Brunswick
At a median house price of $333,000 and a density of just 12.2 people per square kilometre, Brunswick is among WA's most affordable and sparsely settled rural townships. Household income sits at the 33.4th percentile nationally, well below the national average, yet housing stress is absent: mortgage costs run at 24.2% of income and rent at 18.8%, both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The population of 1,195 skews older at a median age of 44, which is 4.0 years above the national figure, and the local workforce leans toward manual and trades-based occupations, with labourers and machinery operators as the two largest occupation groups.
Population
1,195
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,333/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$333K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $333,000 median house price makes Brunswick accessible compared to Perth metro benchmarks, and mortgage repayments of $1,398 per month sit at 24.2% of household income, below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 91.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached properties making up 5.0%, giving buyers a strong choice of standalone homes. The bedroom profile favours larger homes: 45.5% are three-bedroom and 36.2% are four-plus bedroom, meaning families have options without premium pricing. Outright owners account for 34.9% and mortgage holders 41.2%, a typical regional WA split where a significant share of residents have built equity over many years rather than entering at recent metro prices.
For Buyers
The $333,000 median house price makes Brunswick accessible compared to Perth metro benchmarks, and mortgage repayments of $1,398 per month sit at 24.2% of household income, below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 91.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached properties making up 5.0%, giving buyers a strong choice of standalone homes. The bedroom profile favours larger homes: 45.5% are three-bedroom and 36.2% are four-plus bedroom, meaning families have options without premium pricing. Outright owners account for 34.9% and mortgage holders 41.2%, a typical regional WA split where a significant share of residents have built equity over many years rather than entering at recent metro prices.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $250 against a $333,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.9%, higher than most Perth metro suburbs. However, the 14.8% vacancy rate is a significant flag: roughly 1 in 7 rental properties sits empty, which constrains rent growth and increases time-to-let risk for landlords. The renter share stands at 24.0%, below the national average, indicating that most residents prefer to own. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, reflecting a slow-growth, established township rather than an area seeing new supply pressure. The low household income at the 33.4th percentile nationally limits the tenant pool's affordability ceiling, so rent escalation is constrained by local wage levels.
Schools in Brunswick iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Michael's Catholic Primary School
PP-6 · 85 students
Demographics
Brunswick's median age of 44 is 4.0 years above the national figure, consistent with rural WA aging patterns as younger residents move to Perth for work and education. Overseas-born residents account for 15.2%, which is 6.4 percentage points below the national rate, and Italian ancestry (111 residents) is notable alongside the dominant English (579) heritage, a legacy of post-war agricultural settlement in the South West region. University qualifications reach just 11.0%, which is 19.1 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the trades and labour-oriented workforce. Average household size is 2.5, equal to the national average, and 77.8% of residents stayed in the same address over the five-year period, indicating strong residential stability.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.6%
Houses
5.0%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is almost entirely detached: 91.6% separate houses and 5.0% semi-detached, with apartments absent from the data. Tenure leans toward ownership, with 34.9% owning outright and 41.2% still carrying a mortgage, while 24.0% rent. The 14.8% vacancy rate is high for a small town of 1,195 people, suggesting a pool of investment or semi-occupied properties relative to active demand. Bedrooms skew large: three-bedroom homes account for 45.5% and four-plus for 36.2%, meaning the typical Brunswick home is family-sized. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,398 represent 24.2% of household income, below the 30% stress benchmark, while rent at $250 per week represents 18.8% of household income, one of the more affordable rent-to-income ratios in the state.
Mortgage / mo
$1,398
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$612
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.8%
Unoccupied
76
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.7%
Couples, no children
918
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 18.0% of local workers (52 people), followed by Construction at 14.5% (42) and Education at 10.7% (31), with Manufacturing and Mining rounding out the top five at 10.0% and 9.0% respectively. By occupation, labourers (76) and machinery and drivers (69) are the two largest groups, reflecting the agricultural and infrastructure character of the surrounding South West region. The unemployment rate of 6.4% is above average, and the participation rate of 49.2% is low because 366 residents are not in the labour force, a figure consistent with the older age profile. Full-time employment accounts for 62.3% of employed residents, similar to state norms. Household income at the 33.4th percentile nationally signals a below-average earnings base driven by the trades and semi-skilled occupation mix.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
49.2%
Employed
453
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.0%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
15.2%
Dwellings
439
Transport to Work
Car dependency is absolute: 86.6% of residents drive to work, compared to the much lower national share using cars, while public transport use is minimal at 2.1%. Walking and cycling account for 4.7%, typical for a low-density rural area spanning 98 square kilometres. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in the dataset. Volunteering is above average at 21.4%, higher than most metro suburbs, suggesting strong community participation despite the small population. Housing affordability is genuine: mortgage costs sit at 24.2% of income and rent at 18.8%, both below the 30% stress threshold. Only 4.7% of residents (52 people) need daily assistance, a low figure even accounting for the older median age of 44, which is 4 years above national.
Drive
86.6%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
4.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Brunswick compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brunswick a good suburb to live in?
Brunswick suits buyers seeking affordability and space. The $333,000 median house price is well below Perth metro levels, and housing costs stay below the 30% stress threshold at 24.2% of income for mortgage holders. The trade-off is limited services, no recorded schools in the area, near-zero public transport at 2.1%, and a 6.4% unemployment rate above average.
What is the median house price in Brunswick?
The median house price in Brunswick is $333,000, based on 2025 rent-derived estimates. Weekly rent averages $250, and monthly mortgage repayments run $1,398, representing 24.2% of household income. The suburb is significantly cheaper than most Perth metro areas.
What schools are in Brunswick?
No schools are recorded within the Brunswick boundary in this dataset. With a population of 1,195 across 98 square kilometres, families typically access educational facilities in nearby regional centres. The local university qualification rate is 11.0%, which is 19.1 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Brunswick safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Brunswick in this dataset. As a general indicator, only 4.7% of residents (52 people) need daily assistance, and the 77.8% residential stability rate over 5 years suggests a settled, low-churn community. Volunteering at 21.4% is above the national average, a proxy for social cohesion.
Is Brunswick good for property investment?
The gross yield of roughly 3.9% (rent $250 per week against a $333,000 median) is higher than most Perth metro suburbs, but the 14.8% vacancy rate signals weak rental demand. Zero development applications in the past 12 months and a stagnant population mean capital growth prospects are limited compared to growth corridors.
How is Brunswick's population changing?
Brunswick has a stable but aging population of 1,195 with a median age of 44, which is 4.0 years above national. The 77.8% residential stability rate over 5 years shows low churn. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, consistent with a rural township where population is flat rather than growing.
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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