College Grove
An all-detached, owner-occupier-leaning pocket of 1,821 people sits across 5.64 square kilometres, with density of 322.8 people per sq km. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 74.3%, while 47.8% of households hold a mortgage and 31.4% own outright, giving College Grove a clearer mortgage-belt profile than a rental-led market. Median age is 38, two years below the national figure, but the trajectory is aging as the senior share has risen 4.2 percentage points. Household income sits at the 70.9th percentile nationally. For buyers comparing College Grove with Carey Park or East Bunbury, the suburb's main distinction is its detached housing and car-oriented daily life, not apartment density or high renter turnover.
Local council: Bunbury
Population
1,821
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,899/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
College Grove suits buyers prioritising space, because 100.0% of recorded dwellings are separate houses and 74.3% have four or more bedrooms. The typical mortgage payment is $1,556 a month, while mortgage costs equal 18.9% of household income and the mortgage stress flag is false. Rent is $370 a week, but only 20.0% of households rent, so the market differs from a more rental-heavy area. A suburb-level median sale price is unavailable; compare recent settled sales, land size and renovation condition with Carey Park and East Bunbury rather than relying on a single benchmark. The three-bedroom share is 24.5%, giving downsizers fewer obvious formats than larger households.
For Buyers
College Grove suits buyers prioritising space, because 100.0% of recorded dwellings are separate houses and 74.3% have four or more bedrooms. The typical mortgage payment is $1,556 a month, while mortgage costs equal 18.9% of household income and the mortgage stress flag is false. Rent is $370 a week, but only 20.0% of households rent, so the market differs from a more rental-heavy area. A suburb-level median sale price is unavailable; compare recent settled sales, land size and renovation condition with Carey Park and East Bunbury rather than relying on a single benchmark. The three-bedroom share is 24.5%, giving downsizers fewer obvious formats than larger households.
For Investors
Rental investors get a measurable tenant base: 20.0% of occupied dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $370 and vacancy is 5.1%. Investors should compare achievable rent with holding and maintenance costs rather than assume automatic scarcity. The all-house profile can support family demand because 74.3% of homes have four or more bedrooms, while only 1.1% have two bedrooms. Growth is forecast at 0.83% annually with migration labelled Balanced, so the case is steadier than a high-growth speculation strategy. The 19-point gentrification score and Not gentrifying stage reinforce a yield-and-hold approach rather than a rapid repricing thesis.
Development Activity
Total DAs
26
Last 12 Months
25
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+2400.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$472K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
College Grove's 1,821 residents form a relatively mature, household-oriented profile. Median age is 38, which is 2 years below the national figure, while average household size is 2.7 people, 0.2 above the national comparison. Couples with children account for 41.5% of families and couples without children 40.7%, so demand spans both family and downsizer stages. English ancestry is recorded for 588 people and Scottish ancestry for 121, while 20.4% were born overseas, 1.2 percentage points below the national comparison. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 598 people, narrowly above Christianity at 585. The 67.9% who stayed at the same address suggests more continuity than turnover, although the 32.1% turnover rate still brings change. Compared with Carey Park or East Bunbury, assess household mix and tenure rather than assuming nearby suburbs share the same age pattern.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
College Grove is unusually consistent in its built form: 100.0% of dwellings are separate houses, with 74.3% containing four or more bedrooms and 24.5% containing three. Tenure leans toward financed ownership, with 47.8% paying a mortgage, 31.4% owning outright and 20.0% renting. Mortgage costs represent 18.9% of household income and rent represents 19.5%, with both stress flags recorded as false, which supports a more stable holding pattern than a highly leveraged or renter-dominated market. Weekly rent is $370 and vacancy is 5.1%, so investors should compare achievable rent against maintenance costs for larger homes. A current median house price is not available; compare recent sales with Carey Park and East Bunbury, especially because a four-plus-bedroom bias can make headline medians less representative of individual properties.
