Fitzroy Crossing
A small Kimberley service centre with 1,181 residents, Fitzroy Crossing combines a 33-year median age with a highly rental-based housing market: 83.0% of households rent and vacancy is 14.9%. The median age is 7 years below the national comparison, while walking or cycling accounts for 38.7% of trips, above the 2.4% using public transport. Its age profile is younger than the national benchmark today but points toward aging, with the senior share up 5.4 percentage points. Compared with larger regional alternatives such as Derby or Halls Creek, the 28.12 sq km settlement is a smaller, service-focused market where tenure, access and employment matter more than a conventional sales cycle.
Local council: Derby-West Kimberley
Population
1,181
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,375/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Homebuyers need to approach Fitzroy Crossing differently from a standard metro purchase market because no median house price is available and the tenure mix is dominated by renters. Detached houses account for 84.1% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 13.6%, with 3-bedroom homes at 44.8% and 4-plus bedrooms at 16.2%. The mortgage figure is $1,625 monthly, while rent is $100 weekly. Rent-to-income is 7.3%, below the 27.3% mortgage-to-income measure. That gap makes renting cheaper for many households, but buyers should seek recent comparable sales and confirm maintenance, insurance and finance conditions before committing. The rental share is higher than outright ownership at 2.5%, so resale depth may be narrower than in established owner-occupier markets.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to approach Fitzroy Crossing differently from a standard metro purchase market because no median house price is available and the tenure mix is dominated by renters. Detached houses account for 84.1% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 13.6%, with 3-bedroom homes at 44.8% and 4-plus bedrooms at 16.2%. The mortgage figure is $1,625 monthly, while rent is $100 weekly. Rent-to-income is 7.3%, below the 27.3% mortgage-to-income measure. That gap makes renting cheaper for many households, but buyers should seek recent comparable sales and confirm maintenance, insurance and finance conditions before committing. The rental share is higher than outright ownership at 2.5%, so resale depth may be narrower than in established owner-occupier markets.
For Investors
Investors face a high-vacancy and operationally unusual rental profile. Rents are listed at $100 per week, 83.0% of households rent and vacancy is 14.9%, so low entry rents are paired with a sizeable amount of available stock. That vacancy level can reduce competition for tenants and extend leasing times, making property management and tenant demand more important than headline yield. There were 0 recorded developments in the past 12 months, limiting evidence of a near-term supply pipeline. The wider growth outlook is 1.37% annually with Balanced migration, while the longer-term rent-growth measure is 83.0%. Compared with ownership-heavy markets, investors should stress-test vacancy, repairs and exit liquidity rather than assume rental growth will continue.
Schools in Fitzroy Crossing
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
FITZROY VALLEY DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL
WULUNGARRA COMMUNITY SCHOOL
MULUDJA REMOTE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
NGALAPITA REMOTE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Demographics
Fitzroy Crossing's 33-year median age is 7 years below the national comparison, yet the trajectory is aging rather than youthful expansion. University attainment is 27.3%, or 2.8 percentage points below the national figure, and only 11.6% of residents were born overseas, 10 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 150 people, while the AIndLng category covers 250 people. Household size is 2.6 people, 0.1 above the national comparison, and 69.1% stayed at the same address over the reference period despite a 30.9% turnover rate. Compared with larger Kimberley centres such as Derby and Halls Creek, this points to a smaller, more locally anchored population, with service access and household continuity shaping demand.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.1%
Houses
13.6%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached and rental based. Separate houses make up 84.1% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 13.6%, while 83.0% of households rent and only 2.5% own outright; another 14.4% sits in the other-tenure category. The largest dwelling group has 3 bedrooms at 44.8%, followed by 2-bedroom homes at 33.6%, with 16.2% at 4 or more bedrooms and 5.3% at 0 or 1 bedroom. Rent is $100 per week, and rent-to-income is 7.3%, below the 27.3% mortgage-to-income measure. Compared with an owner-led suburb, this mix makes rental availability and housing condition more consequential than sale-price benchmarking. Buyers should obtain recent local sales evidence because a median house price is not available.
