Manjimup
Sitting at the bottom two deciles on both IRSAD and IEO nationally, Manjimup tells a story shaped by affordability rather than prosperity. The median house price of $305,000 is well below the WA state average, yet rent has surged 60% over the decade while real household incomes grew only 8.3%, squeezing the 35% of residents who rent. Household income sits at the 25.5th percentile nationally. The population of around 5,661 is on a slow downward trajectory of roughly 10 persons per year, driven by internal outflow of 12 people annually, partially offset by overseas arrivals of 27 per year.
Population
4,279
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,208/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$305K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $305,000, the median house price sits well below the WA state median, making entry costs low in absolute terms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,148, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 87.7% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 11.0% and apartments a marginal 1.1%. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.0% of stock and four-plus bedroom dwellings reach 34.9%, giving buyers more space per dollar than most metropolitan markets. Outright owners at 32.8% and mortgage holders at 32.2% are nearly equal, reflecting a mature, established ownership base rather than a wave of recent entrants.
For Buyers
At $305,000, the median house price sits well below the WA state median, making entry costs low in absolute terms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,148, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 87.7% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 11.0% and apartments a marginal 1.1%. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.0% of stock and four-plus bedroom dwellings reach 34.9%, giving buyers more space per dollar than most metropolitan markets. Outright owners at 32.8% and mortgage holders at 32.2% are nearly equal, reflecting a mature, established ownership base rather than a wave of recent entrants.
For Investors
A 35.0% renter share provides a sizeable tenant base, and weekly rent of $250 against the $305,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, substantially higher than most Perth metropolitan suburbs. However, the 12.0% vacancy rate is elevated and signals that demand does not absorb supply comfortably. Population is tracking downward at roughly 10 persons per year, with net internal migration negative at minus 12 annually. Rent growth of 60% over the decade outpaced real income growth of 8.3%, suggesting affordability pressure on tenants rather than strong underlying demand. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, consistent with a slow-growth regional market where new supply is not adding to competition.
Schools in Manjimup iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kearnan College
PP-12 · 338 students
Manjimup Senior High School
7-12 · 573 students
Manjimup Primary School
K-6 · 229 students
East Manjimup Primary School
K-6 · 253 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 sits 2.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.7 points while the young adult share fell 3.8 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents at 14.4% are 7.2 points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly locally-born population. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,008 residents), Scottish (453) and Irish (335), with an Italian community of 280 adding European heritage. University qualifications reach only 15.7%, which is 14.4 points below the national figure, and the workforce tilts toward manual and service work, with Labourers (376) the top occupation category. Average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below national, and 32.3% of families are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.7%
Houses
11.0%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The ownership structure is balanced across three roughly equal groups: 32.8% own outright, 32.2% carry a mortgage and 35.0% rent. Three-bedroom homes are the most common dwelling type at 46.0%, followed by four-plus bedroom homes at 34.9%, so smaller one or two-bedroom properties are relatively scarce at 19.1% combined. Separate houses make up 87.7% of the stock, with apartments at 1.1%, lower than the national average for comparable regional centres. The 12.0% vacancy rate is high compared to tighter markets and reflects modest population decline rather than new supply. Mortgage stress is not present at 21.9% of income, and rent-to-income at 20.7% is also below stress threshold, though rent has grown 60% over the decade while incomes grew just 8.3%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,148
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$674
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.0%
Unoccupied
236
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.3%
Couples, no children
3,055
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employment sector at 17.4% of local workers (179 people), followed by Education at 12.8% (131) and Agriculture at 10.7% (110), revealing a regional service and farming base. Public administration accounts for 9.3% and Retail 8.3%, rounding out a diversified but low-wage economy. Labourers are the top occupation at 376, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers (233), Managers (219), Machinery and Drivers (203) and Professionals (197). The unemployment rate of 5.0% is above the national average, and the labour force participation rate of 53.5% is low, partly because 1,260 residents are not in the workforce. Household income sits at the 25.5th percentile nationally, and the SEIFA IRSD decile of 2 places Manjimup among the most disadvantaged 20% of Australian communities.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
3,203
Unemployed
117
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.3%
Part-time
30.7%
Participation
53.5%
Employed
1,771
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.7%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
14.4%
Dwellings
1,712
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 85.8% of workers commuting by car and only 1.0% using public transport, lower than the national average and reflecting limited transit infrastructure in a regional centre. Walking and cycling accounts for 4.8% of commutes, reasonable for a low-density setting. The IRSAD decile of 2 places Manjimup in the bottom 20% nationally for socioeconomic advantage, and the IEO decile of 1 represents the very lowest tier for education and occupation. However, housing stress indicators are benign: mortgage repayments consume 21.9% of income and rent takes 20.7%, both below stress thresholds. Community participation is a strength, with 21.5% of residents volunteering, above the national average. No schools are recorded in this dataset for the suburb boundary, though 8.9% of residents (358 people) require daily assistance.
Drive
85.8%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.18%/yr
(-10 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has been largely flat over the past decade, with only 0.5% total growth over 10 years, and the current trend is mildly negative at minus 0.18% annually, equivalent to roughly 10 fewer residents per year. The medium-case forecast projects a decline from around 5,561 in 2026 to approximately 5,512 by 2031 as the aging-trajectory and net internal outflow continue. Net internal migration averages minus 12 per year while overseas arrivals add 27, leaving thin net growth overall. The gentrification score of 35 indicates early signals of change, such as affordability worsening from 28.6% in 2011 to 34.4% in 2021, but formal gentrification classification remains not active. Rent growth of 60% over the decade has outpaced real income growth of 8.3%, a divergence that signals tightening affordability even in a low-price market.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+27
Net Internal / yr
-12
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Manjimup compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manjimup a good suburb to live in?
Manjimup offers genuine affordability at a $305,000 median house price, with mortgage-to-income at 21.9% well below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-off is a SEIFA IRSAD decile of 2 nationally, placing it in the bottom 20% for socioeconomic advantage, and high car dependency with only 1.0% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Manjimup?
The median house price is $305,000, well below the WA state average. Weekly rent averages $250 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,148, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.9%. Gross rental yield is approximately 4.3%, higher than most Perth metropolitan suburbs.
What schools are in Manjimup?
No schools are recorded inside the Manjimup suburb boundary in this dataset. University qualifications in the local population reach 15.7%, which is 14.4 points below the national figure, reflecting the regional and trade-oriented character of the local workforce.
Is Manjimup safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Manjimup in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the SEIFA IRSD decile of 2 places the suburb in the bottom 20% nationally for relative disadvantage, which can correlate with higher community stress, though 21.5% of residents volunteer, indicating strong community engagement.
Is Manjimup good for property investment?
The 35.0% renter share and $250 weekly rent against a $305,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, above most metropolitan benchmarks. However, the 12.0% vacancy rate is elevated and population is declining at roughly 10 persons per year, so capital growth prospects are limited compared to higher-demand markets.
How is Manjimup's population changing?
Population growth is minus 0.18% annually, or about 10 fewer residents per year. The medium forecast projects a decline from approximately 5,561 in 2026 to 5,512 by 2031. Net internal migration averages minus 12 per year, partially offset by overseas arrivals of 27 annually. The suburb has an aging trajectory with the senior share up 5.7 points over the decade.
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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