64
30.4%
65+
21.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
6.7%
2 bed
30.9%
3 bed
46.2%
4+ bed
16.2%

Dwelling Structure

77.8%

Houses

20.3%

Townhouse

1.9%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 23.7% Mortgage 33.8% Rent 42.5%

Tenure divides into 23.7% outright owners, 33.8% with a mortgage and 42.5% renters, with the renter share sitting above the national average. The 14.2% vacancy rate is notably high for a suburb of 1,400 people, implying a meaningful share of dwellings sit empty at any given time. Three-bedroom homes lead at 46.2% and two-bedroom at 30.9%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 16.2% and 0-1 bedroom at 6.7%. The stock is 77.8% separate houses and 20.3% semi-detached, with apartments at just 1.9%, which is lower than most WA coastal areas. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and rent averages $200 per week, both low compared to state averages.

Mortgage / mo

$1,300

Rent / wk

$200

HH Size

2.0

Personal Income / wk

$735

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

14.2%

Unoccupied

104

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

17.0%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

25.5%

Community Profile

Ancestry

English
587
Irish
134
Scottish
130
Ancestry NS
124
Other
109
Italian
53

Household Composition

33.5%

Couples, no children

862

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 22.8% of employed residents (109 workers), with Education close behind at 20.0% (96 workers). Together these two sectors account for nearly 43% of employment, skewing the workforce toward service-sector roles compared to many WA regional areas. Construction contributes 9.6% (46 workers) and Hospitality 7.9% (38 workers), reflecting a coastal and trade base. By occupation, Professionals (162) are the largest group, followed by Community and Personal Service workers (90) and Managers (70). The unemployment rate is 5.7% against 370 full-time and 226 part-time employed residents, and the participation rate at 52.6% is low, partly because 405 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 45. Household income sits at the 23.5th percentile nationally.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Full-time

62.1%

Part-time

32.2%

Participation

52.6%

Employed

596

Occupations

Professionals 162
Community/Personal 90
Managers 70
Labourers 66
Clerical/Admin 58
Machinery/Drivers 54
Sales 48

Top Industries

Healthcare 22.8%
Education 20.0%
Construction 9.6%
Hospitality 7.9%
Retail 6.1%

University

25.8%

Postgraduate

3.9%

Born Overseas

16.2%

Dwellings

632

Transport to Work

Car reliance is high: 84.1% of residents drive to work, which is above average nationally, and only 0.8% use public transport, reflecting the limited transit options typical of smaller WA coastal suburbs. Walking and cycling account for 8.5% of commutes, above what might be expected given the low transit share. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on schools in neighbouring areas. Crime data is not available for Beachlands. The volunteering rate of 19.8% is above the national average, pointing to community engagement among the stable resident base. Rent-to-income at 17% is low, meaning renters are not under financial pressure, which is consistent with the affordable $200 per week median rent.

Drive

84.1%

Public Transport

0.8%

Walk / Cycle

8.5%

Work from Home

N/A

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Beachlands compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 25%
Household Income
Bottom 24%
Rent Level
Bottom 30%
Apartments
Bottom 34%
Renters
Top 14%
Uni Educated
Top 45%
Public Transport
Bottom 11%
Born Overseas
Top 42%
Density
Top 15%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Beachlands a good suburb to live in?

Beachlands suits residents who value affordability and stability. The median house price is $287,000 and rent averages $200 per week, both well below state norms. Mortgage-to-income sits at 25.5% and rent-to-income at 17%, so housing costs are manageable. The trade-offs are a high 14.2% vacancy rate signalling limited demand, low public transport at 0.8%, and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.

What is the median house price in Beachlands?

The median house price is $287,000, making Beachlands one of the more affordable coastal suburbs in WA. Weekly rent averages $200 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, even though household income sits at only the 23.5th percentile nationally.

What schools are in Beachlands?

No schools are recorded within the Beachlands suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 25.8%, which is 4.3 percentage points below the national average, suggesting education is a less prominent driver of the local demographic profile.

Is Beachlands safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Beachlands in this dataset. As a proxy, the suburb has a stable residential profile: 74.1% of residents stayed at the same address over five years and the volunteering rate is 19.8%, above the national average. These indicators are consistent with a settled, low-churn community rather than a high-risk area.

Is Beachlands good for property investment?

The 42.5% renter share and $200 weekly rent against a $287,000 median imply a gross yield near 3.6%, higher than many metro markets. However, the 14.2% vacancy rate signals real oversupply risk in a small 1,400-person suburb. Zero development applications in the past 12 months means no new supply pressure, but the low household income base at the 23.5th percentile nationally limits capital growth prospects.

How is Beachlands's population changing?

No population growth forecast is available for Beachlands. The suburb shows stable rather than expanding characteristics: 74.1% of residents stayed at the same address over the five years to the census, and zero development applications were lodged in the past 12 months. The aging median age of 45, which is 5 years above the national figure, suggests natural population decline is a long-term factor.

How to read these comparisons

Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.

Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.

Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.

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