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$100
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$486
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.9%
Unoccupied
63
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
7.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.2%
Couples with children
27.3%
Couples, no children
27.3%
Single parent
253
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in essential services: education accounts for 29.1% of industry jobs, healthcare 26.4%, public administration 11.9%, hospitality 6.9% and construction 6.1%. That mix links local activity to schools, health provision and government services, while the occupation mix includes 112 Professionals, 95 Community/Personal workers and 56 Managers. Labour-force participation is 47.1%, unemployment is 6.1%, and 70.0% of employed residents work full time. Weekly household income is $1,375, with the suburb at the 36.3rd household-income percentile. SEIFA splits sharply: IEO is decile 9, above IRSD decile 4; IER is decile 1, below IRSAD decile 8. This contrast suggests qualifications and service roles coexist with constrained household resources.
Unemployment
6.1%
Labour Force
443
Unemployed
27
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.0%
Part-time
21.6%
Participation
47.1%
Employed
416
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.3%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
11.6%
Dwellings
353
Transport to Work
Daily life is relatively walkable by local transport patterns: 38.7% walked or cycled, compared with 46.1% who drove a car and 2.4% using public transport; only 2.6% worked from home. The school network includes 4 schools: 3 government options covering district-high and remote-community settings, plus 1 non-government community school. Families should check enrolment zones, transport and attendance arrangements for the exact address, especially where travel between communities is required. The IRSAD decile is 8, above the IRSD decile of 4, but that contrast should not be read as a school or safety ranking. Check current WA Police incident information for the specific area before deciding, because local conditions can vary. The 1,181-person settlement is compact, making walking useful while car access remains important for regional trips.
Drive
46.1%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
38.7%
Work from Home
2.6%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady but not boom driven. The annual trend is 1.37%, migration is classified as Balanced, and population change across the wider area is 17.4% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.4 percentage points and the young share down 3.9 points, so future demand is likely to lean more heavily on health, care and accessible housing because the age mix is shifting. Affordability worsened from 21.2 in 2011 to 29.5 in 2021, with the 2021 measure higher than the earlier figure, while real income growth was 6.9%. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 22, suggesting gradual change rather than a completed repositioning. Balanced migration and a 1.37% annual trend support measured planning, not assumptions of rapid expansion.
Population trend: Derby-West Kimberley council area
Fitzroy Crossing sits in the Derby-West Kimberley council area. These are the council area's residents, not Fitzroy Crossing's.
Residents 2025
8,683
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Fitzroy Crossing compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fitzroy Crossing a good suburb to live in?
Fitzroy Crossing can suit households prioritising community services, walking and low weekly rent. It has 1,181 residents, 38.7% walking or cycling, and 83.0% renting, but regional travel and a 14.9% vacancy rate should be weighed carefully.
What is the median house price in Fitzroy Crossing?
A median house price is not available, so buyers should not rely on a generic benchmark. Request recent comparable sales, confirm insurance and maintenance costs, and compare the $1,625 monthly mortgage figure with the local $100 weekly rent before setting a budget.
What schools are in Fitzroy Crossing?
The school network includes 4 schools: 3 government options covering district-high and remote-community settings, plus 1 non-government community school. Check enrolment zones, transport and attendance arrangements for the exact address, especially where travel between communities is required.
Is Fitzroy Crossing safe?
Assess safety at the address level by checking current WA Police information, speaking with local services and inspecting the area at different times before deciding. Fitzroy Crossing has 1,181 residents, so conditions can vary across a compact settlement and its surrounding communities.
Is Fitzroy Crossing good for property investment?
Investment prospects are highly specialised. Rents are $100 per week, 83.0% of households rent and vacancy is 14.9%, while 0 developments were recorded in the past 12 months. Investors should stress-test vacancy, repairs, management and resale liquidity before proceeding.
How is Fitzroy Crossing's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 17.4% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.37% and migration classified as Balanced. Fitzroy Crossing's current population is 1,181, while the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.4 percentage points and the young share down 3.9.
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).
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