Fitzroy Crossing
A 97% renter rate makes Fitzroy Crossing one of the most tenure-unusual communities in Western Australia, and it reflects the reality of a remote service town rather than a speculative market. At 1,181 residents spread across 28 square kilometres, the suburb functions as a regional hub for the Kimberley, where Education and Healthcare together employ over 55% of the local workforce. The median age of 33 is 7 years below the national figure, pointing to a younger resident base anchored by fly-in workers and community services staff. Household income sits at the 36.3rd percentile nationally, yet the IEO decile of 9 signals strong education and occupation outcomes relative to economic resources.
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
Median House
$255K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $255,000 is well below state and national medians, reflecting the remote location and the near-absence of an owner-occupier market. With 97% of dwellings tenanted and only 3% owned outright, there is virtually no private ownership segment to drive price discovery. Separate houses dominate at 84.1% of stock and three-bedroom homes account for 44.8% of dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625 against household income at the 36.3rd percentile nationally, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. For buyers seeking affordable remote ownership, entry prices are low compared to broader WA medians, but resale liquidity is limited by the thin buyer pool.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $255,000 is well below state and national medians, reflecting the remote location and the near-absence of an owner-occupier market. With 97% of dwellings tenanted and only 3% owned outright, there is virtually no private ownership segment to drive price discovery. Separate houses dominate at 84.1% of stock and three-bedroom homes account for 44.8% of dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625 against household income at the 36.3rd percentile nationally, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. For buyers seeking affordable remote ownership, entry prices are low compared to broader WA medians, but resale liquidity is limited by the thin buyer pool.
For Investors
The investment profile is shaped by extreme renter dominance: 97% of residents rent, compared to around 30% nationally, making Fitzroy Crossing a near-pure rental market. Weekly rents average $100, low in absolute terms but set against a $255,000 median that implies a gross yield well above most metropolitan markets. The vacancy rate of 14.9% is elevated and signals periodic softness in demand. Population grew 17.4% over the decade, and rent prices rose 83% over the same period, suggesting supply has not kept pace with community service expansion. Annual net internal migration averages 44 residents, providing a steady demand floor driven by public sector employment cycles.
Schools in Fitzroy Crossing iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Fitzroy Valley District High School
K-12 · 269 students
Yiramalay Studio School
10-12 · 41 students
Kulkarriya Community School
PP-8 · 68 students
Yakanarra Community School
PP-9 · 18 students
Bayulu Remote Community School
K-8 · 82 students
Demographics
The median age of 33 sits 7 years below the national average, reflecting the dominance of working-age community services and government workers. Overseas-born residents make up 11.6%, which is 10 points below the national figure, consistent with a regionally recruited rather than internationally mobile workforce. Indigenous language speakers number 250 out of 1,181 residents, underscoring the suburb's significance as a Kimberley service centre for the surrounding First Nations communities. University qualifications reach 27.3%, sitting 2.8 points below national, partly because many roles in Education and Healthcare require vocational rather than degree-level training. Average household size is 2.6, marginally above the national norm.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.1%
Houses
13.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Fitzroy Crossing's housing market is defined by its 97% renter majority, a rate far above the national average of roughly 30%, which limits price-forming transactions. Of the 3% who own outright, most are likely long-term community residents. Separate houses account for 84.1% of dwellings and semi-detached dwellings make up 13.6%, with apartments essentially absent. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 44.8%, followed by two-bedroom at 33.6%. The estimated median house price of $255,000 and weekly rent of $100 reflect affordability shaped by remoteness and public housing provision, not market competition. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income is 7.3% and mortgage-to-income is 27.3%, both below stress thresholds.
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wk
$100
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
18.1%
Couples, no children
781
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education (29.1%) and Healthcare (26.4%) dominate employment, together accounting for over half the local workforce, a profile typical of remote service towns that are higher than most suburban centres. Public Administration contributes a further 11.9%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 112 workers, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers at 95, reflecting the service-delivery nature of local employment. The unemployment rate of 6.6% sits above the national average, and the participation rate of 43.4% is low because 399 residents are not in the labour force, partly due to age structure and partly to community obligations. Real income growth of 6.9% over the decade has not offset a worsening affordability trend, with affordability moving from 21.2% in 2011 to 29.5% in 2021.
Unemployment
8.9%
Labour Force
8,493
Unemployed
757
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
76.4%
Part-time
17.0%
Participation
43.4%
Employed
381
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.3%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
11.6%
Dwellings
353
Transport to Work
Walking and cycling account for 39.8% of trips, an unusually high share that reflects the compact town layout and limited public transport infrastructure. Only 2.4% use formal public transport compared to the national average. Car use by drivers sits at 47.3%. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, though the Education sector is the largest employer at 29.1% of workers, indicating significant educational infrastructure nearby. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb. The IER decile of 1 flags very low economic resources relative to other Australian suburbs, while the IEO decile of 9 shows that education and occupation outcomes are strong given the remoteness context, a notable divergence between wealth and human capital.
Drive
47.3%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
39.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.37%/yr
(+43 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 17.4% over the past decade, well above the national average for established suburbs, reaching an estimated 3,147 residents in 2025 with annual growth of 1.37%. Medium forecasts project steady expansion to around 3,385 by 2031, driven by balanced migration: net internal migration averages 44 residents annually and overseas migration adds 15. The gentrification score of 22 indicates early signs of change, supported by an 83% rise in rents over the decade. The young-resident base is aging gradually, with the senior share up 5.4 points and the young share down 3.9 points since 2011, suggesting long-term residents are staying as the community matures.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+15
Net Internal / yr
+44
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Accelerating: -0% → 22%
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 suits those working in community services, healthcare or education in the Kimberley region. The IEO decile of 9 reflects strong education and occupation outcomes relative to location. Housing costs are low, with rent at $100 a week and a median house price of $255,000, well below state and national medians.
What is the median house price in Fitzroy Crossing?
The estimated median house price is $255,000, far below WA and national medians, reflecting the remote location. Weekly rent averages $100 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3% sits below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership affordable for those with stable income.
What schools are in Fitzroy Crossing?
No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, though Education is the largest employment sector at 29.1% of local workers, indicating school facilities are nearby. The suburb serves as a regional service hub for the Kimberley and houses significant educational infrastructure for surrounding communities.
Is Fitzroy Crossing safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Fitzroy Crossing in this dataset. As a context indicator, the IRSD decile of 4 places the suburb below the national median on relative socioeconomic advantage, while 5.7% of residents (60 people) need daily assistance, which is above the national average.
Is Fitzroy Crossing good for property investment?
The 97% renter rate creates a near-pure rental market, and rent rose 83% over the past decade. The $255,000 median with $100 weekly rent implies a gross yield well above most metropolitan benchmarks. However, the 14.9% vacancy rate and thin buyer pool mean resale risk is higher than in established urban markets.
How is Fitzroy Crossing's population changing?
Population grew 17.4% over the past decade, above the national average for established suburbs, with annual growth of 1.37%. The area reached an estimated 3,147 residents in 2025 and medium forecasts project growth to around 3,385 by 2031. Net internal migration averages 44 residents annually.
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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