Sunset Beach
Only 1,558 people share 1.79 square kilometres of Sunset Beach coastline north of Geraldton, giving the suburb a density of 869 residents per km2 and a median house price of $388,000, well below metro WA norms. The household income sits at the 61st percentile nationally, which is moderate rather than high, yet mortgage stress is absent: repayments consume just 20.1% of income, compared to the 30% stress threshold used by lenders. Nine in ten dwellings are separate houses, a rate higher than most WA suburbs, and 74.1% of residents stayed put over the survey period, pointing to a settled, owner-occupier community rather than a transient one.
Population
1,558
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,740/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$388K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $388,000, estimated from 2025 rent data, places Sunset Beach well below the greater Geraldton average and significantly lower than Perth metro benchmarks, which makes it accessible for buyers priced out of coastal markets further south. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress level. Separate houses account for 93% of all dwellings, so buyers get detached homes as the default rather than a premium. Bedroom sizes skew large: 53.9% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 36.8% have three, which suits families. Outright owners at 32.2% and mortgage holders at 33.6% are roughly equal, indicating a stable market with a mix of long-term debt-free owners and active buyers.
For Buyers
The median house price of $388,000, estimated from 2025 rent data, places Sunset Beach well below the greater Geraldton average and significantly lower than Perth metro benchmarks, which makes it accessible for buyers priced out of coastal markets further south. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress level. Separate houses account for 93% of all dwellings, so buyers get detached homes as the default rather than a premium. Bedroom sizes skew large: 53.9% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 36.8% have three, which suits families. Outright owners at 32.2% and mortgage holders at 33.6% are roughly equal, indicating a stable market with a mix of long-term debt-free owners and active buyers.
For Investors
The vacancy rate of 9.0% is elevated and is the primary caution for investors, indicating more supply than demand at the current $310 weekly rent level. Renters make up 34.2% of households, a healthy tenant pool in absolute terms, but the combination of high vacancy and a small absolute population of 1,558 means turnover risk is real. The low development count of zero applications in the past 12 months limits near-term supply pressure, which could help vacancies tighten if local employment recovers. Mining employs 8.1% of the workforce, a sector sensitive to commodity cycles, so demand can shift quickly. Against a $388,000 median, the $310 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than many coastal markets nationally, which partly compensates for the vacancy risk.
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, giving Sunset Beach a younger-than-average profile driven partly by the 53.9% share of family-sized dwellings with four or more bedrooms. Overseas-born residents account for 18.3% of the population, which is 3.3 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, with English (593), Scottish (133) and Irish (117) the top three responses. University qualifications reach 21.0% of residents, which is 9.1 points below the national figure, reflecting the occupational mix: trades, community services and healthcare feature more prominently than professional or managerial roles. Average household size is 2.4, similar to the national 2.5, and couples with children (476 families) outnumber couples without children (352), consistent with the family-oriented housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.0%
Houses
2.7%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses dominate at 93% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 2.7% and no significant apartment stock. This means buyers and renters have limited alternatives to detached housing, which keeps demand concentrated. The tenure split is nearly even thirds: 32.2% own outright, 33.6% hold a mortgage and 34.2% rent, a distribution that reflects both long-term residents who have paid down debt and a moderately active rental market. Bedroom counts are large, with 53.9% of homes having four or more bedrooms and 36.8% having three, meaning the stock caters primarily to families rather than singles or downsizers. Weekly rent of $310 against the $388,000 median implies moderate affordability for renters, and the rent-to-income ratio of 17.8% is well below the 30% stress benchmark, leaving households with financial headroom.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$888
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
58
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.6%
Couples, no children
1,152
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest industry at 21.0% of employed residents, employing 103 people, followed by Education at 16.3% (80 workers). Construction at 9.0% and Public Administration at 8.8% reflect the suburb's connection to Geraldton's regional government and infrastructure services. Mining at 8.1% punches above its share compared to most non-Pilbara suburbs in WA, suggesting some fly-in-fly-out or regional mine-adjacent employment. By occupation, Professionals lead at 143 workers, followed by Community and Personal Services at 117 and Clerical and Admin at 89. The unemployment rate is low at 2.6%, well below the national average, and the full-time employment rate of 64.0% is solid. Participation at 59.0% is moderate, with 344 residents not in the labour force, partly because of the significant non-working-age population in a family suburb.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.0%
Part-time
33.4%
Participation
59.0%
Employed
706
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.0%
Postgraduate
4.1%
Born Overseas
18.3%
Dwellings
582
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high at 92.8% of commuters driving, which reflects Sunset Beach's coastal location north of Geraldton with limited public transport infrastructure. Cycling and walking account for just 2.5% of commutes. On the positive side, housing stress is absent: rent consumes 17.8% of income and mortgages 20.1%, both well below standard stress thresholds. Volunteering at 19.1% of residents is notable for a suburb of 1,558 people and suggests genuine community cohesion. Only 4.0% of residents (57 people) need daily assistance, a low figure. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families rely on Geraldton schools nearby. Crime data is not available for Sunset Beach in this dataset, and SEIFA disadvantage scores have not been published at this suburb level.
Drive
92.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sunset Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sunset Beach a good suburb to live in?
Sunset Beach suits families and owner-occupiers looking for affordability and space. With a $388,000 median house price, mortgage repayments averaging $1,517 a month and a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 20.1%, housing costs are well below stress thresholds. The 93% separate-house rate and 54% four-plus bedroom share give families room to spread out. The main trade-offs are a 9.0% vacancy rate, limited public transport and a small population of 1,558.
What is the median house price in Sunset Beach?
The median house price is approximately $388,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1% is comfortably below the 30% stress benchmark, making Sunset Beach significantly more affordable than coastal markets further south in WA.
What schools are in Sunset Beach?
No schools are recorded inside the Sunset Beach suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Geraldton, which offers a full range of primary and secondary options. University qualifications among local residents sit at 21.0%, which is 9.1 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a more trades and services oriented workforce.
Is Sunset Beach safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Sunset Beach at this suburb level. As indirect indicators of community stability, 74.1% of residents stayed in place over the survey period, suggesting low turnover compared to higher-crime areas. Volunteering at 19.1% of residents and a low 4.0% share requiring daily assistance both point to a stable, connected community. Only 19 residents are recorded as unemployed, giving an unemployment rate of 2.6%, below the national average.
Is Sunset Beach good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $310 against a $388,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than many coastal markets nationally. However, the vacancy rate of 9.0% is elevated and zero development applications in the past 12 months signal subdued local economic activity. Mining at 8.1% of employment adds cyclical income risk. Investors comfortable with regional WA markets may find the yield attractive, but vacancy management is the key variable to watch.
How is Sunset Beach's population changing?
Sunset Beach has a population of 1,558 across 1.79 km2. No formal growth forecast is available at the suburb level. The vacancy rate of 9.0% and zero development approvals in the past year both suggest population is stable or slightly declining rather than growing. The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, so the base is relatively young, but limited new housing supply constrains inward migration.
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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