Halls Creek
A 1,572-person Kimberley town, Halls Creek has a median age of 30, which is 10 years below the national figure, and a renter share of 78.3%. The 19.0% vacancy rate is unusually high alongside a 5.6% outright-ownership rate, pointing to housing shaped more by temporary and service-related demand than by owner occupation. Household income sits at the 26.9th percentile nationally. Compared with Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek should be assessed as a remote service-town market rather than against metropolitan housing benchmarks.
Local council: Halls Creek
Population
1,572
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,228/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Homebuyers need recent comparable sales because a median sale price is not a dependable guide in this small market. Renting accounts for 78.3% of occupied dwellings, while only 5.6% are owned outright and 1.7% carry a mortgage. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,780, versus weekly rent of $125, and mortgage repayments equal 33.5% of household income compared with 10.2% for rent. Detached houses make up 77.6% of stock, with 3-bedroom homes at 46.1%, above 4-plus-bedroom homes at 18.4%. This mix makes dwelling condition, service access and resale depth more important than a simple price comparison.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need recent comparable sales because a median sale price is not a dependable guide in this small market. Renting accounts for 78.3% of occupied dwellings, while only 5.6% are owned outright and 1.7% carry a mortgage. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,780, versus weekly rent of $125, and mortgage repayments equal 33.5% of household income compared with 10.2% for rent. Detached houses make up 77.6% of stock, with 3-bedroom homes at 46.1%, above 4-plus-bedroom homes at 18.4%. This mix makes dwelling condition, service access and resale depth more important than a simple price comparison.
For Investors
Investor demand is supported by a 78.3% renting share and weekly rent of $125, but the 19.0% vacancy rate can materially increase lease-up risk. Rent absorbs 10.2% of household income, below the 33.5% mortgage burden, which can make renting relatively accessible while limiting gross-dollar returns. No development activity was recorded in the past 12 months, so near-term supply pressure appears limited, yet vacancy already suggests an uneven demand base. Migration is labelled Balanced and annual growth is 0.77%, below a high-growth profile. Investors should prioritise essential-worker demand, maintenance costs, insurance and exit liquidity over headline yield alone.
Schools in Halls Creek
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
HALLS CREEK DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL
KURURRUNGKU CATHOLIC EDUCATION CENTRE
WARLAWURRU CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Demographics
Halls Creek's median age of 30 is 10 years below the national level, while university attainment at 18.6% sits 11.5 percentage points below the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 8.5%, 13.1 points below nationally, giving the town a more locally rooted profile than many Australian urban areas. English ancestry is reported by 175 people, followed by Irish at 55 and Scottish at 42; Christianity counts 853 residents versus 398 reporting no religion. Average household size is 2.9, or 0.4 above the national comparison. One-parent families represent 43.2% of families, with 147 such families, increasing the importance of accessible community and family services.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.6%
Houses
13.1%
Townhouse
3.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is detached-dominant but tenure is unusually rental-led. Separate houses account for 77.6% of dwellings, compared with 13.1% semi-detached and 3.5% apartments. Three-bedroom homes form 46.1% of stock, higher than the 18.4% share of four-or-more-bedroom homes, while 0-to-1-bedroom dwellings make up 12.7% and two-bedroom homes 22.8%. Only 5.6% of households own outright and 1.7% have a mortgage, against 78.3% renting and 14.5% in other tenure arrangements. Vacancy is 19.0%, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.5% is above rent's 10.2%, so ownership affordability is a sharper constraint than rental cost.
Mortgage / mo
$1,780
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$125
Census 2021
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$452
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.0%
Unoccupied
106
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
10.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.1%
Couples with children
20.9%
Couples, no children
43.2%
Single parent
340
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education leads local employment with 58 workers, or 25.4%, followed closely by healthcare at 56 or 24.6%. Public administration adds 39 workers or 17.1%, while hospitality has 17 and construction 11. This concentration makes the economy dependent on public and community services, with fewer private-sector buffers than a diversified regional centre. Labour force participation is 35.4%, unemployment is 13.0%, and 72.0% of employed people work full time. Community and personal service roles count 88, professionals 77, managers 53, trades 35 and clerical administration 30. Household income is $1,228 weekly at the 26.9th percentile, while IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD all sit in decile 1, well below higher-advantage areas.
Unemployment
13.0%
Labour Force
415
Unemployed
54
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.0%
Part-time
13.6%
Participation
35.4%
Employed
361
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.6%
Postgraduate
3.9%
Born Overseas
8.5%
Dwellings
434
Transport to Work
Daily life is compact and largely local. Walking or cycling accounts for 37.7% of journeys, well above the 2.0% using public transport, while 49.0% drive and 3.3% work from home. That pattern fits a town covering 43.95 square kilometres at a density of 35.8 people per square kilometre, where local trips can be shorter but regional travel still depends on cars. Families have access to 3 schools: 1 government district high school and 2 non-government Catholic schools. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross local streets. Socioeconomic disadvantage is pronounced, with IRSAD and IRSD both in decile 1, below higher-advantage communities. Check current WA Police information and local advice for street-level safety.
Drive
49.0%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
37.7%
Work from Home
3.3%
Growth Outlook
Growth is measured rather than rapid: the annual trend is 0.77%, migration is labelled Balanced, and population change across the wider area is 1.1% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Declining young, with the young share down 5.2 percentage points and the senior share up 1.5 points, indicating gradual ageing despite a median age of 30. Affordability worsened from 16.1% in 2011 to 24.9% in 2021, while real income growth fell 5.1% and rent growth reached 80.0%. A gentrification score of 15 places Halls Creek in the Not gentrifying stage. Compared with a fast-expanding regional market, the outlook points to modest change rather than a development surge.
Population trend: Halls Creek council area
Halls Creek sits in the Halls Creek council area. These are the council area's residents, not Halls Creek's.
Residents 2025
4,245
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.2%
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 Halls Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Halls Creek a good suburb to live in?
Halls Creek can suit people seeking a small service town, with 1,572 residents, a median age of 30 and 37.7% walking or cycling to destinations. Housing is renter-heavy at 78.3%, and public transport use is 2.0%, so work, services and car access should be considered before moving.
What is the median house price in Halls Creek?
There is no reliable median house price to quote for Halls Creek. Buyers should review recent local sales, dwelling condition and tenure carefully because 78.3% of households rent, only 5.6% own outright and 1.7% have a mortgage.
What schools are in Halls Creek?
Halls Creek has 3 listed schools: 1 government district high school and 2 non-government Catholic schools. Confirm the catchment, year levels, transport arrangements and enrolment requirements for the exact address before signing a lease or contract.
Is Halls Creek safe?
Safety should be checked using current WA Police information and local advice for the particular street and time of day. Halls Creek has 1,572 residents, but population size alone cannot establish whether an address is safe.
Is Halls Creek good for property investment?
Property investment is possible but requires caution. Renting accounts for 78.3%, weekly rent is $125 and vacancy is 19.0%, so tenant demand and lease-up timing need testing. Annual growth is 0.77% and development activity was 0 over the past 12 months, limiting the case for assuming rapid capital growth.
How is Halls Creek's population changing?
Halls Creek's population trend is subdued rather than fast-growing. The annual forecast trend is 0.77%, population change across the wider area is 1.1% over 10 years, and migration is labelled Balanced. The trajectory is Declining young, with the young share down 5.2 percentage points.
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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