Golden Bay
Golden Bay combines a young median age of 30 with a strongly detached housing profile: 98.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 56.3% have 4 or more bedrooms. Its 5,681 residents sit in households at the 70.6th income percentile, while 59.6% of homes are owned with a mortgage, reinforcing its mortgage-belt character. The median age is 10 years below the national figure, and household size is 2.8 people, or 0.3 above the national comparison. Compared with nearby Singleton and Secret Harbour, Golden Bay presents a particularly clear family-house and commuter orientation, supported by relatively high household incomes and a substantial base of couples with children.
Population
5,681
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,891/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Golden Bay suits buyers seeking space rather than apartment living, because 98.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 56.3% contain 4 or more bedrooms. The typical mortgage payment is listed at $1,777 per month, while mortgage costs equal 21.7% of household income, below the stated stress threshold. Rent is $350 per week and 24.9% of households rent, giving buyers a useful comparison point between renting and purchasing. Compared with a unit-oriented market, the suburb has less housing variety, but families can find a clearer path to larger blocks and multi-bedroom homes. The 30-year median age and 2.8-person household size also point to a relatively young, family-forming buyer base.
For Buyers
Golden Bay suits buyers seeking space rather than apartment living, because 98.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 56.3% contain 4 or more bedrooms. The typical mortgage payment is listed at $1,777 per month, while mortgage costs equal 21.7% of household income, below the stated stress threshold. Rent is $350 per week and 24.9% of households rent, giving buyers a useful comparison point between renting and purchasing. Compared with a unit-oriented market, the suburb has less housing variety, but families can find a clearer path to larger blocks and multi-bedroom homes. The 30-year median age and 2.8-person household size also point to a relatively young, family-forming buyer base.
For Investors
Golden Bay has a 24.9% renter share, a weekly rent of $350 and a vacancy rate of 9.1%, so investors should allow for more leasing competition than in a tightly undersupplied rental market. The 98.0% separate-house share and 56.3% concentration of 4 or more bedroom homes support demand from families, although the larger format can raise maintenance and holding costs. Development activity was 0 projects in the past 12 months, which may limit immediate new-stock competition, but it also reduces evidence of fresh rental supply. A regional growth trend of 2.88% annually and balanced migration are constructive, while a gentrification score of 50 labelled Active is more positive than the separate shift label of Not gentrifying. Without a median house price, a reliable gross yield comparison cannot be calculated.
Schools in Golden Bay
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
GOLDEN BAY PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Golden Bay has a median age of 30, which is 10 years below the national comparison, but its age profile is beginning to mature as the young share has fallen 3.5 percentage points and the senior share has risen 2.4 points. Overseas-born residents account for 26.8%, or 5.2 percentage points above the national comparison, while university attainment is 17.7%, 12.4 points below the national figure. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 2,785, 586 and 496 respectively. No religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 3,102 people, compared with 2,026 identifying with Christianity. Average household size is 2.8, or 0.3 above the national comparison, because 47.0% of families are couples with children. The profile is more family-oriented than a typical inner-suburban demographic, while nearby Singleton and Secret Harbour provide useful local comparisons for buyers assessing age and household mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.0%
Houses
2.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Golden Bay is overwhelmingly a detached-house market, with 98.0% of dwellings separate houses and only 2.0% semi-detached. Larger homes dominate: 56.3% have 4 or more bedrooms, 39.0% have 3 bedrooms and 4.4% have 2 bedrooms. Tenure is led by mortgages at 59.6%, followed by renting at 24.9% and outright ownership at 15.0%, showing why the suburb fits a mortgage-belt profile. Mortgage costs equal 21.7% of household income and rent equals 18.5%, both below the relevant stress flags. Compared with more apartment-oriented parts of the coastal corridor, Golden Bay provides less dwelling diversity but more family-sized stock. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare recent sales by land size, bedroom count and renovation level rather than rely on a single suburb-wide benchmark.