Mortgage / mo
$1,556
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$370
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$776
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
24
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.5%
Couples with children
40.7%
Couples, no children
16.5%
Single parent
364
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is College Grove's largest industry at 23.5% and 99 workers, followed by Education at 14.7% and 62. Construction contributes 9.0% and 38, Manufacturing 8.8% and 37, and Mining 7.6% and 32. This mix links local households to care, public services, building and resource work rather than one dominant employer, which can moderate exposure to a single sector. The unemployment rate is 4.7%, participation is 44.1% and 370 people work full time versus 229 part time. Household income ranks at the 70.9th percentile, yet the IRSAD and IRSD scores sit in decile 1, below the national benchmark, indicating that income and broader disadvantage measures do not move together. University attainment is 25.4%, 4.7 percentage points below national, despite 130 Professionals. Trades number 90 and Machinery/Drivers 76, giving the workforce a practical base compared with a more university-heavy area.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
679
Unemployed
32
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.2%
Part-time
35.4%
Participation
44.1%
Employed
647
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.4%
Postgraduate
3.1%
Born Overseas
20.4%
Dwellings
449
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-dependent: 83.4% travel as car drivers, compared with 1.7% using public transport and 2.5% walking or cycling. Only 4.4% work from home, so access to Bunbury's employment, retail and services is more important than assuming a localised remote-work routine. School access should be assessed by exact address, with government and non-government options across the wider Bunbury area because enrolment boundaries can differ. The IRSAD decile is 1 and the score is 858, placing College Grove below the national reference point, so practical affordability and service access deserve attention alongside streetscape. The 5.64 square kilometre area and density of 322.8 people per sq km indicate a settled low-rise setting rather than a high-density apartment environment. For safety, review current WA Police and local council information and visit the exact streets at different times, since a current crime rate should not be inferred from housing form.
Drive
83.4%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
4.4%
Growth Outlook
Growth looks measured rather than explosive. The forecast trend is 0.83% a year, with migration classified as Balanced, while the wider area's population change is 7.0% over 10 years. The structural trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 4.2 percentage points and the working share has fallen 0.4 points, so demand may tilt gradually toward established housing and services because the age mix is shifting. Gentrification is not currently indicated, with a score of 19 and a Not gentrifying stage. Affordability is marked Improving across the period, with values of 47.6% in 2011 and 45.2% in 2021; real income growth was -4.1%, suggesting that price or repayment decisions still need scrutiny. Development activity reached 23 applications in 12 months, supporting incremental change rather than a large release of new housing. Compared with a fast-expanding corridor, College Grove's opportunity is steadier, not a rapid-growth bet.
Population trend: Bunbury council area
College Grove sits in the Bunbury council area. These are the council area's residents, not College Grove's.
Residents 2025
35,730
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How College Grove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is College Grove a good suburb to live in?
College Grove can suit households wanting detached space and a car-oriented routine. All dwellings are separate houses, 74.3% have four or more bedrooms, and 83.4% commute as car drivers. Household income is at the 70.9th percentile, but IRSAD is decile 1, so compare services and affordability with nearby Carey Park or East Bunbury before deciding.
What is the median house price in College Grove?
A reliable median house price is not available for College Grove. Buyers can use the $1,556 monthly mortgage figure and $370 weekly rent as affordability context, then compare recent settled sales by bedroom count because 74.3% of homes have four or more bedrooms.
What schools are in College Grove?
Families should check enrolment zones for the exact address across the Bunbury area, including government and non-government options. College Grove's car-driver share is 83.4%, so school runs are likely to be easier by car than public transport, used by 1.7% of residents.
Is College Grove safe?
Use current WA Police and local council information for a street-level safety check, and visit the exact area at different times. College Grove covers 5.64 square kilometres at a density of 322.8 people per sq km, but those figures cannot establish whether one address is safer than another.
Is College Grove good for property investment?
It may suit a steady rental strategy rather than a rapid-growth approach. Weekly rent is $370, vacancy is 5.1%, and 20.0% of households rent. There were 23 development applications in 12 months, while annual growth is forecast at 0.83% and migration is classified as Balanced.
How is College Grove's population changing?
College Grove has 1,821 residents today, while population change across the wider area is forecast at 7.0% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.2 percentage points, and annual growth is 0.83%, so change is likely to be gradual and age-led rather than rapid.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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