Mount Tarcoola
A 10.6% vacancy rate stands out sharply in Mount Tarcoola, a modest residential suburb of 3,257 people in the Geraldton area of WA. The median house price sits around $381,000, well below the national median, which places it firmly in the affordable category. Household income lands in the 63.5th percentile nationally, above average for a regional WA suburb. The workforce leans heavily on Healthcare (19.9%) and Education (14.8%), which makes the economy more stable than neighbouring mining-reliant communities, though Mining still contributes 7.6% of local jobs. Almost all dwellings (95.2%) are separate houses, and 57.7% have four or more bedrooms, making it an unusually family-sized housing stock.
Population
3,257
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,792/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$381K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is approximately $381,000, significantly lower than the WA state median, which makes entry accessible for first-home buyers and those relocating from capital cities. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 19.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 95.2% of dwellings, and the bedroom profile skews large: 57.7% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 37.4% have three bedrooms. Owner-occupiers (both outright owners at 31.8% and mortgagees at 42.5%) account for 74.3% of residents, indicating a settled, owner-dominated market. Renters represent 25.7% of households, paying a median $300 per week.
For Buyers
The median house price is approximately $381,000, significantly lower than the WA state median, which makes entry accessible for first-home buyers and those relocating from capital cities. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 19.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 95.2% of dwellings, and the bedroom profile skews large: 57.7% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 37.4% have three bedrooms. Owner-occupiers (both outright owners at 31.8% and mortgagees at 42.5%) account for 74.3% of residents, indicating a settled, owner-dominated market. Renters represent 25.7% of households, paying a median $300 per week.
For Investors
A 10.6% vacancy rate is the most important number for investors considering Mount Tarcoola. That figure is well above the 3% threshold commonly used to signal market balance, indicating meaningful oversupply pressure on rents. Weekly rent of $300 against a $381,000 median gives a gross yield of around 4.1%, higher than capital city averages nationally but constrained by the high vacancy. The renter share of 25.7% provides some tenant demand, and the Healthcare and Education workforce base (19.9% and 14.8% of workers) supports steady local employment. However, with 10 development applications recorded in the past 12 months and population growth not tracked in the forecast data, capital growth drivers are uncertain compared to supply-constrained markets.
Demographics
The median age is 39, one year below the national figure of 40, putting Mount Tarcoola slightly younger on average. University qualifications reach 20.3%, which is 9.8 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with the regional WA trade and services profile. Overseas-born residents account for 15.7% of the population, 5.9 points below the national average, and English ancestry dominates strongly, led by English (1,322 residents), Irish (356) and Scottish (295). The average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure exactly. Couples with children (966 families) outnumber couples without children (762), and the 18% volunteering rate reflects a community with reasonable civic engagement. The participation rate of 62.5% and unemployment of 3.8% are both in line with national benchmarks.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.2%
Houses
4.8%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupation is the dominant tenure: 31.8% own outright and 42.5% hold a mortgage, meaning 74.3% are owner-occupiers, well above the national average. Renters make up 25.7% at $300 per week, and the rent-to-income ratio of 16.7% keeps tenants out of housing stress. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 95.2%, with semi-detached at 4.8% and virtually no apartments recorded. The four-plus bedroom share of 57.7% is unusually high and signals a family-focused stock built for larger households. Mortgage stress is not present at a 19.6% mortgage-to-income ratio. The $381,000 median is estimated from rental data for 2025, and no transaction-based price trend is available, which makes year-on-year comparisons unreliable.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$902
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.6%
Unoccupied
142
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.0%
Couples, no children
2,536
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 19.9% (213 workers), followed by Education at 14.8% (159 workers). These two sectors together employ more than a third of the local workforce and provide relatively stable, public-sector-backed jobs compared to cyclical industries. Construction accounts for 9.6% and Retail 8.1%, while Mining employs 7.6% (81 workers), a lower share than many regional WA centres. By occupation, Professionals (295) are the largest group, followed by Community/Personal service workers (232) and Clerical/Admin (203). The full-time employment rate is 63.0% and unemployment is low at 3.8%. The participation rate of 62.5% is modest, partly because 697 residents are not in the labour force, likely reflecting the age and family profile rather than economic weakness.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
33.2%
Participation
62.5%
Employed
1,556
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.3%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
15.7%
Dwellings
1,200
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 88.1% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average, reflecting the regional WA setting where public transport is minimal at 1.7%. Walking and cycling accounts for only 2.0% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in the broader Geraldton area. Crime data is not available for Mount Tarcoola in this dataset, so a direct safety comparison cannot be made. SEIFA index scores are not recorded for this suburb, which makes disadvantage ranking against national or state benchmarks unavailable. Practical affordability is strong: the 19.6% mortgage-to-income and 16.7% rent-to-income ratios both sit well below stress thresholds. Only 4.2% of residents (127 people) need daily assistance.
Drive
88.1%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Tarcoola compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Tarcoola a good suburb to live in?
Mount Tarcoola suits buyers seeking affordability and space. The median house price is around $381,000, well below the national median, and 95.2% of homes are separate houses with large floor plans. Mortgage-to-income sits at 19.6%, below the 30% stress level. The main drawbacks are limited public transport at 1.7% and a high 10.6% vacancy rate signalling soft demand.
What is the median house price in Mount Tarcoola?
The median house price is approximately $381,000, estimated from rental data for 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517 and weekly rent is $300. At $381,000, the price is significantly lower than the national median, making it one of WA's more accessible regional markets.
What schools are in Mount Tarcoola?
No schools are recorded inside the Mount Tarcoola suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the wider Geraldton area. Locally, 20.3% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 9.8 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with the regional trade and services workforce profile.
Is Mount Tarcoola safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Mount Tarcoola in this dataset, so a direct rate comparison cannot be made. As context, only 4.2% of residents (127 people) need daily assistance, and the unemployment rate of 3.8% is in line with national benchmarks, suggesting a stable community without severe economic stress indicators.
Is Mount Tarcoola good for property investment?
The gross rental yield is around 4.1% at $300 per week against a $381,000 median, which is above the national average for capital cities. However, the 10.6% vacancy rate is a significant risk factor, well above the 3% balance threshold. Stable Healthcare and Education employment (together 34.7% of workers) supports tenant demand, but the vacancy level warrants caution before investing.
How is Mount Tarcoola's population changing?
No population forecast data is available for Mount Tarcoola. The current population is 3,257 across 2.12 km2. The residential stability rate of 78.9% indicates most residents stayed put in the prior year, while a 21.1% turnover rate means about 1 in 5 households changed. The high 10.6% vacancy rate suggests supply currently exceeds active demand.
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.
Explore Mount Tarcoola on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map