Kambalda West
Mining dominates Kambalda West to a degree unusual even by Goldfields standards: 51.1% of employed residents work in the mining sector, compared to well under 10% nationally. The suburb sits 620 km east of Perth with a population of 1,666, a median house price of $253,000, and household incomes in the 84.2nd percentile nationally despite its remote location. The high income reflects fly-in fly-out and shift-work wages from the nickel belt. Vacancy sits at 19.5%, which is elevated, signalling that the suburb contracts and expands with commodity cycles rather than steady residential demand.
Population
1,666
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,217/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$253K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $253,000, the median house price is well below the WA state median, making entry accessible for buyers who can secure employment locally or on a FIFO arrangement. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is just 10.4%, far below the national stress threshold of 30%. Separate houses dominate at 87.5% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the most common at 59.6% and 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 26.3%. Only 2.1% of stock is apartments. Outright ownership stands at 24.3% and 34.9% carry a mortgage, while 40.8% rent, a renter share that is above average nationally and reflects the transient workforce character.
For Buyers
At $253,000, the median house price is well below the WA state median, making entry accessible for buyers who can secure employment locally or on a FIFO arrangement. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is just 10.4%, far below the national stress threshold of 30%. Separate houses dominate at 87.5% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the most common at 59.6% and 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 26.3%. Only 2.1% of stock is apartments. Outright ownership stands at 24.3% and 34.9% carry a mortgage, while 40.8% rent, a renter share that is above average nationally and reflects the transient workforce character.
For Investors
The rental market yields a gross return above most capital-city suburbs: weekly rent of $200 against a $253,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.1%. However, the 19.5% vacancy rate is a material risk because demand moves directly with nickel and gold price cycles. The renter share is 40.8%, providing a large tenant pool when the mines are hiring. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term dilution risk. Investors should weigh the commodity-linked demand pattern against the affordable entry price and above-average yield compared to metropolitan WA alternatives.
Schools in Kambalda West iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kambalda West District High School
K-12 · 292 students
Demographics
The median age is 36, which is 4 years below the national median, consistent with a working-age population drawn by mining employment. Average household size is 2.4, and overseas-born residents account for 22.2%, broadly in line with the national average. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic: English (549), Scottish (164) and Irish (135) lead, with Maori ancestry (117 residents) the fifth-largest group. University qualifications at 10.1% are 20 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting an economy built on trade and machinery roles rather than graduate professions.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.5%
Houses
10.5%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between renters (40.8%), mortgage holders (34.9%) and outright owners (24.3%), with the renter share running higher than the national average. The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached: 87.5% separate houses and only 2.1% apartments. Three-bedroom homes form the core at 59.6%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 26.3%, which indicates family-sized dwellings suited to shift workers. The vacancy rate of 19.5% is elevated compared to most WA regional towns and reflects cyclical demand tied to mine activity. Rent-to-income sits at just 9.0%, the lowest stress level on record, meaning affordability for tenants is genuinely strong when mines are active.
Mortgage / mo
$1,000
Rent / wk
$200
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,012
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.5%
Unoccupied
142
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
9.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
10.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.8%
Couples, no children
1,162
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining accounts for 51.1% of employed residents (189 workers), the dominant industry by a wide margin and significantly above the national industry share. Education follows at 11.4%, Construction and Healthcare each at 5.7%, and Manufacturing at 5.4%. By occupation, Machinery and Drivers is the largest group at 208 workers, consistent with the mining base. The unemployment rate is 6.0%, above the national average, partly because the labour force contracts when commodity prices fall. Full-time employment among those who work is strong at 75.4%. Participation rate of 52.7% is below average nationally, partly because the population includes non-working household members of FIFO workers.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
75.4%
Part-time
18.6%
Participation
52.7%
Employed
642
Occupations
Top Industries
University
10.1%
Postgraduate
1.8%
Born Overseas
22.2%
Dwellings
582
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 82.9% of workers driving to work compared to the national average where public transport and active modes make up a larger share. Only 5.2% use public transport and 3.7% walk or cycle, reflecting the remote location east of Perth with limited transit infrastructure. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on nearby services in the broader Kambalda area. Volunteering participation at 13.8% is moderate. The need-for-assistance rate of 3.7% (52 residents) is modest. Housing stress is genuinely low, with rent-to-income at 9.0% and mortgage-to-income at 10.4%, both well below standard stress benchmarks nationally.
Drive
82.9%
Public Transport
5.2%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kambalda West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kambalda West a good suburb to live in?
Kambalda West suits residents employed in the local mining sector. Household incomes sit in the 84.2nd percentile nationally despite the remote location, and housing costs are low with a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 10.4%. The main trade-offs are high vacancy at 19.5% and limited public transport and schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Kambalda West?
The median house price is $253,000, well below the WA state median. Weekly rent averages $200 and monthly mortgage repayments are around $1,000. The rent-to-income ratio of 9.0% and mortgage-to-income of 10.4% make housing costs among the most affordable compared to national benchmarks.
What schools are in Kambalda West?
No schools are recorded inside the Kambalda West boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Kambalda area. The local university qualification rate is 10.1%, which is 20 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the trade and machinery-focused workforce.
Is Kambalda West safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Kambalda West in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is very low with rent-to-income at 9.0% and mortgage-to-income at 10.4%, both well below national stress thresholds, and only 3.7% of 1,666 residents require daily assistance.
Is Kambalda West good for property investment?
Entry is accessible at a $253,000 median house price, and weekly rent of $200 implies a gross yield around 4.1%, higher than most WA metropolitan suburbs. The key risk is a 19.5% vacancy rate that moves with nickel and gold mining cycles. The 40.8% renter share provides a large pool when mines are active.
How is Kambalda West's population changing?
Population sits at 1,666 and follows commodity cycles more than steady residential growth. The annual turnover rate is 28.9%, meaning roughly 1 in 3 residents changes per year, well above national norms. Growth depends on WA mining investment and nickel demand rather than broader state population trends.
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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