Usher
The population of 2,137 lives in a suburb that is 88.5% separate houses, yet household income falls only at the 39.4th percentile nationally. Rents average $300 per week and the vacancy rate of 6.8% sits above typical healthy-market levels, pointing to softer rental demand relative to supply.
Population
2,137
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,385/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Separate houses dominate at 88.5% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 10.3%, so buyers shopping for a standalone property face broad choice. The bedroom profile skews large: 50.5% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 42.2% have 3, meaning families are the natural buyer base. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,351, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold compared to most capital-city markets. Outright owners at 24.0% lag behind mortgage holders at 42.4%, consistent with a suburb still building equity rather than one held by long-established, debt-free owners.
For Buyers
Separate houses dominate at 88.5% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 10.3%, so buyers shopping for a standalone property face broad choice. The bedroom profile skews large: 50.5% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 42.2% have 3, meaning families are the natural buyer base. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,351, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold compared to most capital-city markets. Outright owners at 24.0% lag behind mortgage holders at 42.4%, consistent with a suburb still building equity rather than one held by long-established, debt-free owners.
For Investors
A 33.6% renter share gives landlords a decent tenant base, but the 6.8% vacancy rate is above the 3% benchmark typically associated with balanced rental markets, signalling that supply currently exceeds demand. Net internal migration averages negative 11 persons annually while overseas migration contributes positive 39, leaving a slim net gain. Development activity is low at just 1 application in the past 12 months, so new supply is not the driver of vacancy. The gentrification score is 0 and the suburb is not classified as gentrifying, meaning capital growth prospects depend on broader Bunbury regional demand rather than local transformation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$6K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1.0 year below the national figure, making Usher slightly younger nationally than the average suburb. The overseas-born share at 18.1% sits 3.5 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is Anglo-Celtic in character, led by English (892 residents), Scottish (209) and Irish (174). University qualifications reach only 13.8%, which is 16.3 points below the national figure, reflecting the blue-collar occupational mix. Average household size of 2.4 persons is marginally below national, and couples with children (535 families) outnumber couples without children (440). The senior share rose 6.3 points over the decade while the young share fell 2.4 points, confirming an aging trajectory that is steeper than suburban norms.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.5%
Houses
10.3%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 88.5% of dwellings, making this a classically suburban, detached-house market with minimal apartment stock. Bedrooms skew toward the large end: 50.5% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 42.2% have 3, with just 4.7% at 2 bedrooms. Tenure is mortgage-belt in character: 42.4% carry a mortgage, 24.0% own outright and 33.6% rent. Vacancy at 6.8% is elevated above the sub-3% rate seen in tighter WA markets, which may constrain rent growth in the near term.
Mortgage / mo
$1,351
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$686
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
60
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.4%
Couples, no children
1,607
Total families
Economy & Employment
Usher scores decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes (IRSD, IRSAD, IEO, IER), placing it in the lowest national advantage tier across relative disadvantage, advantage, education and economic resources. The top industries are Healthcare at 18.9%, Manufacturing at 11.8%, Education at 11.4%, Retail at 9.6% and Construction at 9.0%, a workforce profile concentrated in service and trade sectors rather than knowledge industries. By occupation, Labourers (172) lead, followed by Machinery and Drivers (135) and Community and Personal workers (122), with Professionals at just 98. The unemployment rate of 7.8% is above the national average, and the participation rate of 56.0% is lower than state and national benchmarks, partly because 583 residents are not in the labour force.
Unemployment
9.0%
Labour Force
2,810
Unemployed
252
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.7%
Part-time
29.5%
Participation
56.0%
Employed
889
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.8%
Postgraduate
2.1%
Born Overseas
18.1%
Dwellings
825
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total: 87.1% of residents drive to work, while only 2.4% use public transport and 1.8% walk or cycle, below average compared to more connected suburban areas. No schools are recorded within Usher's 3.85 km2 boundary, so families depend on neighbouring Bunbury schools. Crime data is not available at the suburb level. The IRSAD decile 1 score indicates the lowest relative advantage nationally, meaning Usher has above-average concentrations of disadvantage indicators. The need-for-assistance rate of 7.6% (151 residents) is relatively high compared to lower-disadvantage suburbs. Volunteering at 13.2% is a positive community indicator. Rent-to-income at 21.7% keeps housing costs manageable for renters relative to income.
Drive
87.1%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.09%/yr
(-5 people/yr)
EstablishedThe 10-year population change sits at negative 3.5%, and the current annual trend is a loss of approximately 5 persons per year, or negative 0.09% annually. This places Usher in slow-decline territory compared to growth-oriented WA suburbs expanding at 1-2% annually. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population falling from around 5,536 in 2025 to approximately 5,352 by 2031. Overseas migration provides a small offset of positive 39 net arrivals per year, while internal migration averages negative 11. Rents grew 20.8% over the period despite population softness, suggesting rental demand from the regional economy rather than population expansion. The suburb is not gentrifying, with a gentrification score of 0.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+39
Net Internal / yr
-11
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Usher compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Usher a good suburb to live in?
The trade-off is that it scores decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes, the lowest national advantage tier, and the unemployment rate of 7.8% is above average. It suits buyers prioritising space and low entry cost in the Bunbury region.
What is the median house price in Usher?
Weekly rents average $300, implying a gross yield of around 4.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,351, and mortgage costs represent 22.5% of household income, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Usher?
No schools are recorded within Usher's 3.85 km2 boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Bunbury suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach only 13.8%, which is 16.3 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the suburb's trade and services workforce profile.
Is Usher safe?
Crime statistics are not available at the Usher suburb level in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 1 on IRSD, the lowest relative disadvantage tier nationally, which typically correlates with higher rates of socioeconomic stress. The need-for-assistance rate of 7.6% (151 residents) is above the national average for comparable suburbs.
Is Usher good for property investment?
The 6.8% vacancy rate is a caution signal, above the 3% balanced-market benchmark. Population is declining at 0.09% per year and the suburb is not gentrifying, so capital growth depends on broader Bunbury regional demand.
How is Usher's population changing?
Usher's population has fallen 3.5% over the past decade, and the current annual trend is a loss of about 5 persons per year. Medium forecasts project the broader area declining from around 5,536 residents in 2025 to approximately 5,352 by 2031. Overseas migration adds a net 39 arrivals annually, partly offsetting internal migration losses of 11 per year.
What types of housing are available in Usher?
Usher is dominated by separate houses at 88.5% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 10.3%. Homes are large: 50.5% have 4 or more bedrooms and 42.2% have 3 bedrooms.
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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