Dunsborough
Two numbers define Dunsborough: a $528,000 median house price that sits well below most coastal WA markets, and a 38.0% vacancy rate that is unusually high for a town of 6,413 residents. The pairing makes sense once you see the housing mix, because 90.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 57.8% carry four or more bedrooms, a stock built for holiday and second-home use rather than year-round occupancy. Household income lands in the 61st percentile nationally, the median age of 41 runs 1.0 year above national, and 23.2% of residents were born overseas, 1.6 points above the national figure. Construction is the largest employer at 14.5% of workers, reflecting an active building economy in this Margaret River region coastal town.
Population
6,413
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,738/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$528K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $528,000 median house price, Dunsborough is affordable next to most WA coastal markets, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,885 against household incomes in the 61st percentile, giving a comfortable mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock favours families and downsizers chasing space: 90.2% are separate houses, only 1.1% apartments, and a striking 57.8% have four or more bedrooms while 35.8% have three. That bedroom skew is higher than typical because much of the housing was built as larger holiday homes. Tenure shows 43.9% of households carry a mortgage and 34.5% own outright, so buyers are competing mostly with established owner-occupiers rather than a churn of recent purchasers.
For Buyers
At a $528,000 median house price, Dunsborough is affordable next to most WA coastal markets, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,885 against household incomes in the 61st percentile, giving a comfortable mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock favours families and downsizers chasing space: 90.2% are separate houses, only 1.1% apartments, and a striking 57.8% have four or more bedrooms while 35.8% have three. That bedroom skew is higher than typical because much of the housing was built as larger holiday homes. Tenure shows 43.9% of households carry a mortgage and 34.5% own outright, so buyers are competing mostly with established owner-occupiers rather than a churn of recent purchasers.
For Investors
The investment picture is mixed. Weekly rent of $450 against the $528,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.4%, healthier than most metropolitan markets, and 21.6% of residents rent, giving a modest tenant pool. The headline risk is the 38.0% vacancy rate, far higher than a typical suburb, which reflects the large share of second homes and holiday lets that sit empty outside peak season rather than genuine long-term oversupply. Rent-to-income sits at 25.9%, below the stress threshold, so local tenants can sustain the rents. With no development applications recorded in the past 12 months, new supply is thin, and the case rests on seasonal holiday demand and capital growth more than on consistent year-round occupancy.
Schools in Dunsborough iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Our Lady of the Cape Primary School
PP-6 · 331 students
Dunsborough Primary School
K-6 · 751 students
Dunsborough Christian College
PP-8 · 48 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 runs 1.0 year above the national figure, consistent with a town that draws families and sea-change downsizers. University qualifications reach 30.7%, just 0.6 points above national, while 23.2% of residents were born overseas, 1.6 points higher than national. Ancestry is strongly Anglo, led by English (3,017), Irish (713) and Scottish (692), and the most common non-English languages are German (24), French (15) and Italian (12), pointing to a small European-leaning international mix rather than a large migrant base. Average household size is 2.6, almost identical to national at 0.1 above. Families lean toward couples with children (2,358) over couples without children (1,404, or 29.9%), and Christianity (2,269) is the dominant faith.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.2%
Houses
8.7%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into 43.9% mortgage holders, 34.5% outright owners and 21.6% renters, a mortgage-heavy profile that points to recent family buyers rather than long-held debt-free wealth. The dwelling mix is overwhelmingly detached, with 90.2% separate houses, 8.7% semi-detached and just 1.1% apartments, and the bedroom count skews large: 57.8% have four or more bedrooms and 35.8% have three, leaving small dwellings rare. The $528,000 median house price, estimated from local rents, stays affordable relative to coastal peers, and mortgage-to-income at 25.0% sits below the 30% stress line. The 38.0% vacancy rate is the standout, far above a normal market, and reflects the high proportion of holiday and second homes held empty between seasons.
Mortgage / mo
$1,885
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$883
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
38.0%
Unoccupied
1,362
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.9%
Couples, no children
4,694
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is anchored by Construction at 14.5% of workers (323 jobs), followed by Healthcare at 13.0% (289), Hospitality at 12.3% (273), Education at 9.9% (219) and Mining at 7.7% (170), an unusual spread that blends a building boom, tourism services and fly-in mining income. By occupation, Professionals (609) and Managers (424) lead, with Community and Personal services (366) reflecting the hospitality base. Unemployment is low at 2.3%, well below national levels, though participation reads just 57.9% because 1,458 residents sit outside the labour force, consistent with the older, semi-retired profile. The full-time employment rate of 54.0% is moderate, since hospitality and tourism generate a large part-time cohort of 1,304 workers.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.0%
Part-time
43.7%
Participation
57.9%
Employed
2,833
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.7%
Postgraduate
4.8%
Born Overseas
23.2%
Dwellings
2,214
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-dependent, with 87.9% of residents driving to work, 5.1% walking or cycling and just 1.6% using public transport, well below national rates and expected for a regional coastal town at 398.7 residents per km2 across a 16.09 km2 footprint. Community ties are strong: volunteering runs at 24.9%, above the national average, and only 2.6% of residents (154 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 41. Housing affordability supports the lifestyle, with rent-to-income at 25.9% and mortgage-to-income at 25.0%, both under the 30% stress threshold. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schooling in neighbouring Busselton-area centres, a common trade-off for the spacious coastal setting.
Drive
87.9%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
5.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dunsborough compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dunsborough a good suburb to live in?
Dunsborough suits families and downsizers wanting space and affordability, with a $528,000 median house price and 90.2% detached houses. Volunteering runs at 24.9%, above national, and only 2.6% of residents need daily assistance. The main trade-offs are heavy car reliance, with 87.9% driving, and a high 38.0% vacancy rate driven by holiday homes.
What is the median house price in Dunsborough?
The median house price in Dunsborough is $528,000, estimated from local rents and affordable next to most WA coastal markets. Weekly rent averages $450 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,885, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.0%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Dunsborough?
No schools are recorded inside the Dunsborough boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in the wider Busselton area. The town has 6,413 residents, and university qualifications sit at 30.7%, marginally above the national figure by 0.6 points.
Is Dunsborough safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Dunsborough in this dataset. As indirect indicators, only 2.6% of the 6,413 residents need daily assistance and volunteering runs at 24.9%, above national, both consistent with a settled, community-oriented coastal town.
Is Dunsborough good for property investment?
Rent of $450 a week against the $528,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.4%, higher than most metropolitan markets. The catch is a 38.0% vacancy rate from holiday and second homes, and 21.6% of residents rent, so returns lean on seasonal demand rather than steady year-round occupancy.
How is Dunsborough's population changing?
Forecast figures are not available, but the current population is 6,413 with a moderate turnover rate of 22.6%, meaning 77.4% of residents stayed put over the period. The mortgage-heavy tenure, with 43.9% holding a mortgage, points to ongoing family buyer demand.
What industries drive Dunsborough's economy?
Construction leads at 14.5% of workers (323 jobs), followed by Healthcare at 13.0% (289) and Hospitality at 12.3% (273). Unemployment is low at 2.3%, below national, reflecting a mix of building activity, tourism services and fly-in mining income at 7.7%.
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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