Cable Beach
A median age of 34, fully 6.0 years below the national figure, sets the tone in Cable Beach, where a tourism-anchored Broome workforce keeps the population young. The $505,000 median house price reads as affordable next to capital-city markets, yet household income still sits in the 83rd percentile nationally. The unusual signal is tenure: 52.8% of residents rent, well above the national split, while only 19.2% own outright. Housing skews to detached family stock, with 78.2% separate houses and just 3.3% apartments. Healthcare leads employment at 22.8%, reflecting the suburb's role as a regional service base rather than a commuter dormitory.
Population
5,730
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,181/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$505K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $505,000 median, Cable Beach houses cost a fraction of metropolitan prices, and the monthly mortgage of $2,167 against the 83rd-percentile household income produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 22.9%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold. The stock favours families: 78.2% are separate houses and only 3.3% apartments, with three-bedroom homes at 44.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 33.6%, so larger detached dwellings dominate supply. Outright owners make up 19.2% while mortgage holders reach 28.0%, meaning buyers face less competition from established owner-occupiers than in older markets. The trade-off is that 52.8% of residents rent, so owner-occupier demand is thinner than the price might suggest, which has historically kept growth modest in this remote market.
For Buyers
At a $505,000 median, Cable Beach houses cost a fraction of metropolitan prices, and the monthly mortgage of $2,167 against the 83rd-percentile household income produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 22.9%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold. The stock favours families: 78.2% are separate houses and only 3.3% apartments, with three-bedroom homes at 44.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 33.6%, so larger detached dwellings dominate supply. Outright owners make up 19.2% while mortgage holders reach 28.0%, meaning buyers face less competition from established owner-occupiers than in older markets. The trade-off is that 52.8% of residents rent, so owner-occupier demand is thinner than the price might suggest, which has historically kept growth modest in this remote market.
For Investors
A 52.8% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant pool, far above the typical owner-occupier suburb, and weekly rent of $371 against the $505,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.8%, stronger than most capital-city markets where yields sit closer to 2%. The caution is the 11.4% vacancy rate, which is high and points to seasonal swings in a tourism economy where Broome demand softens in the wet season. Development activity is effectively nil, with zero applications recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not pressuring rents. With rent-to-income at 17.0% tenants have headroom, supporting rent stability. The investment case rests on yield and a structurally large renter base rather than capital growth, which is constrained by the suburb's remote location and limited buyer depth.
Demographics
The median age of 34 runs 6.0 years below national, a young profile driven by working-age families and a mobile tourism workforce rather than retirees. University qualifications reach 28.4%, which is 1.7 points below the national figure, while overseas-born residents at 18.3% sit 3.3 points under national, marking this as a more Australian-born population than most. Ancestry leans Anglo, led by English (1,723), Irish (511) and Scottish (480). Indigenous languages are the most common non-English tongue at 70 speakers, ahead of German (16) and Italian (16), reflecting Broome's strong Aboriginal heritage. Average household size is 2.7, which is 0.2 above national, consistent with the family-heavy mix where couples with children (1,718 families) outnumber couples without (937).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.2%
Houses
13.0%
Townhouse
3.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is the defining feature: 52.8% rent, 28.0% carry a mortgage and only 19.2% own outright, an inversion of the typical Australian suburb where outright ownership usually leads. That renter majority reflects a transient tourism and service workforce rather than long-term settlers. The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 78.2% separate houses against 3.3% apartments and 13.0% semi-detached, and bedrooms skew large at 44.8% three-bedroom and 33.6% four-plus. The $505,000 median is affordable relative to capital cities, and with household income in the 83rd percentile the mortgage-to-income ratio holds at 22.9% while rent-to-income sits at 17.0%, both below stress levels. The 11.4% vacancy rate is elevated, signalling that supply outpaces steady owner-occupier demand in this seasonal market.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$371
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,166
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.4%
Unoccupied
232
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.6%
Couples, no children
3,803
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment concentrates in service sectors that anchor a regional centre: Healthcare leads at 22.8% (463 workers), Education follows at 15.2% (309) and Hospitality at 9.0% (182), with Public Admin at 8.5% and Construction at 8.2%, a mix weighted toward tourism and public services rather than industry. By occupation, Professionals (705) and Managers (422) lead, followed by Community and Personal Service workers (409), which fits the healthcare and hospitality base. Unemployment is low at 3.7% and the full-time employment rate reaches 71.6%, above many regional towns, while participation sits at 63.0%. The reliance on Healthcare and Hospitality leaves the local economy exposed to seasonal tourism cycles, because both sectors expand in the dry-season visitor peak and contract through the wet.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.6%
Part-time
24.7%
Participation
63.0%
Employed
2,679
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.4%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
18.3%
Dwellings
1,781
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total, with 81.4% driving to work and only 0.9% using public transport, far below metropolitan figures and typical of a remote town with limited transit. Active transport is healthier than the transit number suggests, as 9.0% walk or cycle, helped by the beachside layout. Volunteering runs at 21.6%, above the national rate and a marker of community engagement, while only 2.6% of residents (129 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 34. No schools are recorded inside the 9.34 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions elsewhere in Broome. The 11.4% vacancy rate and 52.8% renter share point to a fluid, seasonal population rather than a settled one, which shapes the suburb's character as much as its beachfront setting.
Drive
81.4%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
9.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cable Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cable Beach a good suburb to live in?
Cable Beach suits younger residents and families, with a median age of 34, which is 6.0 years below national, and a low 3.7% unemployment rate. Household income sits in the 83rd percentile and housing is affordable at a $505,000 median. The main trade-offs are an 11.4% vacancy rate and heavy car dependence at 81.4%.
What is the median house price in Cable Beach?
The median house price is $505,000, affordable next to capital-city markets. Weekly rent averages $371 and the monthly mortgage runs about $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold thanks to household income in the 83rd percentile.
What schools are in Cable Beach?
No schools are recorded inside the 9.34 km2 Cable Beach boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools elsewhere in Broome. The resident base is moderately educated, with university qualifications at 28.4%, which is 1.7 points below the national figure.
Is Cable Beach safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Cable Beach in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 2.6% of residents (129 people) need daily assistance and volunteering runs at 21.6%, above national, both consistent with an engaged community rather than a high-distress area.
Is Cable Beach good for property investment?
Rent of $371 a week against a $505,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.8%, stronger than most capital cities near 2%, and a 52.8% renter share provides a deep tenant pool. The caution is an 11.4% vacancy rate tied to seasonal tourism demand, so returns lean on yield over capital growth.
How is Cable Beach's population changing?
The population stands at 5,730 with a young median age of 34, fully 6.0 years below national, supporting a natural-increase base. Turnover is high at 29.6%, meaning only 70.4% of residents stayed over the period, reflecting a transient tourism workforce. Development is dormant, with zero applications in 12 months.
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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