Tarcoola Beach
At 1.18 square kilometres, Tarcoola Beach holds 1,360 residents at a density of 1,155 per square kilometre, yet household income sits in the 82.1st percentile nationally, well above the average for a coastal WA suburb of this size. The median house price of $397,000 is accessible compared to metropolitan Perth medians, and mortgage costs absorb just 17.6% of household income, below the 30% stress threshold. What stands out is the ownership profile: 37.6% of dwellings are owned outright and 36.6% carry a mortgage, while only 25.7% rent. A vacancy rate of 10.7% is elevated, signalling soft rental demand and pointing investors toward long-term capital rather than yield plays.
Population
1,360
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,157/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$397K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $397,000 keeps monthly mortgage repayments at around $1,647, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.6% is comfortable, well below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 73.4% of stock, with semi-detached homes at 26.6% and no apartment stock recorded. Bedroom distribution skews large: 54.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 41.1% have three, so buyers face family-sized homes rather than compact units. Outright owners at 37.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 36.6%, signalling a stable, longer-tenure community. The accessible price point relative to broader WA coastal alternatives makes entry viable for families seeking proximity to Geraldton amenities.
For Buyers
The median house price of $397,000 keeps monthly mortgage repayments at around $1,647, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.6% is comfortable, well below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 73.4% of stock, with semi-detached homes at 26.6% and no apartment stock recorded. Bedroom distribution skews large: 54.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 41.1% have three, so buyers face family-sized homes rather than compact units. Outright owners at 37.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 36.6%, signalling a stable, longer-tenure community. The accessible price point relative to broader WA coastal alternatives makes entry viable for families seeking proximity to Geraldton amenities.
For Investors
Tarcoola Beach has a 25.7% renter share with weekly rent at $300. At the $397,000 median, that translates to a gross yield near 3.9%, modest but above many coastal WA markets. The 10.7% vacancy rate is the key concern, sitting well above the 3% threshold for a balanced rental market. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so supply pressure is absent. Household income in the 82.1st percentile nationally and an unemployment rate of 3.4% underpin tenant stability. The calculus favours a low-debt, hold-for-capital approach rather than yield-first until vacancy normalises.
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure. University qualifications at 28.0% are 2.1 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with an economy led by Healthcare (21.7%) and Education (16.3%). Overseas-born residents at 17.4% are 4.2 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (588), Irish (170) and Scottish (154) are the three largest groups. The volunteering rate of 25.3% is above typical suburban norms. Couples with children (449 families) outnumber couples without children (357), pointing to an active family cohort alongside the older median age.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.4%
Houses
26.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews toward ownership: 37.6% own outright and 36.6% carry a mortgage, while just 25.7% rent, below the national renter share. Separate houses make up 73.4% of dwellings and semi-detached homes the remaining 26.6%. Bedrooms lean large, with 54.3% of dwellings at four or more bedrooms and 41.1% at three. Monthly mortgage costs average $1,647. Mortgage stress is absent at 17.6% of income, and rent stress is equally low at 13.9%. The elevated vacancy rate of 10.7% is the main pricing risk, as it compresses achievable rents relative to what the income base would otherwise support.
Mortgage / mo
$1,647
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,027
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.7%
Unoccupied
62
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.4%
Couples, no children
1,038
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 21.7% of workers (109 people), nearly double second-placed Education at 16.3% (82 people). Construction accounts for 10.3% (52 workers) and Professional/Technical 8.0% (40 workers), with Public Administration at 7.0%. By occupation, Professionals (182) and Managers (108) together represent close to half of employed residents, supporting income in the 82.1st percentile nationally. The full-time employment rate is 65.4% and the unemployment rate is 3.4%, low by WA regional standards. Labour force participation at 65.5% is consistent with the older median age of 43, where some residents have shifted to retirement or reduced hours.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.4%
Part-time
31.2%
Participation
65.5%
Employed
700
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.0%
Postgraduate
5.2%
Born Overseas
17.4%
Dwellings
512
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 86.3% of residents drive to work, higher than national averages where public transport and active modes are more accessible. Public transport accounts for 2.5% of commutes and walking or cycling for 3.5%, typical of a regional coastal suburb. Crime statistics are unavailable for this suburb boundary. As a proxy, household income at the 82.1st percentile nationally and mortgage stress at 17.6% point to a low-disadvantage setting. The volunteering rate of 25.3% reflects strong community participation. No schools are recorded within the boundary; families rely on nearby Geraldton institutions. Just 4.1% of residents (52 people) need daily assistance.
Drive
86.3%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tarcoola Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tarcoola Beach a good suburb to live in?
Tarcoola Beach offers affordable housing with a median price of $397,000 and low financial stress: mortgage costs absorb just 17.6% of household income, well below the 30% stress threshold. Household income sits in the 82.1st percentile nationally. The main trade-offs are high car dependence at 86.3% and a 10.7% vacancy rate reflecting soft rental demand.
What is the median house price in Tarcoola Beach?
The median house price is estimated at $397,000 (based on 2025 data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647 and weekly rent sits at $300. With household income in the 82.1st percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio is a low 17.6%, making entry accessible compared to many WA coastal markets.
What schools are in Tarcoola Beach?
No schools are recorded within the Tarcoola Beach suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Geraldton, the regional centre for this part of WA. Despite this, 28.0% of residents hold university qualifications, close to the national average and above what many regional suburbs achieve.
Is Tarcoola Beach safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Tarcoola Beach in this dataset. Indirect indicators point to a stable community: the unemployment rate is low at 3.4%, household income sits in the 82.1st percentile nationally, and the volunteering rate of 25.3% reflects strong social cohesion. Only 4.1% of residents need daily assistance.
Is Tarcoola Beach good for property investment?
The $397,000 median and $300 weekly rent imply a gross yield near 3.9%. The 10.7% vacancy rate is the main risk, well above the 3% balanced-market threshold. No new development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so supply is not increasing. Income fundamentals are solid with household income above the 82nd percentile nationally.
How is Tarcoola Beach's population changing?
Suburb-level population forecasts are not separately published for Tarcoola Beach. The current population is 1,360 across 1.18 square kilometres, a fully built-out footprint with zero development applications in the past 12 months. Resident turnover of 21.2% is moderate, and 78.8% of residents stayed at the same address, suggesting stable rather than rapidly shifting demographics.
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 Tarcoola Beach on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map