Castletown
A 16.5% vacancy rate in a suburb where 93.6% of dwellings are detached houses is a signal worth examining closely. Castletown, in WA's Goldfields region, sits at a population of 3,968 across 3.5 square kilometres, producing a density of 1,134 people per km2. Household income lands at the 53rd percentile nationally, slightly above average, yet the median house price of $405,000 is well below most capital-city comparisons. The workforce skews toward machinery operators, labourers and public-sector roles, reflecting the region's resource and service economy. With 87% of workers commuting by car and only 1.3% using public transport, this is a car-dependent community whose layout and economy are shaped by its remote WA context.
Population
3,968
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,612/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$405K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $405,000, the median house price is accessible compared to metro WA markets and national medians. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,717, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.6%, which is below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here carry a manageable debt load relative to income. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 93.6%, with 3-bedroom homes at 46.5% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 45.5%, so buyers looking for space will find ample supply. Only 0.7% of dwellings are apartments, so unit buyers have very limited options. Outright owners make up 32.5% and mortgage holders 36.0%, a fairly even split that suggests a mix of long-term residents and newer buyers. The high 16.5% vacancy rate is worth checking before purchasing, as it indicates weak rental absorption that could affect resale liquidity.
For Buyers
At $405,000, the median house price is accessible compared to metro WA markets and national medians. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,717, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.6%, which is below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here carry a manageable debt load relative to income. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 93.6%, with 3-bedroom homes at 46.5% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 45.5%, so buyers looking for space will find ample supply. Only 0.7% of dwellings are apartments, so unit buyers have very limited options. Outright owners make up 32.5% and mortgage holders 36.0%, a fairly even split that suggests a mix of long-term residents and newer buyers. The high 16.5% vacancy rate is worth checking before purchasing, as it indicates weak rental absorption that could affect resale liquidity.
For Investors
The investment case here is mixed. Weekly rent of $300 against a $405,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.9%, higher than most metro markets but below national rental yield averages for regional WA. The 16.5% vacancy rate is the main concern, sitting significantly above a healthy 3% threshold and suggesting oversupply or soft demand in the rental segment. Renters make up 31.5% of households, providing a reasonable tenant pool. Development activity recorded 0 applications in the past 12 months, meaning no new supply pressure is imminent. Rent-to-income for existing tenants is 18.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which supports tenant stability. Returns depend on regional demand drivers such as mining cycles rather than population growth pressure.
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, indicating a slightly younger population compared to the national average. Overseas-born residents make up 12.9% of the population, which is 8.7 points below national, reflecting Castletown's Anglo-leaning heritage where English (1,551), Scottish (351) and Irish (315) ancestries dominate. University qualifications reach 16.1%, which is 14 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce oriented toward trades and operational roles rather than professional services. The average household size is 2.4, marginally below the national figure. Volunteering is notably high at 26.3%, suggesting a civic-minded community. Couples with children make up the largest family type at 1,263 households, with couples without children representing 30.2% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.6%
Houses
5.6%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 93.6% separate houses and only 5.6% semi-detached and 0.7% apartments, making this one of the most house-dominant suburbs in WA by composition. Bedroom sizes lean large: 45.5% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 46.5% have 3 bedrooms, so the typical home is spacious. Tenure splits across outright owners (32.5%), mortgage holders (36.0%) and renters (31.5%), fairly evenly distributed. Mortgage-to-income at 24.6% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, and rent-to-income at 18.6% is also below stress levels. The high 16.5% vacancy rate is the outlier, pointing to either holiday-home ownership or weak underlying rental demand in the local market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,717
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$833
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.5%
Unoccupied
280
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.2%
Couples, no children
2,870
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education (13.0%, 141 workers) and Healthcare (11.5%, 124 workers) are the two largest employing industries, followed by Transport at 8.9% and Public Administration at 8.7%, together accounting for more than 42% of local employment. This public-service and health-education concentration is higher than typical for a regional mining area and suggests Castletown functions partly as an administrative and service hub for the Goldfields region. By occupation, Machinery Operators and Drivers lead with 275 workers, followed by Professionals (227) and Clerical/Admin (219). The unemployment rate is low at 2.4%, and the full-time employment rate is 67.4%. Participation at 55.7% is somewhat below national norms, partly because 918 residents are not in the labour force.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.4%
Part-time
30.2%
Participation
55.7%
Employed
1,707
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.1%
Postgraduate
1.8%
Born Overseas
12.9%
Dwellings
1,417
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 90.3% of workers driving to work, with only 1.3% using public transport and 2.8% walking or cycling. This is consistent with a regional WA suburb where distances and infrastructure favour private vehicles over public options. No schools are recorded inside the Castletown boundary in this dataset. Housing stress is low on both measures: rent-to-income at 18.6% and mortgage-to-income at 24.6% are both below the 30% stress threshold, which is better than many comparable regional towns nationally. SEIFA scores are not available for this suburb, so disadvantage decile comparisons cannot be made. Need for daily assistance is low at 4.0% of residents, and the volunteering rate of 26.3% is above what is typical for similar-sized communities.
Drive
90.3%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Castletown compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Castletown a good suburb to live in?
Castletown suits households looking for affordable, large detached homes in a stable community. The median house price is $405,000 and mortgage-to-income sits at 24.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Unemployment is low at 2.4% and the volunteering rate of 26.3% points to an engaged community. The main trade-offs are high car dependency, with 90.3% of workers driving, and limited public transport at 1.3%.
What is the median house price in Castletown?
The median house price in Castletown is $405,000. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $1,717. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.6% is below the 30% stress threshold, making Castletown more affordable than many regional and metro WA comparisons.
What schools are in Castletown?
No schools are recorded inside the Castletown boundary in this dataset. Families in the suburb rely on schools in neighbouring areas within the Esperance region. The suburb's university qualification rate of 16.1% is 14 points below the national figure, reflecting its trades and service-sector workforce profile.
Is Castletown safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Castletown in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low on both measures: rent-to-income at 18.6% and mortgage-to-income at 24.6% are both below the 30% stress threshold. The unemployment rate is 2.4%, lower than the national average, which is broadly associated with lower property crime rates.
Is Castletown good for property investment?
At $405,000 median and $300 weekly rent, the gross yield is approximately 3.9%, higher than most metro markets. However, the 16.5% vacancy rate is a significant concern, sitting far above a healthy 3% level and indicating soft rental demand. Development activity recorded 0 applications in the past 12 months, so no new supply is imminent. Returns depend on regional mining and government employment trends.
How is Castletown's population changing?
Specific population forecast data is not available in this dataset for Castletown. The current population is 3,968 with a median age of 38, which is 2 years below the national figure, suggesting a relatively young working-age base. Annual residential turnover is 22%, meaning around 1 in 5 residents moved in the prior year, which is moderate stability for a regional WA suburb.
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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