Mortgage / mo
$1,777
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$895
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.1%
Unoccupied
196
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.0%
Couples with children
28.0%
Couples, no children
23.1%
Single parent
1,539
Total families
Economy & Employment
Golden Bay's employment base is led by healthcare at 14.2% with 265 workers, education at 13.0% with 242, construction at 11.6% with 217, mining at 9.3% with 173 and public administration at 8.6% with 160. Trades are the largest occupation group at 582 people, ahead of professionals at 433 and community or personal service workers at 417, linking the local workforce to essential services, construction and resource activity. Labour-force participation is 71.6%, unemployment is 5.4% and 1,706 workers are employed full time versus 953 part time. Socioeconomic results are mixed: the education and occupation decile is 5, while income and economic resources reach decile 9; IRSD is decile 7 and IRSAD decile 6. The higher income-resource result compared with the mid-range education decile suggests household earnings are supported by trades, mining and professional work more than by uniformly high tertiary attainment.
Unemployment
5.4%
Labour Force
3,034
Unemployed
164
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.4%
Part-time
33.2%
Participation
71.6%
Employed
2,870
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.7%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
26.8%
Dwellings
1,930
Transport to Work
Golden Bay is practical for car-based households: 80.6% travel as car drivers, compared with 4.8% using public transport, while only 1.6% walk or cycle to work and 7.2% work from home. The suburb covers 4.41 square kilometres, has a density of 1,286.8 people per square kilometre and a population of 5,681, creating a settled suburban scale rather than a low-density rural setting. One government primary school operates locally, so families should check exact enrolment zones and nearby secondary options before committing to an address. The IRSAD result is decile 6, above the midpoint but below the top deciles, while 3.6% of residents need assistance. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, Golden Bay requires more driving for work, shopping and services. For safety, review current incident patterns for the exact street and visit at different times, since suburb-wide impressions can differ from local conditions.
Drive
80.6%
Public Transport
4.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
7.2%
Population Forecast
+2.88%/yr
(+761 people/yr)
EstablishedGolden Bay records an annual growth trend of 2.88%, with migration described as Balanced, indicating that expansion is not being attributed to a single inflow source. Population change across the wider area is 42.0% over 10 years, a substantial rise compared with the suburb's current established profile. The trajectory is labelled Declining young: the young share has fallen 3.5 percentage points, while the senior share has increased 2.4 points. Affordability improved from 45.9 in 2011 to 38.9 in 2021, although real income growth was only 0.1%. Gentrification signals are mixed, with a score of 50 and stage Active in one measure, alongside a separate shift classification of Not gentrifying and score 0. Compared with a purely new-development growth story, Golden Bay's next phase is more likely to involve household maturation, continued family demand and gradual tenure change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+329
Net Internal / yr
+310
Gentrification Signal
Active
Net internal migration +310/yr, Strong overseas inflow +329/yr, Accelerating: 24% → 31%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Golden Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Golden Bay a good suburb to live in?
Golden Bay can suit households wanting detached homes, larger bedrooms and a family-oriented setting. The suburb has 5,681 residents, a median age of 30 and 98.0% separate houses. Car dependence is high at 80.6%, so it is a better fit for drivers than for people seeking frequent public transport.
What is the median house price in Golden Bay?
A current median house price is not available for Golden Bay. Buyers should compare recent sales by land size, bedroom count and condition, especially because 56.3% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 59.6% of households are paying a mortgage. The typical listed mortgage payment is $1,777 per month.
What schools are in Golden Bay?
Golden Bay Primary School is the local government primary school. Families should check the enrolment zone for the exact address and investigate secondary options across the surrounding area. Public transport accounts for 4.8% of journeys, so school travel may be easier by car depending on the catchment and daily route.
Is Golden Bay safe?
Safety is best assessed at street level by reviewing recent WA Police incident information and visiting the area at different times. Golden Bay has 5,681 residents across 4.41 square kilometres, so activity and conditions can vary between pockets. Also check lighting, traffic, parking and the route to school or public transport before choosing a home.
Is Golden Bay good for property investment?
Golden Bay has family-friendly rental characteristics, with 24.9% of households renting, weekly rent of $350 and 56.3% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms. The 9.1% vacancy rate is a key caution, as it is not especially tight. Annual growth is forecast at 2.88%, while development activity was 0 projects in the past 12 months.
How is Golden Bay's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 42.0% over 10 years, and the annual growth trend is 2.88%. Migration is classified as Balanced. The suburb is also maturing: its young share has declined 3.5 percentage points and its senior share has increased 2.4 points, so future demand may broaden beyond its current young-family base.
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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