Clarkson
At 34, Clarkson's median age is 6 years below the national benchmark, yet its forecast trajectory is aging rather than youth-led. The suburb packs 13,904 people into 6.5 sq km, with a density of 2,139.6 people per sq km and a housing pattern dominated by detached homes. Compared with coastal Mindarie and neighbouring Merriwa, Clarkson reads more as an inland mortgage-belt centre: 52.8% of dwellings carry a mortgage, 89.3% are separate houses, and 44.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 23.1 percentage points above the national figure.
Population
13,904
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,761/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$440K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Clarkson suits buyers who want a house-first suburb rather than an apartment market. Separate houses make up 89.3% of dwellings, far higher than apartments at 0.9%, while 53.2% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 40.1% have 3 bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare individual streets against carrying costs: the median mortgage is $1,733 per month and mortgage payments take 22.7% of income. That matters because the household income percentile is 61.9 nationally, giving many households moderate borrowing capacity rather than premium-market depth.
For Buyers
Clarkson suits buyers who want a house-first suburb rather than an apartment market. Separate houses make up 89.3% of dwellings, far higher than apartments at 0.9%, while 53.2% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 40.1% have 3 bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare individual streets against carrying costs: the median mortgage is $1,733 per month and mortgage payments take 22.7% of income. That matters because the household income percentile is 61.9 nationally, giving many households moderate borrowing capacity rather than premium-market depth.
For Investors
Clarkson has a usable rental base, with 31.2% of homes rented and a median rent of $350 per week, but the 6.7% vacancy rate is a higher risk signal than the tenant share alone suggests. There were 0 development approvals in the past 12 months, so near-term supply pressure looks limited rather than construction-led. Investor demand is more likely to come from population turnover and overseas migration, because the forecast adds an average 272 net overseas migrants each year while losing 58 residents internally. The suburb needs careful rent benchmarking because recorded rent growth is 0.0%.
Schools in Clarkson iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Andrew's Catholic Primary School
PP-6 · 327 students
Somerly Primary School
K-6 · 454 students
Clarkson Primary School
K-6 · 270 students
Clarkson Community High School
7-12 · 325 students
Demographics
Clarkson is younger and more overseas-born than the national profile. The median age of 34 is 6 years below national, while 44.7% born overseas sits 23.1 percentage points above national. University attainment is 27.1%, which is 3.0 points below national, shaping a workforce with strong practical and service-sector representation. English ancestry is largest at 5,539 people, followed by Other at 2,257, Irish at 1,279 and Scottish at 1,279. Afrikaans, Punjabi, Mandarin, Arabic and Hindi appear among the main non-English languages, reflecting migration more than a single dominant origin group.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.3%
Houses
9.8%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Clarkson is heavily detached and mortgage-oriented. Separate houses account for 89.3% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 9.8% and apartments only 0.9%, so the suburb has a lower apartment footprint than many middle-ring urban areas. Ownership is split between 16.0% owned outright, 52.8% with a mortgage and 31.2% renting. A current median house price is not available, but costs look manageable on income: rent takes 19.9% of income and mortgages take 22.7%. The 61.9 household income percentile helps explain why larger 3 and 4 bedroom homes dominate without pushing stress flags into the red.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$828
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
360
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.2%
Couples, no children
11,181
Total families
Economy & Employment
Clarkson's economy leans into care, trades and service work rather than a high-income professional concentration. Healthcare is the largest industry at 19.0% and 876 workers, followed by construction at 10.7%, education at 9.1%, retail at 7.4% and professional or tech at 6.9%. Occupations are broad, led by 1,152 professionals, 1,079 community and personal service workers and 941 clerical or administrative workers. The SEIFA pattern explains the mixed picture: IEO decile 4 and IRSAD decile 4 sit below the IER decile 6, meaning economic resources are stronger than education and occupation rankings. Unemployment is 6.9% with 65.6% participation.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
9,617
Unemployed
557
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.2%
Part-time
28.9%
Participation
65.6%
Employed
6,666
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.1%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
44.7%
Dwellings
5,038
Transport to Work
Clarkson is car-oriented but has a usable local school base. Car driving accounts for 82.8% of commuting, compared with 8.9% by public transport and 1.6% walking or cycling, so daily convenience depends heavily on road access and parking. There are 4 schools with an ICSEA range from 923 to 1046. St Andrew's Catholic Primary leads at 1046 with 327 enrolments, while Somerly Primary at 975 and Clarkson Primary at 924 provide government primary options. IRSAD decile 4 is below the top metropolitan deciles, which helps explain the more practical, affordability-led livability profile.
Drive
82.8%
Public Transport
8.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.1%/yr
(+334 people/yr)
EstablishedClarkson's forecast is steady rather than speculative. The trend rate is 2.1% a year, equal to about 334 additional residents annually, with the medium scenario rising from 16,306 people in 2026 to 17,978 in 2031. Migration is the key driver because average net overseas migration is +272 per year, compared with average net internal migration of -58. The shift profile is aging: seniors are up 4.8 points and the young share is down 3.6 points. Gentrification is scored 35 and labelled Early signs, but affordability improved from 51.0 to 42.3, so growth is not simply premium-price displacement.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+272
Net Internal / yr
-58
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +30% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +272/yr, Accelerating: 10% → 18%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Clarkson compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clarkson a good suburb to live in?
Clarkson can suit households wanting detached homes and moderate costs. It has 89.3% separate houses, a median age of 34, and 4 local schools, but commuting is car-heavy at 82.8%, so lifestyle fit depends on transport needs.
What is the median house price in Clarkson?
A current median house price is not available for Clarkson. The housing context is still clear: 89.3% of homes are separate houses, 52.8% have a mortgage, and the median rent is $350 per week.
What schools are in Clarkson?
Clarkson has 4 schools: St Andrew's Catholic Primary School, Somerly Primary School, Clarkson Primary School and Clarkson Community High School. ICSEA scores range from 923 to 1046, with Catholic and government options.
Is Clarkson safe?
A current crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available for Clarkson. For risk checks, compare individual streets and local police updates; 4.2% of residents need assistance and 8.9% commute by public transport.
Is Clarkson good for property investment?
Clarkson has investment positives and cautions. Renting sits at 31.2% and median rent is $350 per week, while population growth is forecast at 2.1% a year. The main caution is the 6.7% vacancy rate.
How is Clarkson's population changing?
Clarkson is forecast to keep growing, adding about 334 people a year at 2.1% annually. The medium scenario reaches 17,978 residents by 2031, driven mainly by +272 net overseas migrants per year.
What languages are spoken in Clarkson?
Clarkson has a large overseas-born population at 44.7%. Main non-English language groups include Afrikaans with 108 speakers, Punjabi with 102, Mandarin with 83, Arabic with 60 and Hindi with 42.
What is commuting like in Clarkson?
Commuting in Clarkson is strongly car-based. Car drivers make up 82.8% of commuters, while 8.9% use public transport and 1.6% walk or cycle, so access to vehicles and road links matters for daily routines.
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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