San Remo
A 22.8% vacancy rate in a suburb where 45.6% of owners hold their home outright tells a specific story about San Remo. This small coastal suburb of 1,022 residents skews older, with a median age of 48 that sits 8 years above the national figure, and housing stock that is 97.3% separate houses with 71.2% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms. Household income lands at the 64.3rd percentile nationally, a comfortable middle position, but the high vacancy and low renter share of 15% suggest the suburb functions partly as a holiday or lifestyle destination rather than a conventional rental market.
Population
1,022
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,807/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$502K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $502,000 is moderate by WA coastal standards, making San Remo accessible to buyers priced out of metro Perth. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,975, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, so the numbers stack up for those with stable income. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.3%, with 71.2% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms. Buyers are acquiring larger homes at relatively lower price points than comparable coastal suburbs. The 45.6% outright ownership rate, higher than the national average, signals that much of the stock is held by established owner-occupiers rather than leveraged investors.
For Buyers
The median house price of $502,000 is moderate by WA coastal standards, making San Remo accessible to buyers priced out of metro Perth. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,975, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, so the numbers stack up for those with stable income. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.3%, with 71.2% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms. Buyers are acquiring larger homes at relatively lower price points than comparable coastal suburbs. The 45.6% outright ownership rate, higher than the national average, signals that much of the stock is held by established owner-occupiers rather than leveraged investors.
For Investors
San Remo's 22.8% vacancy rate is the most significant number for investors. Weekly rent of $398 against a $502,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, reasonable on paper, but a vacancy rate that high means yields in practice are materially lower. The renter pool is thin at 15% of occupied dwellings, which is lower than typical investor suburbs. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, suggesting the suburb is not attracting new supply, which could support prices over time. The overseas-born share of 30.9% is 9.3 points above national, but without a strong employment base driving migration, the rental demand case is harder to make compared to higher-growth coastal markets.
Demographics
San Remo's median age of 48 is 8 years above the national figure, placing it firmly in the aging-resident-base category. The overseas-born share of 30.9% is 9.3 points above national, driven largely by English-speaking ancestry groups: English (527 residents), Irish (116) and Scottish (95) make up the top three, consistent with a migration pattern from the UK rather than non-English-speaking countries. Average household size is 2.6, marginally above national. Couples with children account for 289 families and couples without children 301, reflecting a settled, post-family demographic. University qualifications reach 25.9%, which is 4.2 points below the national rate, consistent with the trades and healthcare employment base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.3%
Houses
2.7%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership tenure strongly favours outright owners at 45.6%, compared to 39.3% with a mortgage and 15% renting, a split that reflects the older demographic and long holding periods. The stock is almost entirely detached at 97.3% separate houses with only 2.7% semi-detached and no recorded apartments. Bedroom mix is heavily weighted to large homes: 71.2% have 4 or more bedrooms and 24.6% have 3 bedrooms, while only 4.2% have 2 bedrooms. The $502,000 median is estimated from rental data for 2025, so exact price trajectory data is limited, but the combination of a thin renter market at 15% and high vacancy at 22.8% points to a supply overhang that constrains short-term price growth.
Mortgage / mo
$1,975
Rent / wk
$398
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$700
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
22.8%
Unoccupied
109
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.0%
Couples, no children
836
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local employment base at 16% of workers (48 people), followed by Education at 15.3% (46) and Mining at 12.3% (37), with Construction at 9.7% and Manufacturing at 8.7%. The Mining presence, above average for a coastal suburb, suggests some residents work in the broader Peel region's resource sector. By occupation, Professionals (87) and Managers (69) are the top two groups. Unemployment runs at 6.8%, above the national rate, and labour force participation sits at 52%, with 328 residents not in the labour force because of the older age structure. The full-time employment rate among those working is 58.6%, and income lands at the 64.3rd percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.6%
Part-time
34.6%
Participation
52.0%
Employed
411
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.9%
Postgraduate
5.2%
Born Overseas
30.9%
Dwellings
372
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 89.9% of workers driving, while public transport use at 4.2% is low, consistent with a coastal suburb outside Perth's main transit corridors. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on nearby education. The volunteering rate of 18.1% is solid, reflecting community engagement common in older coastal demographics. Only 4.7% of residents (46 people) need daily assistance despite the median age of 48. Rent-to-income sits at 22%, below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 25.2% is also below stress levels. With no crime data available, the low-disadvantage signals in the income percentile and ownership rates provide indirect evidence of a stable, lower-risk environment.
Drive
89.9%
Public Transport
4.2%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How San Remo compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Remo a good suburb to live in?
San Remo suits retirees and lifestyle buyers more than young families. The median age is 48, which is 8 years above the national figure, and 45.6% of residents own their home outright. Household income sits at the 64.3rd percentile nationally. The suburb has no recorded schools, and car dependence is high at 89.9% of workers driving.
What is the median house price in San Remo?
The median house price is estimated at $502,000 based on 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,975, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $398 for a market that is 97.3% separate houses.
What schools are in San Remo?
No schools are recorded within San Remo's 0.81 km2 boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding Mandurah suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach 25.9%, which is 4.2 points below the national average, consistent with a trades and healthcare employment base.
Is San Remo safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for San Remo in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, 45.6% of residents own their home outright, household income sits at the 64.3rd percentile nationally, and only 4.7% of the 1,022 residents need daily assistance, all consistent with a stable, established community.
Is San Remo good for property investment?
The numbers require caution. Weekly rent of $398 against a $502,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, but the 22.8% vacancy rate means effective yields are materially lower. The renter pool is thin at just 15% of dwellings, and zero development applications in 12 months reflects limited investor activity compared to growth-oriented suburbs.
How is San Remo's population changing?
San Remo's population of 1,022 reflects an aging, settled community with a median age of 48. The 22.8% turnover rate suggests lifestyle and holiday-related churn rather than structural growth. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, and the 52% labour participation rate points to limited working-age migration into the suburb.
What languages are spoken in San Remo?
About 30.9% of residents were born overseas, which is 9.3 points above the national figure. The ancestry profile is predominantly English-speaking: English (527 residents), Irish (116) and Scottish (95) are the top three groups, suggesting migration primarily from the UK rather than non-English-speaking countries. No other language groups are recorded in significant numbers.
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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