Newman
Mining dominates Newman’s working identity: 46.1% of employed people work in mining, while the suburb has 6,456 residents and a median age of 33, seven years below the national figure. Household income sits at the 97th percentile, yet 78.5% of households rent and vacancy is 42.5%, reflecting a mobile resource workforce. Compared with Port Hedland, Newman is an inland, mining-led Pilbara town where detached housing, high wages and workforce turnover shape daily life. The outlook is slower than a growth suburb, with annual change forecast at -1.04%.
Local council: East Pilbara
Population
6,456
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,972/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Newman suits buyers seeking a detached, work-linked market rather than a conventional metro price story. A current median house price is not available, but the $1,083 monthly mortgage figure and $110 weekly rent indicate low nominal housing costs. Separate houses make up 93.6% of stock, compared with 2.1% apartments, and 3 bedroom homes account for 51.7%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 28.6%. Ownership is limited at 6.3% outright and 5.8% with a mortgage, while 78.5% rent. Mortgage costs equal 8.4% of income, below recorded stress levels because household income ranks at the 97th percentile. Buyers should test resale depth carefully because vacancy is 42.5%.
For Buyers
Newman suits buyers seeking a detached, work-linked market rather than a conventional metro price story. A current median house price is not available, but the $1,083 monthly mortgage figure and $110 weekly rent indicate low nominal housing costs. Separate houses make up 93.6% of stock, compared with 2.1% apartments, and 3 bedroom homes account for 51.7%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 28.6%. Ownership is limited at 6.3% outright and 5.8% with a mortgage, while 78.5% rent. Mortgage costs equal 8.4% of income, below recorded stress levels because household income ranks at the 97th percentile. Buyers should test resale depth carefully because vacancy is 42.5%.
For Investors
Newman’s rental profile is attractive on entry rent but exposed to vacancy and workforce churn. Weekly rent is $110, while 78.5% of households rent and vacancy reaches 42.5%, far higher than a tightly held market. Turnover is 38.2%, so demand can move with mining rosters and project cycles rather than local household formation. Development recorded 0 projects in the last 12 months, limiting new supply but also signalling little construction momentum. Rent growth was 10.0%, yet the wider outlook is declining at -1.04% a year, with overseas migration the primary driver. The suburb is classified as Not gentrifying with a score of 0, so investors should prioritise tenant durability and exit liquidity over speculative appreciation.
Schools in Newman
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
NEWMAN PRIMARY SCHOOL
SOUTH NEWMAN PRIMARY SCHOOL
NEWMAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Demographics
Newman has a younger and more male-skewed profile than Australia overall: median age is 33, seven years below the national figure, and men account for 60.0% of residents. University attainment is 14.0%, 16.1 percentage points below the national comparison, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades and machinery roles. Overseas-born residents represent 31.3%, 9.7 points above the national share, while English ancestry is recorded for 1,836 people, followed by Scottish at 467 and Irish at 446. Average household size is 2.7, 0.2 above the national figure, and couples with children make up 55.6% of families. The mix reflects mining employment, international recruitment and a relatively mobile population, with 38.2% turnover.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.6%
Houses
4.0%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Newman’s housing stock is overwhelmingly detached and renter-oriented. Separate houses account for 93.6% of dwellings, higher than the 2.1% apartment share and 4.0% semi-detached share. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 51.7%, with 28.6% having 4 or more bedrooms, fitting family accommodation and mining workforce households. Only 6.3% own outright and 5.8% hold a mortgage, compared with 78.5% renting; 9.4% sits in other tenure categories. Weekly rent is $110 and mortgage cost is $1,083 per month, while rent consumes 3.7% of income and mortgage payments 8.4%, helping explain the absence of stress flags. Vacancy at 42.5% is much higher than in tightly supplied markets because housing demand is linked to workforce cycles.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$110
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,774
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
42.5%
Unoccupied
981
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
3.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
8.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
55.6%
Couples with children
32.9%
Couples, no children
10.3%
Single parent
964
Total families
Economy & Employment
