Geographe
A median age of 50 places Geographe's residents 10 years above the national figure, and that fact shapes almost everything else about the suburb. With 3,622 people spread across 5.71 square kilometres near Busselton, most households are established owner-occupiers: 40.3% own outright and 91.8% of dwellings are separate houses. The median house price of $448,000 sits well below capital-city levels, giving retirees and sea-changers genuine buying power compared to coastal markets in NSW or VIC. Household income at the 33.4th percentile nationally keeps the profile solidly middle-income, while a 23.2% vacancy rate signals that a significant share of stock is held as holiday or investment property rather than primary residence.
Population
3,622
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,333/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$448K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $448,000 median, Geographe is accessible for buyers priced out of metropolitan coastal markets, with monthly mortgage repayments estimated at $1,733. That produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.0%, sitting at the stress threshold but manageable for dual-income households. The stock skews large: 53.5% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 91.8% are separate houses, with semi-detached homes at 7.5% and apartments at just 0.4%. This is a suburb where buyers get land and space rather than density. Outright owners at 40.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 30.0%, which points to long-held properties rather than a market driven by recent lending. Weekly rent averages $360, giving renters a rent-to-income ratio of 27.0%, below the 30% stress level.
For Buyers
At a $448,000 median, Geographe is accessible for buyers priced out of metropolitan coastal markets, with monthly mortgage repayments estimated at $1,733. That produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.0%, sitting at the stress threshold but manageable for dual-income households. The stock skews large: 53.5% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 91.8% are separate houses, with semi-detached homes at 7.5% and apartments at just 0.4%. This is a suburb where buyers get land and space rather than density. Outright owners at 40.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 30.0%, which points to long-held properties rather than a market driven by recent lending. Weekly rent averages $360, giving renters a rent-to-income ratio of 27.0%, below the 30% stress level.
For Investors
The 23.2% vacancy rate is the key caution for investors, significantly higher than typical residential markets, because a large share of dwellings function as holiday homes rather than permanent rentals. Weekly rent of $360 against a $448,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, reasonable compared to capital cities but dependent on occupancy. The renter share is 29.7%, below average, so the permanent rental pool is modest. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, which limits near-term supply pressure but also signals limited infrastructure expansion. The aging resident profile (median age 50, which is 10 years above national) and 74.8% of residents having stayed put over five years indicate a stable, low-turnover community where speculative demand is limited.
Demographics
The suburb's demographics reflect a deliberate lifestyle choice rather than workforce migration. The median age of 50 is a full 10 years above the national figure, and couples without children make up 39.6% of families, consistent with an empty-nester and retiree base. Just 21.0% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 9.1 percentage points below the national average, pointing to a trade and services workforce rather than a professional-class enclave. Overseas-born residents at 21.4% are roughly in line with national rates (0.2 points below). Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic dominated, with English (1,735), Scottish (420) and Irish (416) the leading groups. The participation rate of 50.6% is below the national norm, partly because many residents are retired or semi-retired.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.8%
Houses
7.5%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 91.8% of the housing stock, making Geographe one of the more homogeneously detached suburbs in regional WA. More than half of all dwellings have four or more bedrooms (53.5%), which is unusually high and reflects both the sea-change demographic preference for space and the holiday-home component of the market. Tenure splits into 40.3% owning outright, 30.0% on a mortgage and 29.7% renting. The high outright-ownership rate compared to the national norm suggests that much of the stock was purchased years ago and has been fully paid down. At $448,000, the median house price is well below the WA metropolitan median, and the 23.2% vacancy rate is a clear indicator that many properties function as coastal getaways rather than primary residences.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$677
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
23.2%
Unoccupied
425
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.6%
Couples, no children
2,652
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 18.6% of the workforce (189 workers), followed by Education at 12.1% (123) and Construction at 10.8% (110). Mining accounts for 7.9% (80 workers), a notable figure for a coastal suburb and likely reflecting FIFO workers who reside here between rotations. By occupation, Professionals lead with 257 workers, followed by Labourers (197) and Managers (189). The unemployment rate is 5.1% and the participation rate is 50.6%, both lower than national norms, because the aging demographic includes a large not-in-labour-force cohort of 1,208. Full-time employment is 58.5% of those employed, slightly below the national average. Weekly personal income of $677 and household weekly income of $1,333 place the suburb at the 33.4th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.5%
Part-time
36.4%
Participation
50.6%
Employed
1,478
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.0%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
21.4%
Dwellings
1,411
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total: 86.8% of residents drive to work, while only 2.1% use public transport, in line with most regional WA suburbs where bus and rail coverage is sparse. Active transport (walking and cycling) accounts for 3.2%, slightly above the regional norm. No schools are recorded within the Geographe boundary, so families rely on facilities in nearby Busselton. Volunteering at 21.6% is above average, reflecting the community-oriented nature of a settled, older resident base. Core crime statistics are not available for this suburb. At 5.9%, the share of residents needing daily assistance (198 people) is modestly elevated compared to younger suburbs, consistent with the aging population. Rent and mortgage stress indicators are both below the 30% threshold, suggesting financial comfort for most households.
Drive
86.8%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Geographe compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Geographe a good suburb to live in?
Geographe suits buyers seeking space and coastal proximity at a moderate price point. The $448,000 median house price is well below capital-city coastal equivalents, 91.8% of dwellings are separate houses, and 74.8% of residents have stayed put for five or more years. The main trade-off is limited public transport (only 2.1% use it) and no schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Geographe?
The median house price is $448,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and weekly rent averages $360. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 30.0%, at the stress threshold, while rent-to-income sits at 27.0%, below the stress level.
What schools are in Geographe?
No schools are recorded within the Geographe suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access primary and secondary schools in the broader Busselton area. University qualifications among residents stand at 21.0%, which is 9.1 percentage points below the national average.
Is Geographe safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Geographe in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb has a high resident stability rate (74.8% stayed over 5 years) and a volunteering rate of 21.6%, both consistent with a settled, community-oriented neighbourhood. Only 5.9% of residents (198 people) need daily assistance.
Is Geographe good for property investment?
The 23.2% vacancy rate signals a large holiday-home component, which raises occupancy risk compared to primary-rental suburbs. Weekly rent of $360 against a $448,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, reasonable vs most capital-city coastal markets. The renter share is 29.7% and 0 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, limiting supply pressure.
How is Geographe's population changing?
Direct growth forecasts are not available in this dataset, but the signals point to slow, stable change. The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure and 74.8% of residents have not moved in five years, indicating a settled older community with low turnover. Zero recent development applications suggest minimal new housing supply entering the market.
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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