College Grove
Despite household income sitting at the 70.9th percentile nationally, College Grove scores decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes, the lowest tier for both advantage and disadvantage, because disadvantage measures capture more than income alone. The suburb is almost entirely separate houses at 100% of dwelling stock, with 74.3% having 4 or more bedrooms, making it one of the most family-sized housing markets in Bunbury's orbit. Population sits at 1,821 across 5.64 square kilometres, and the median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure. Mortgage and rent burdens are both well below stress thresholds at 18.9% and 19.5% of income respectively.
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
16
Median House
$435K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $435,000 places College Grove well below major metropolitan medians, and affordability has actually improved from 47.6% in 2011 to 45.2% in 2021. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,556, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is 100% separate houses, and 74.3% of those have 4 or more bedrooms, which suits families seeking space over apartments. Only 31.7% own outright compared to the 48.2% still paying mortgages, consistent with a suburb that attracted buyers during its growth phase over the last decade rather than one held by established, debt-free owners. Recent development applications for new dwellings were priced around $360,000 to $369,000 in construction cost, signalling continued building activity at the affordable end.
For Buyers
The median house price of $435,000 places College Grove well below major metropolitan medians, and affordability has actually improved from 47.6% in 2011 to 45.2% in 2021. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,556, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is 100% separate houses, and 74.3% of those have 4 or more bedrooms, which suits families seeking space over apartments. Only 31.7% own outright compared to the 48.2% still paying mortgages, consistent with a suburb that attracted buyers during its growth phase over the last decade rather than one held by established, debt-free owners. Recent development applications for new dwellings were priced around $360,000 to $369,000 in construction cost, signalling continued building activity at the affordable end.
For Investors
The renter share of 20.1% is below national averages, pointing to an owner-occupier dominated suburb rather than a strong rental market. Weekly rent of $370 against a $435,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.4%, reasonable for a regional WA market. The vacancy rate of 5.1% is worth watching, as it sits above the 3% equilibrium level and suggests some softness in rental demand. Net overseas migration of 48 and internal migration of 41 per year together provide balanced, modest population growth of 0.83% annually. Fourteen development approvals were lodged in the past 12 months including new dwellings, indicating that new supply continues to arrive, which can limit price pressure. Rent growth of 12% over the recent period shows the income side has been improving.
Development Activity
Total DAs
17
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1500.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$642K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, though the suburb follows an aging trajectory with the senior share rising 4.2 points over the decade. The overseas-born share of 20.4% is 1.2 points below the national average, and English ancestry leads strongly with 588 residents, followed by Scottish (121) and Irish (113). The average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above the national figure, consistent with the prevalence of larger homes. University qualifications at 25.4% sit 4.7 points below the national rate, while the workforce is led by Professionals (130), Community and Personal services (85), and Machinery and Drivers (76). Volunteering participation reaches 20.5% of the population, a meaningful indicator of community engagement for a suburb of this size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The entire dwelling stock of College Grove is separate houses, a rare uniformity that sets it apart from most suburbs where apartments or semi-detached dwellings make up at least a small share. Of those houses, 74.3% have 4 or more bedrooms and 24.5% have 3 bedrooms, meaning virtually the entire market is family-sized. Tenure splits to 48.2% with mortgages, 31.7% owned outright and 20.1% renting, so mortgage holders outnumber outright owners by a considerable margin compared to more established suburbs. The median house price of $435,000 yields a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.9%, below the national stress threshold. The 5.1% vacancy rate is higher than the rental equilibrium benchmark, which is worth monitoring alongside the continued pipeline of new dwelling approvals in the suburb.
Mortgage / mo
$1,556
Rent / wk
$370
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
27.9%
Couples, no children
1,045
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local industry mix at 23.5% of workers (99 people), a rate well above what most similarly sized suburbs record, followed by Education at 14.7% (62). Construction accounts for 9.0%, Manufacturing 8.8% and Mining 7.6%, the last being significant given the Bunbury region's connection to broader WA resource activity. Full-time employment runs at 61.8% and the unemployment rate is 5.1%, a rate that is above the national average for employed persons. The participation rate of 41.0% is low, partly because 810 residents are not in the labour force, reflecting the aging trajectory. Real income growth was negative at -4.1% over the decade despite nominal household income placing the suburb at the 70.9th percentile nationally, suggesting cost pressures have eroded purchasing power.
Unemployment
6.6%
Labour Force
3,636
Unemployed
239
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.8%
Part-time
33.1%
Participation
41.0%
Employed
599
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.4%
Postgraduate
3.1%
Born Overseas
20.4%
Dwellings
449
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 87.3% of residents driving to work, compared to only 1.8% using public transport, a pattern common in outer-regional WA where bus services are limited. Walking or cycling accounts for 2.6% of commutes. The suburb scores decile 1 on IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier nationally, indicating a concentration of households facing relative disadvantage. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in current data, so families rely on schools in neighbouring areas. Rent-to-income at 19.5% is below the 30% stress threshold, which means renters are not financially stretched. Only 3.7% of residents (45 people) need daily assistance, and need-for-assistance is low relative to the SEIFA position, suggesting the community manages reasonably well despite the disadvantage score.
Drive
87.3%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.83%/yr
(+63 people/yr)
EstablishedCollege Grove is growing at 0.83% per year, adding roughly 63 residents annually, and the medium forecast holds the broader SA2 population near 7,914 by 2031 from 7,602 in 2025. The 10-year population change of 7.0% is positive but moderate, and both internal migration (41 net per year) and overseas migration (48 net per year) contribute roughly equally, reflecting a balanced demand base rather than dependence on one source. The gentrification score of 19 places the suburb firmly in the not gentrifying category, which fits an area at SEIFA decile 1 where rising educated professional populations have not taken hold. Affordability trend has been improving since 2011, and the suburb did not experience a COVID dip, showing relative stability through the disruption.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+48
Net Internal / yr
+41
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +13% since 2011, Accelerating: 2% → 11%
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 suits families seeking affordable, large detached homes in the Bunbury region. The $435,000 median house price is well below major cities, and mortgage repayments take only 18.9% of household income, below the stress threshold. The trade-off is a SEIFA decile 1 ranking on all four indexes, the lowest advantage tier nationally, and high car dependency at 87.3% of commuters.
What is the median house price in College Grove?
The median house price in College Grove is approximately $435,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,556, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.9%. Weekly rent averages $370, implying a gross rental yield near 4.4% against the median price.
What schools are in College Grove?
No schools are recorded within the College Grove boundary in current data, so residents send children to schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 25.4%, which is 4.7 points below the national figure, reflecting the suburb's working-class character with Healthcare and Education as the top employment sectors.
Is College Grove safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for College Grove in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb scores decile 1 on the SEIFA IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the lowest tier nationally, which is associated with higher vulnerability in some measures. Only 3.7% of residents (45 people) need daily assistance, however, suggesting the community is largely independent.
Is College Grove good for property investment?
The gross rental yield near 4.4% is reasonable for a regional WA suburb, and rent grew 12% over the recent period. However, a 5.1% vacancy rate is above equilibrium at 3%, and continued new dwelling approvals add supply pressure. Population growth of 0.83% annually provides a steady demand base, though the gentrification score of 19 puts the suburb in the not gentrifying category.
How is College Grove's population changing?
College Grove is growing at 0.83% per year, adding approximately 63 residents annually, with the current population at 1,821. Internal migration contributes 41 net residents per year and overseas migration 48, a balanced pattern. The 10-year growth rate is 7.0%, and the suburb follows an aging trajectory with the senior share rising 4.2 points over the decade.
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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