Eaton
Eaton's 8,669 residents form an established, detached-home market with a median age of 41, which is 1 year above the national figure. Separate houses account for 89.8% of dwellings and 4 or more bedrooms for 54.5%, supporting a family-oriented profile. Compared with nearby Bunbury's more central urban pattern, Eaton has a stronger suburban housing emphasis. Mortgage holders make up 42.1% of households, while forecast growth is 1.67% annually. The combination of large homes, high mortgage participation and a 6.3% rise in the senior share explains why Eaton is tracking as an aging, mortgage-belt suburb.
Population
8,669
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,485/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Eaton suits buyers seeking conventional family housing rather than apartments. Separate houses represent 89.8% of dwellings, while apartments account for only 0.5% and semi-detached homes 8.7%. Larger properties are common, with 54.5% containing 4 or more bedrooms compared with 33.4% with 3 bedrooms. The monthly mortgage measure is $1,517, and mortgage costs equal 23.6% of household income, below the 22.9% rent-to-income measure only marginally. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare recent local sales and loan repayments before setting a budget.
For Buyers
Eaton suits buyers seeking conventional family housing rather than apartments. Separate houses represent 89.8% of dwellings, while apartments account for only 0.5% and semi-detached homes 8.7%. Larger properties are common, with 54.5% containing 4 or more bedrooms compared with 33.4% with 3 bedrooms. The monthly mortgage measure is $1,517, and mortgage costs equal 23.6% of household income, below the 22.9% rent-to-income measure only marginally. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare recent local sales and loan repayments before setting a budget.
For Investors
Eaton's rental market is smaller than its ownership market: 22.0% of households rent, compared with 42.1% paying a mortgage and 31.0% owning outright. Weekly rent is $340 and vacancy is 7.6%, giving tenants more choice than in a tightly constrained market. Rents have grown 16.7%, but development activity was 0 approvals in the past 12 months. Forecast migration is Balanced and the gentrification score is 19 with a Not gentrifying stage. Compared with a high-turnover growth suburb, Eaton's appeal is more likely to come from stable family demand and its 89.8% separate-house stock than from rapid redevelopment.
Schools in Eaton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
EATON PRIMARY SCHOOL
GLEN HUON PRIMARY SCHOOL
EATON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Demographics
Eaton has a median age of 41, 1 year above the national comparison, while the university-educated share is 14.3%, or 15.8 percentage points below the national figure. Overseas-born residents make up 17.5%, 4.1 points below the national level, and average household size is 2.5, matching the national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 3,988 residents, followed by Scottish at 770 and Irish at 734. No religion is the largest religious category at 4,179, ahead of Christianity at 3,529. With 77.4% of residents staying at the same address and a 22.6% turnover rate, Eaton is less mobile than a high-churn area, which fits its aging trajectory.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.8%
Houses
8.7%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Eaton's housing stock is strongly detached and spacious. Separate houses account for 89.8% of dwellings, compared with 8.7% semi-detached homes and 0.5% apartments. Properties with 4 or more bedrooms make up 54.5%, higher than the 33.4% share of 3-bedroom homes. Mortgage households are the largest tenure group at 42.1%, above the 31.0% owning outright and the 22.0% renting. Compared with apartment-heavy markets, Eaton provides limited small-dwelling supply, which helps explain its family profile. Housing costs appear manageable in aggregate, with mortgage-to-income at 23.6% and rent-to-income at 22.9%, and neither measure flagged as stressed.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$340
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$717
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.6%
Unoccupied
266
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.3%
Couples with children
42.5%
Couples, no children
17.3%
Single parent
2,374
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Eaton's largest industry at 17.4%, or 405 workers, followed by construction at 12.2% and 285, education at 10.3% and 240, manufacturing at 10.0% and 233, and mining at 8.5% and 199. Trades are the largest occupation group at 742, ahead of labourers at 519 and machinery or drivers at 495. The labour force totals 4,138, participation is 59.0%, unemployment is 5.1% and the full-time rate is 57.7%. Compared with a uniform middle-ranked profile, Eaton's SEIFA results are uneven: IEO is decile 2, IRSD decile 5, IER decile 7 and IRSAD decile 4. The lower education and occupation ranking alongside stronger economic-resource ranking suggests household capacity is not fully captured by formal qualifications.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
4,138
Unemployed
209
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.7%
Part-time
35.5%
Participation
59.0%
Employed
3,929
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.3%
Postgraduate
1.4%
Born Overseas
17.5%
Dwellings
3,215
Transport to Work
Eaton is highly car-oriented: 85.1% of residents drive to work, compared with 2.4% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling. Only 3.8% work from home, so daily access is shaped more by road connections than local active transport. Families have access to 3 local government schools, comprising 2 primary schools and 1 senior high school; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Eaton covers 6.45 square kilometres at a density of 1,344.1 residents per square kilometre. Its IRSAD score sits at decile 4, lower than the IRSD decile 5 result. For safety, check current WA Police incident information for the specific street rather than relying on suburb-wide assumptions.
Drive
85.1%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
3.8%
Population Forecast
+1.67%/yr
(+226 people/yr)
EstablishedEaton is forecast to follow an established growth pattern, with annual trend growth of 1.67% and Balanced migration rather than a single dominant migration source. The wider area's population change is 20.4% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is labelled Aging. That direction is supported by a 6.3% increase in the senior share, a 1.9% decline in the young share and a 1.6% decline in the working-age share. Compared with a transformation-led market, the gentrification score of 19 and Not gentrifying stage point to gradual established-suburb change. Stable affordability, moving from 46.4 in 2011 to 45.2 in 2021, may support steady demand without a sharp demographic reset.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+66
Net Internal / yr
+79
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +27% since 2011, Net internal migration +79/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Eaton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eaton a good suburb to live in?
Eaton can suit households wanting larger homes, car-based access and an established suburban setting. Separate houses make up 89.8% of dwellings, 54.5% have 4 or more bedrooms and the median age is 41. Compared with more central Bunbury areas, Eaton is more oriented to family housing and everyday driving.
What is the median house price in Eaton?
A current median house price is not available for Eaton. Buyers can still use the $1,517 monthly mortgage measure, $340 weekly rent and the 23.6% mortgage-to-income ratio as budgeting references, then compare recent comparable sales for 3-bedroom and 4 or more bedroom homes.
What schools are in Eaton?
Eaton has 3 government schools: 2 primary schools and 1 senior high school. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact property address because boundaries can differ between schools. The local mix supports primary and senior secondary access without assuming that location alone indicates school performance.
Is Eaton safe?
A suburb crime rate per 1,000 residents is not stated, so safety should be checked using current WA Police incident information and the exact street address. Eaton has 8,669 residents, but population size alone cannot establish whether one pocket is safer than another. Compare recent incidents around Eaton, Bunbury and Australind.
Is Eaton good for property investment?
Eaton has a 22.0% renting share, $340 weekly rent and a 7.6% vacancy rate. Rent growth is 16.7%, but development activity was 0 approvals in the past 12 months. The investment case is more suited to established family demand than rapid gentrification, with a forecast gentrification score of 19 and a Not gentrifying stage.
How is Eaton's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 1.67% annually, with Balanced migration and an Aging trajectory. Across the wider area, population change is 20.4% over 10 years. The senior share has risen 6.3% while the young share has fallen 1.9%, indicating gradual ageing rather than a rapid demographic transformation.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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