Margaret River
A 19.2% vacancy rate is the most unusual feature of Margaret River's housing profile, sitting alongside a population of 8,918 and a strongly detached housing stock. Separate houses account for 92.4% of homes, while the median age of 39 is 1 year below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents make up 26.9%, which is 5.3 percentage points above the national figure, and household income sits at the 56.7th percentile. Compared with coastal Prevelly and Gnarabup, Margaret River functions more clearly as the inland service town because it combines schools, healthcare, employment and everyday retail with a semi-rural setting.
Population
8,918
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,640/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
39
Homebuyers are more likely to find conventional family housing than apartment stock, because 92.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 43.8% contain 4 or more bedrooms. Three-bedroom homes account for another 40.8%, supporting households that need space for children, home offices or visitors. The listed monthly mortgage cost is $1,694, compared with weekly rent of $380. Mortgage costs equal 23.9% of household income, slightly higher than the 23.2% rent share, and neither measure is flagged as financial stress. Car dependence matters too, with 73.0% driving to work.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are more likely to find conventional family housing than apartment stock, because 92.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 43.8% contain 4 or more bedrooms. Three-bedroom homes account for another 40.8%, supporting households that need space for children, home offices or visitors. The listed monthly mortgage cost is $1,694, compared with weekly rent of $380. Mortgage costs equal 23.9% of household income, slightly higher than the 23.2% rent share, and neither measure is flagged as financial stress. Car dependence matters too, with 73.0% driving to work.
For Investors
Margaret River can suit investors seeking a tourism, service and lifestyle market, but the 19.2% vacancy rate points to less predictable rental absorption than in a tightly held market. Renters represent 27.0% of households, below the 42.0% mortgage-holder share, so the tenant pool is smaller than the owner-occupier base. Weekly rent is $380 and there were 0 recorded developments in the past 12 months, limiting near-term new supply. Growth is forecast at 2.36% annually with Balanced migration, so returns should be assessed against vacancy risk rather than relying on capital growth alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
39
Last 12 Months
39
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Margaret River
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
MARGARET RIVER MONTESSORI SCHOOL
ST THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL
MARGARET RIVER PRIMARY SCHOOL
RAPIDS LANDING PRIMARY SCHOOL
MARGARET RIVER SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Demographics
Margaret River has a median age of 39, which is 1 year below the national comparison, but its trajectory is aging: the senior share is up 5.7% while the young share is down 2.0%. University-qualified residents account for 31.5%, 1.4 percentage points above the national figure, and overseas-born residents make up 26.9%, 5.3 points higher than nationally. English ancestry is recorded for 4,016 people, followed by Irish at 959 and Scottish at 955. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 5,554, compared with 2,186 identifying with Christianity. Average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above the national comparison, and 75.8% stayed at the same address over the reference period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.4%
Houses
6.8%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Margaret River's housing stock is heavily detached, with separate houses at 92.4%, semi-detached dwellings at 6.8% and apartments at only 0.3%. Larger homes dominate: 43.8% have 4 or more bedrooms and 40.8% have 3 bedrooms. Mortgage holders account for 42.0% of occupied dwellings, higher than the 29.2% owned outright, while 27.0% are rented. This tenure mix reflects a substantial owner-occupier base, although rental demand remains important because the weekly median rent is $380. Mortgage costs equal 23.9% of household income, higher than the 23.2% rent ratio, with neither measure flagged as stress.
Mortgage / mo
$1,694
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$380
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$839
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.2%
Unoccupied
733
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.4%
Couples with children
38.0%
Couples, no children
17.0%
Single parent
2,252
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is spread across healthcare at 12.5% or 387 workers, education at 11.5% or 357, hospitality at 11.1% or 344, construction at 10.4% or 321, and manufacturing at 9.7% or 300. The occupational mix is similarly broad, led by professionals at 839, trades at 809 and labourers at 641, followed by managers at 590 and community or personal service workers at 583. A 3.1% unemployment rate and 67.1% participation rate indicate a substantial active workforce. Weekly household income of $1,640 sits at the 56.7th percentile. Economic resources rank higher at SEIFA decile 8 than education and occupation at decile 6, while disadvantage sits at decile 7 and advantage at decile 6, suggesting established resources alongside a mixed service, trades and hospitality economy.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
4,688
Unemployed
143
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.8%
Part-time
41.3%
Participation
67.1%
Employed
4,545
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.5%
Postgraduate
5.7%
Born Overseas
26.9%
Dwellings
3,055
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented because 73.0% of workers drive, compared with only 1.3% using public transport. Walking or cycling accounts for 6.6%, while 12.4% work from home, so households may value proximity to shops, schools and services more than access to frequent transit. Five local schools provide government and non-government options, including primary provision and a government senior high school; the mix is 3 government and 2 non-government schools. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb edges. SEIFA advantage and disadvantage sit at deciles 6 and 7 respectively, with disadvantage ranking higher than advantage, so household experiences may vary across the area.
Drive
73.0%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.6%
Work from Home
12.4%
Population Forecast
+2.36%/yr
(+285 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth looks established but not static. The annual trend is 2.36%, while migration is described as Balanced, meaning momentum is not tied to one dominant source. Population change across the wider area runs at 39.2% over 10 years, alongside an Aging trajectory, a 5.7% rise in the senior share and a 2.0% fall in the young share. Rent growth has reached 26.7%, which can increase pressure on lower-income households even as the affordability trend is marked Improving. The current gentrification score is 54 and the stage is Active, higher than the shift measure's score of 26 and Early signs stage. Real income growth is 8.8%, providing some support for ongoing demand.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+171
Net Internal / yr
+156
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +58% since 2011, Net internal migration +156/yr, Accelerating: 21% → 30%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Margaret River compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Margaret River a good suburb to live in?
Margaret River suits residents seeking detached housing, local services and a lifestyle setting. It has 8,918 residents, 92.4% separate houses and 5 local schools. Car use is much higher than public transport, at 73.0% compared with 1.3%, so daily convenience depends heavily on having a vehicle.
What is the median house price in Margaret River?
A current median house price cannot be stated confidently. Housing is 92.4% separate houses, while 43.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms. Weekly rent is $380, so buyers should compare individual listings with recent comparable sales and allow for the suburb's 19.2% vacancy rate.
What schools are in Margaret River?
Margaret River has 5 local schools, with 3 government and 2 non-government options. Provision includes government primary schools, a government senior high school and non-government schooling. Families should check the exact enrolment zone because school boundaries can differ from the suburb boundary.
Is Margaret River safe?
No firm safe or unsafe label is justified without a current suburb-wide crime rate. For a practical assessment, review recent local incident patterns and visit the exact street at different times. Margaret River is car-oriented, with 73.0% of workers driving and 6.6% walking or cycling.
Is Margaret River good for property investment?
It may suit investors who can manage vacancy and seasonal demand. Weekly rent is $380 and 27.0% of households rent, below the 42.0% mortgage-holder share. However, vacancy is 19.2%, there were 0 recent developments, and forecast growth is 2.36% annually with Balanced migration.
How is Margaret River's population changing?
The wider area records 39.2% population change over 10 years, with annual growth forecast at 2.36%. Migration is Balanced, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.7% while the young share has fallen 2.0%. This points to continued growth with an older resident profile.
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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