Ocean Beach
With a median age of 50, Ocean Beach sits a full 10 years above the national figure, making it one of the most age-skewed suburbs in regional WA. The population of 1,014 is spread across 38.41 square kilometres, giving a density of just 26.4 people per km2, far below most Australian suburban benchmarks. Household income places at the 35.4th percentile nationally, below average, yet 48.9% of residents own their home outright, a rate that reflects a settled, older population who paid down debt decades ago. Nearly all dwellings (98.1%) are detached houses, and a vacancy rate of 26.1% signals a substantial holiday or seasonal use component, consistent with a coastal town where second homes are common.
Population
1,014
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,369/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$416K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price sits at $416,000, estimated from rental data for 2025, making Ocean Beach accessible compared to Perth metro medians and well below the WA state median for coastal localities. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,642, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.7% stays below the 30% stress threshold, indicating repayments are manageable for working households. The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 98.1%, with 3-bedroom homes the most common type at 47.8% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for a further 35.3%. Only 3.0% of dwellings have 0 or 1 bedroom, confirming this is family-sized rather than apartment-style housing. Outright owners at 48.9% vastly outnumber mortgage holders at 32.6%, reflecting long tenure rather than an active churn of buyers.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $416,000, estimated from rental data for 2025, making Ocean Beach accessible compared to Perth metro medians and well below the WA state median for coastal localities. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,642, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.7% stays below the 30% stress threshold, indicating repayments are manageable for working households. The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 98.1%, with 3-bedroom homes the most common type at 47.8% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for a further 35.3%. Only 3.0% of dwellings have 0 or 1 bedroom, confirming this is family-sized rather than apartment-style housing. Outright owners at 48.9% vastly outnumber mortgage holders at 32.6%, reflecting long tenure rather than an active churn of buyers.
For Investors
The rental yield case is mixed. Weekly rent averages $330 against a $416,000 median, implying a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than most capital city markets. However, the vacancy rate of 26.1% is a significant risk factor, indicating roughly one in four dwellings sits empty at any given time, likely holiday homes or long-vacant owner properties. The renter share is just 18.5%, far below the national average, which limits the pool of long-term tenants. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a concern. Turnover rate is 21.9%, meaning nearly one in five residents moved within five years, giving some market liquidity. The investment case favours short-stay or holiday letting over stable long-term tenancy, given the coastal location and high vacancy baseline.
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years higher than the national average, placing Ocean Beach firmly in an older-resident profile. English ancestry dominates at 501 residents, followed by Irish and Scottish at 124 each, making the community among the more Anglo-leaning in WA's southwest. Overseas-born residents reach 22.7%, which is 1.1 percentage points above the national figure, a modest international component. University qualifications reach 34.8% of the population, which is 4.7 percentage points above the national average, a relatively educated base for a small coastal town. Average household size is 2.5, on par with the national figure. Couples with children (324 families) outnumber couples without children (275 families), though the older median age suggests many households are now empty nesters rather than active family raisers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.1%
Houses
0.8%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is the dominant tenure, with 48.9% owning outright and 32.6% carrying a mortgage, while just 18.5% rent, far below the national renter average. This high outright-ownership rate reflects the older demographic base who purchased decades ago. The housing stock is overwhelmingly separate detached houses at 98.1%, with semi-detached dwellings making up a marginal 0.8%. The bedroom split skews larger: 47.8% are 3-bedroom and 35.3% are 4-plus bedroom homes. The estimated median house price is $416,000 and weekly rent is $330, producing a rent-to-income ratio of 24.1%, which is below the 30% stress threshold. Mortgage-to-income at 27.7% also sits in a manageable range. The 26.1% vacancy rate stands out as unusually high, consistent with a coastal holiday destination where a significant share of dwellings are second homes or seasonal rentals.
Mortgage / mo
$1,642
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$723
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
26.1%
Unoccupied
133
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.9%
Couples, no children
767
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading employer at 19.8% of the local workforce (64 workers), followed by Education at 14.8% (48 workers) and Construction at 13.6% (44 workers). Professional/Technical roles account for 7.4% and Public Administration 5.9%, rounding out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (94) and Managers (75) lead, suggesting the working population skews toward skilled roles relative to the small town size. The unemployment rate is 3.0%, below most state averages, and the full-time employment rate is 49.3%. Participation at 52.3% is modest, because 297 residents are outside the labour force entirely, consistent with a large retired population at a median age of 50. Weekly household income of $1,369 places at the 35.4th income percentile nationally, below the national household median.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.3%
Part-time
47.7%
Participation
52.3%
Employed
424
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.8%
Postgraduate
7.5%
Born Overseas
22.7%
Dwellings
363
Transport to Work
Ocean Beach is almost entirely car-dependent, with 90.3% of residents commuting by car, well above the national average, and only 0.9% using public transport, reflecting its regional coastal location. Walking or cycling accounts for 4.3% of commute modes, higher than typical for a rural area, likely due to the beachside layout. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on schools in nearby regional centres. Safety data is not available for this suburb specifically. The volunteering rate of 36.1% is notably high, roughly double the rate seen in many urban suburbs, pointing to a community-oriented resident base. Rent-to-income at 24.1% and mortgage-to-income at 27.7% both sit below stress thresholds, and only 2.5% of residents (24 people) require daily assistance, suggesting generally good physical wellbeing across the population.
Drive
90.3%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
4.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ocean Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ocean Beach a good suburb to live in?
Ocean Beach suits retirees and those seeking a quiet coastal lifestyle. Household income sits at the 35.4th percentile nationally, below average, but 48.9% of residents own their homes outright and financial stress indicators are low, with mortgage-to-income at 27.7% and rent-to-income at 24.1%. The volunteering rate of 36.1% reflects a community-oriented population.
What is the median house price in Ocean Beach?
The median house price is estimated at $416,000 as of 2025. Weekly rent averages $330 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,642. At these prices, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.7% remains below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership relatively affordable for local income levels.
What schools are in Ocean Beach?
No schools are recorded within the Ocean Beach suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby regional centres. Despite this, 34.8% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 4.7 percentage points above the national average, suggesting an educated permanent resident base.
Is Ocean Beach safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Ocean Beach. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a 3.0% unemployment rate, below many regional WA averages, and only 2.5% of its 1,014 residents (24 people) require daily assistance. A volunteering rate of 36.1% also points to an engaged, stable community.
Is Ocean Beach good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $330 against a $416,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than many capital city suburbs. However, the 26.1% vacancy rate is a major risk, meaning roughly 1 in 4 dwellings is empty. Only 18.5% of residents rent long-term, so the market suits holiday or short-stay letting more than standard residential investment.
How is Ocean Beach's population changing?
Ocean Beach has a population of 1,014 with no forward forecast available. The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national average, indicating an aging base with limited natural growth. Turnover sits at 21.9%, meaning roughly 1 in 5 residents moved within 5 years, and no new development applications were lodged in the past 12 months.
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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