Newman’s economy is unusually concentrated: mining provides 46.1% of jobs, or 1,045 people, followed by construction at 9.0% and 205 people. Education and healthcare each contribute 6.1% and 139 jobs, while hospitality adds 4.1% and 93. Occupations reinforce the pattern, with 961 trades workers and 873 machinery operators or drivers, compared with 339 professionals and 253 clerical or administrative workers. Unemployment is 2.5%, participation is 68.3% and full-time employment is 77.5%, supporting household income at the 97th percentile. The socio-economic picture is mixed: IEO decile 3 and IER decile 4 are below IRSAD decile 6 and IRSD decile 7, suggesting strong resource earnings alongside lower broad education and occupational advantage.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
3,560
Unemployed
88
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
77.5%
Part-time
13.8%
Participation
68.3%
Employed
3,472
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.0%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
31.3%
Dwellings
1,304
Transport to Work
Newman’s very low density, 0.2 people per square kilometre across 27,095.69 square kilometres, makes private transport important. Car driving accounts for 60.3% of commuting, compared with 17.2% using public transport and 11.4% walking or cycling; only 2.4% work from home. Families have access to 3 government schools, comprising 2 primary schools and 1 senior high school. Exact enrolment zones should be checked against the address, particularly across such a dispersed area. Socio-economic access is above the midpoint on IRSAD decile 6 and IRSD decile 7, although education and occupation sit lower at IEO decile 3 and IER decile 4. This creates a practical profile that is more car-dependent than dense urban suburbs.
Drive
60.3%
Public Transport
17.2%
Walk / Cycle
11.4%
Work from Home
2.4%
Growth Outlook
Newman’s growth outlook is declining rather than expanding. Annual change is forecast at -1.04%, and population change across the wider area is -22.6% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the shift trajectory is Mixed, showing that incoming workers may not offset contraction in the established resident base. The working-age share has fallen 0.8%, while the young share has risen 3.2% and the senior share 0.9%, pointing to uneven change by age group. Affordability is described as Stable, moving from 6.5 in 2011 to 6.8 in 2021, while real income growth is -13.9%. Gentrification is Not gentrifying, with score 0, so the near-term story is weaker than a renewal-led growth market.
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Newman compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Newman a good suburb to live in?
Newman can suit households prioritising mining-related employment, detached housing and low recorded housing costs. The median age is 33, 78.5% of households rent, and car access is important because 60.3% drive to work. It is less suitable for buyers seeking a deep resale market or urban amenity, given 42.5% vacancy and very low density of 0.2 people per square kilometre.
What is the median house price in Newman?
A current median house price is not available for Newman. For a practical affordability guide, weekly rent is $110, the mortgage figure is $1,083 per month, and mortgage costs equal 8.4% of income. Because 78.5% of households rent, buyers should confirm recent comparable sales and dwelling condition before relying on any advertised price.
What schools are in Newman?
Newman has 3 government schools: 2 primary schools and 1 senior high school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone for each address, as catchments can differ across a low-density town spanning 27,095.69 square kilometres. School sector and year-level fit should be confirmed directly before signing a lease or purchase contract.
Is Newman safe?
No current suburb-level crime rate is available, so Newman should not be labelled risk-free or high-risk from housing conditions alone. Check recent local police information and the exact street, then consider lighting, access and tenancy turnover. The town has 6,456 residents and a mobility turnover rate of 38.2%, which can affect neighbourhood stability.
Is Newman good for property investment?
Newman can suit an investor comfortable with mining-cycle exposure, but the risk profile is not defensive. Rent is $110 a week and rent growth is 10.0%, yet vacancy is 42.5%, renting is 78.5%, and the annual growth outlook is -1.04%. Development was 0 in the last 12 months and the gentrification score is 0, so tenant demand and resale liquidity deserve more weight than capital-growth assumptions.
How is Newman's population changing?
Newman’s current population is 6,456, but the wider-area outlook is declining. Annual change is forecast at -1.04%, with population change of -22.6% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver and the trajectory is Mixed; the young share is up 3.2% while the working share is down 0.8%. That points to uneven change rather than a straightforward expansion story.
What languages are spoken in Newman?
Overseas-born residents make up 31.3% of Newman, 9.7 percentage points above the national share. Recorded language counts include Afrikaans at 19, Mandarin at 16, French at 14 and Punjabi at 11. English ancestry is reported for 1,836 people, but language needs can vary by household, so local service access should be checked for the exact situation.
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).
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