Derby
With 66.2% of dwellings rented and a 27.4% vacancy rate, Derby is one of the most renter-concentrated remote towns in WA, and the two figures tell the same story: the local economy is anchored in service delivery rather than owner-occupier settlement. The population of 3,222 spans 467 square kilometres at just 6.9 people per km2, yet household income sits at the 60.2nd percentile nationally, above the midpoint, because the public-sector and healthcare workforce is better paid than typical remote towns. SEIFA ranks Derby at decile 1 on IRSD and IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier nationally, reflecting concentrated disadvantage alongside that relatively higher wage base.
Population
3,222
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,713/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$312K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $312,000 is well below the WA state median, placing Derby among the more affordable detached-house markets in the country. Separate houses make up 87.3% of stock, so buyers are choosing predominantly from a detached-house market with minimal apartment supply. The 3-bedroom home is the dominant configuration at 41.3% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 27.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,638 against weekly household income of $1,713, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. The 18.2% outright ownership rate is lower than national norms, consistent with a population that moves in and out rather than putting down permanent roots.
For Buyers
The median house price of $312,000 is well below the WA state median, placing Derby among the more affordable detached-house markets in the country. Separate houses make up 87.3% of stock, so buyers are choosing predominantly from a detached-house market with minimal apartment supply. The 3-bedroom home is the dominant configuration at 41.3% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 27.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,638 against weekly household income of $1,713, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. The 18.2% outright ownership rate is lower than national norms, consistent with a population that moves in and out rather than putting down permanent roots.
For Investors
The 66.2% renter share is exceptionally high compared to the national average and creates a deep potential tenant pool, but the 27.4% vacancy rate signals real supply-demand imbalance that should temper yield expectations. Weekly rent of $180 against a $312,000 median implies a gross yield near 3%, modest for a remote market with high management and maintenance costs. The turnover rate of 27.9% means roughly a quarter of residents change address each year, so tenancy churn is structurally high rather than exceptional. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, limiting short-term supply pressure, but the absence of construction also signals limited growth confidence from the development sector.
Schools in Derby iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kimberley School Of The Air
K-6 · 62 students
Holy Rosary School
PP-6 · 92 students
Nyikina Mangala Community School
PP-10 · 22 students
Derby District High School
K-12 · 606 students
Wananami Remote Community School
K-12 · 36 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5 years below the national figure, reflecting the working-age service and public-sector workforce that drives the local economy. University qualifications reach 16.1%, which is 14 points below the national rate, consistent with a trade and community-services employment base rather than a professional or managerial one. The overseas-born share of 12.9% runs 8.7 points below national. Ancestry data is dominated by an unclassified category (999 respondents), with English (545), Irish (190) and Scottish (164) as the main identified ancestries. Average household size of 2.5 is in line with the national figure. Volunteering at 19.8% is relatively high for a small town, pointing to strong community participation among residents who choose to stay.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.3%
Houses
9.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Derby sits well outside the national norm: renters at 66.2% are nearly double the national renter share, while outright owners at 18.2% and mortgage holders at 15.7% together account for only a third of dwellings. The high renter proportion reflects the government and health-sector staffing pattern, where workers are housed locally but do not commit capital to the market. Separate houses dominate at 87.3%, with semi-detached at 9.6% and effectively no apartment stock. Three-bedroom homes represent 41.3% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom at 27.7%, suggesting family-sized housing is the norm. The 27.4% vacancy rate is the defining housing-market signal, well above any major urban benchmark, indicating persistent oversupply relative to current demand.
Mortgage / mo
$1,638
Rent / wk
$180
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$855
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
27.4%
Unoccupied
312
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
10.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.2%
Couples, no children
1,642
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the single largest industry at 24.2% (162 workers), followed by Public Administration at 17.3% (116) and Education at 15.5% (104), together accounting for more than half of local employment. This public-sector concentration, rather than mining or construction, distinguishes Derby from many other remote WA towns. Construction contributes 9.3% and Retail 5.1%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (242) narrowly exceed Professionals (237), with Clerical and Admin (134) and Managers (115) behind. The unemployment rate of 5.0% sits at a moderate level, and the full-time employment rate of 80.1% among the employed is comparatively high. Despite this, participation of 39.3% is low, reflecting the large number of residents (855) not in the labour force. SEIFA decile 1 on all three disadvantage measures places Derby in the lowest-advantage tier nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
80.1%
Part-time
14.9%
Participation
39.3%
Employed
961
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.1%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
12.9%
Dwellings
813
Transport to Work
Car dependency is the dominant transport mode at 76.9% of workers driving, expected for a remote town with limited public transit options. Walking and cycling claim a notable 15.5%, reasonable given the flat landscape and compact town footprint relative to the 467 km2 administrative area. Rent-to-income at 10.5% is low, keeping renters comfortable, and mortgage-to-income at 22.1% is below the stress threshold for those who do buy. No schools are listed in the dataset for the Derby suburb boundary. Daily assistance is needed by 5.6% of residents (124 people), above the typical urban rate, reflecting the health challenges associated with decile 1 IRSAD. The IRSAD decile 1 ranking places Derby among the most disadvantaged communities nationally on a combined advantage-disadvantage measure.
Drive
76.9%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
15.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Derby compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Derby a good suburb to live in?
Derby suits workers drawn to the healthcare, public administration or education sectors, which together employ more than 56% of the local workforce. The median house price of $312,000 is very affordable and mortgage-to-income sits at 22.1%. The suburb scores SEIFA decile 1 on IRSD and IRSAD nationally, indicating concentrated disadvantage, and the 27.4% vacancy rate points to a transient rather than settled community.
What is the median house price in Derby?
The median house price is approximately $312,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $180 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,638, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The market is almost entirely detached houses, which make up 87.3% of dwellings.
What schools are in Derby?
No schools are recorded within the Derby suburb boundary in this dataset. Education employs 15.5% of the local workforce (104 workers), the third largest industry, indicating schooling infrastructure exists in the broader region. Families should confirm school catchments with the WA Department of Education directly.
Is Derby safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Derby in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA decile 1 on IRSD nationally, the lowest advantage tier, which is associated with higher disadvantage levels. About 5.6% of residents (124 people) need daily assistance, above the typical urban rate.
Is Derby good for property investment?
The 66.2% renter share is well above the national average, providing a large tenant pool, but the 27.4% vacancy rate signals persistent oversupply that would weigh on achievable rents. At $180 per week rent against a $312,000 median, gross yield is near 3%, modest for a remote market with higher management costs. Turnover of 27.9% annually means tenancy churn is structurally high.
How is Derby's population changing?
Derby's population is 3,222 across a 467 km2 area. The annual turnover rate of 27.9% indicates that roughly a quarter of residents relocate each year, reflecting the transient nature of government and health-sector staffing. This high mobility is characteristic of remote service towns rather than organic population growth or decline.
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.
Explore Derby on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map