Margate
Large detached blocks define Margate more than density: 97.9% of dwellings are separate houses, set across 39.26 sq km at only 108.0 people per sq km. Compared with nearby Kingston and Snug, it reads as more spacious and car-oriented, with 77.6% driving to work. The suburb has 4,239 residents, a median age of 37 that sits 3.0 years below the national figure, and household income in the 70.4 percentile, so demand is supported by established family incomes rather than apartment turnover.
Population
4,239
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,886/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Homebuyers are mostly shopping a detached-house market, because 97.9% of dwellings are separate houses vs just 1.5% semi-detached homes. Family-sized stock dominates, with 48.1% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 35.5% having 4 or more. The median monthly mortgage cost is $1,690, and mortgage payments take 20.7% of income, below the level flagged for stress. Ownership is also high: 37.6% own outright and 45.6% have a mortgage, limiting turnover for buyers who need choice.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are mostly shopping a detached-house market, because 97.9% of dwellings are separate houses vs just 1.5% semi-detached homes. Family-sized stock dominates, with 48.1% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 35.5% having 4 or more. The median monthly mortgage cost is $1,690, and mortgage payments take 20.7% of income, below the level flagged for stress. Ownership is also high: 37.6% own outright and 45.6% have a mortgage, limiting turnover for buyers who need choice.
For Investors
Margate is a lower-renter market, with 15.7% renting compared with 83.2% owned outright or under mortgage. That can mean less tenant depth, but also less direct rental competition because detached homes dominate supply. Median rent is $400 per week and rent-to-income sits at 21.2%, below the stress flag. Vacancy is 3.5%, while 17 development applications in 12 months point to measured rather than heavy new supply. The 32.1% rent growth shift adds income appeal if tenant demand holds.
Development Activity
Total DAs
22
Last 12 Months
22
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
Demographics
Margate skews local and family-based. The median age is 37, which is 3.0 years below the national benchmark, while average household size is 2.8, or 0.3 above national. University attainment is 35.1%, 5.0 percentage points above national, supporting the professional workforce. Overseas-born residents are 14.5%, which is 7.1 points below national, and ancestry is led by English at 1,882 people, Irish at 489, Scottish at 450 and Dutch at 280. No religion leads with 2,266 residents, compared with 1,696 Christian residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.9%
Houses
1.5%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Margate is heavily tilted to owner-occupied detached stock, more rural-residential than nearby Kingston or Blackmans Bay. Separate houses make up 97.9% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at only 1.5%, so buyers seeking units will find limited choice. Tenure is stable: 37.6% own outright, 45.6% are paying a mortgage and 15.7% rent. Bedroom mix reinforces the family profile, with 48.1% being 3-bedroom homes and 35.5% having 4 or more. The $1,690 median mortgage cost and 20.7% mortgage-to-income ratio sit below stress settings.
Mortgage / mo
$1,690
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$828
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.5%
Unoccupied
53
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.9%
Couples with children
35.8%
Couples, no children
13.8%
Single parent
1,220
Total families
Economy & Employment
Margate's workforce is anchored in service, public and trade sectors. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.5% and 272 workers, followed by Education at 14.0%, Public Admin at 12.0%, Construction at 11.7% and Professional/Tech at 8.6%. Occupations are led by 513 Professionals, 351 Trades workers and 283 Managers, which helps explain household income in the 70.4 percentile. Unemployment is 3.7% and participation is 67.3%. SEIFA is mixed but above the midpoint: IEO decile 7, IER 8, IRSD 8 and IRSAD 6, with IRSAD lower than IRSD because advantage is solid but not uniformly high.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
2,213
Unemployed
82
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.6%
Part-time
39.0%
Participation
67.3%
Employed
2,131
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.1%
Postgraduate
9.4%
Born Overseas
14.5%
Dwellings
1,472
Transport to Work
Margate works best for households comfortable with car-based routines. Work travel is dominated by driving at 77.6%, far higher than public transport at 3.1% and walking or cycling at 2.3%, because the suburb is spread across 39.26 sq km at low density. Working from home is meaningful at 12.4%, which can soften commute pressure. There are 0 schools recorded within Margate itself, so school access depends on travel into the wider Kingborough network. IRSAD decile 6 sits above the midpoint, suggesting reasonable socio-economic conditions for everyday services.
Drive
77.6%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
12.4%
Population Forecast
+1.51%/yr
(+132 people/yr)
EstablishedMargate's growth profile is established rather than speculative. The forecast trend runs at 1.51% annually, driven by a Balanced migration pattern, while the 10-year population change is 19.7%. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share is up 5.2 points, young share is down 2.9 points and working share is down 3.2 points, so future demand is likely to favour accessible family homes and downsizer-friendly options rather than rapid densification. Gentrification is not the main story, with a score of 7 and stage of Not gentrifying, below the stronger early-stage change signals seen in faster urban markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+31
Net Internal / yr
-11
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +21% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Margate compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Margate a good suburb to live in?
Margate suits households wanting space, detached homes and a lower-density setting. It has 4,239 residents, 97.9% separate houses and household income in the 70.4 percentile, but daily life is car-reliant with 77.6% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Margate?
No current median house price is quoted for Margate, so buyers should check recent settled sales before relying on a single figure. The local housing base is 97.9% separate houses, with $1,690 median monthly mortgage costs and 45.6% of homes under mortgage.
What schools are in Margate?
There are 0 schools recorded within Margate itself. Families should plan for travel to the wider Kingborough school network, especially because 77.6% of workers drive and only 3.1% use public transport.
Is Margate safe?
No suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 residents is recorded for Margate. For practical checks, combine local inspections with the suburb's stability markers, including 84.4% of residents staying put and 4,239 residents overall.
Is Margate good for property investment?
Margate is more an income-and-hold market than a high-turnover renter market. Renters are 15.7% of households, median rent is $400 per week, vacancy is 3.5% and 17 development applications in 12 months suggest measured new supply.
How is Margate's population changing?
Margate has 4,239 residents today and growth is running at 1.51% annually. The 10-year population change is 19.7%, migration is Balanced, and the trajectory is Aging with senior share up 5.2 points.
What is the commute like in Margate?
Commuting is mainly by car: 77.6% drive to work, compared with 3.1% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling. Working from home is 12.4%, which helps some households offset the suburb's low density.
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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