Drummond Cove
Household income in the 81.5th percentile nationally stands out for a suburb where the median house price sits at just $427,000, creating a low mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8% that is well below stress thresholds. Drummond Cove has a population of 1,605 and a median resident age of 33, which is 7 years below the national figure. Every dwelling recorded is a separate house, and 73.8% carry four or more bedrooms, pointing firmly at families rather than investors. The full-time employment rate of 68.6% is high, and unemployment runs at just 3.7%, reflecting a workforce anchored in Healthcare, Education and Mining.
Population
1,605
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,134/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$427K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $427,000 the median house price is well below the WA metro average, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8% confirms genuine affordability compared to national stress benchmarks above 30%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, manageable against a median family weekly income of $2,380. The entire housing stock is separate houses, so buyers face no apartment or semi-detached alternative. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 73.8% of dwellings, which suits households with children: couples with children represent the largest family type at 657 out of 1,306 total families. With 48.1% of residents on a mortgage and 24.0% owning outright, this is a genuine owner-occupier suburb rather than an investor market.
For Buyers
At $427,000 the median house price is well below the WA metro average, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8% confirms genuine affordability compared to national stress benchmarks above 30%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, manageable against a median family weekly income of $2,380. The entire housing stock is separate houses, so buyers face no apartment or semi-detached alternative. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 73.8% of dwellings, which suits households with children: couples with children represent the largest family type at 657 out of 1,306 total families. With 48.1% of residents on a mortgage and 24.0% owning outright, this is a genuine owner-occupier suburb rather than an investor market.
For Investors
The rental market is smaller here than in many comparable suburbs, with only 27.9% of dwellings rented and weekly rent at $330. A vacancy rate of 9.2% is elevated and suggests that rental demand is not tight. There were zero development applications recorded in the past 12 months, consistent with a largely built-out residential area. Against the $427,000 median, a $330 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.0%, which is reasonable compared to capital-city inner suburbs, but the high vacancy rate would concern investors. Household income in the 81.5th percentile supports rent payment capacity, yet the low renter share means a smaller tenant pool than in higher-density areas.
Demographics
The median age of 33 is 7 years below the national average, making Drummond Cove one of the younger residential communities in the region. Overseas-born residents at 12.4% are 9.2 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (705), Scottish (166) and Irish (145) are the three largest groups. University qualification rates at 22.5% sit 7.6 points below national, consistent with a workforce concentrated in practical sectors like Healthcare (18.9%), Mining (12.7%) and Construction (9.9%) rather than professional services. Average household size is 2.8, marginally above the national average of 2.5. The volunteering rate of 18.2% is high and suggests strong local civic participation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is entirely separate houses, with 73.8% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 21.6% having three bedrooms. This large-format housing profile reflects the family-oriented character confirmed by the household composition data: 657 couples-with-children families versus 320 couples-without-children. Tenure splits to 48.1% mortgage holders, 24.0% owning outright and 27.9% renting. The rent-to-income ratio of 15.5% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8% is similarly low compared to national stress benchmarks. These ratios are possible because household income sits in the 81.5th percentile while prices remain at $427,000, well below major city medians.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$960
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.2%
Unoccupied
55
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.5%
Couples, no children
1,306
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 18.9% (107 workers), followed by Education at 15.4% (87) and Mining at 12.7% (72). Construction accounts for 9.9% (56) and Public Administration for 8.5% (48). By occupation, Professionals lead at 151, with Community and Personal Service Workers second at 132 and Clerical and Administrative Workers third at 95. The full-time employment rate of 68.6% is strong, and the unemployment rate of 3.7% is low. Participation at 66.3% reflects a working-age population but leaves 279 residents not in the labour force. The mining and construction presence links the suburb to the Geraldton regional economy, where resource-sector wages contribute to the above-average household incomes.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.6%
Part-time
27.7%
Participation
66.3%
Employed
774
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.5%
Postgraduate
2.7%
Born Overseas
12.4%
Dwellings
545
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 88.8% of residents drive to work, and only 3.7% use public transport, which is low even by WA suburban standards and reflects the suburb's location within the Geraldton area where bus frequency is limited. Walking and cycling account for just 1.8%. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in surrounding areas of Greater Geraldton. The need-for-assistance rate of 2.4% is low and consistent with the young age profile at a median of 33, which is 7 years below the national average. The housing stress indicators are positive: neither rent-to-income (15.5%) nor mortgage-to-income (18.8%) triggers stress thresholds, which is an advantage compared to many urban suburbs nationally.
Drive
88.8%
Public Transport
3.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Drummond Cove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Drummond Cove a good suburb to live in?
Drummond Cove suits families with children particularly well. Household income sits in the 81.5th percentile nationally, while the $427,000 median house price keeps the mortgage-to-income ratio at just 18.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The median resident age of 33 is 7 years below the national average, and the suburb has a 3.7% unemployment rate.
What is the median house price in Drummond Cove?
The median house price is $427,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and weekly rent is $330. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8% is low compared to national stress benchmarks, making Drummond Cove affordable relative to the household income level of the 81.5th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Drummond Cove?
No schools are recorded within the Drummond Cove suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Greater Geraldton area. The suburb has 657 couples-with-children families out of 1,306 total families, so proximity to schools in neighbouring suburbs is important for most households.
Is Drummond Cove safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Drummond Cove in this dataset. Indirectly, the suburb has a low unemployment rate of 3.7%, a 2.4% need-for-assistance rate (37 residents), and household income in the 81.5th percentile nationally, all factors associated with lower disadvantage and generally lower crime rates.
Is Drummond Cove good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $330 against a $427,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, reasonable compared to capital-city averages, but the 9.2% vacancy rate is elevated and signals soft rental demand. Only 27.9% of dwellings are rented, limiting the tenant pool, and zero development applications in 12 months indicates a built-out suburb with limited new supply pressure.
How is Drummond Cove's population changing?
Drummond Cove has a population of 1,605 with a residential turnover rate of 28.4% over the five-year census period, indicating active household movement. The median age of 33 is 7 years below the national average, and 657 couples-with-children families make up the largest household type, suggesting ongoing attraction of young families to the 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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