Waggrakine
With 95.9% of dwellings being separate houses and 54% featuring four or more bedrooms, Waggrakine sits well above the national average for family-sized detached housing. The suburb's population of 2,679 skews younger than the national median, with a median age of 36, four years below the national figure. Household income falls in the 52.8th percentile nationally, making Waggrakine a solidly middle-income area. Owner-occupation is strong, with 76.4% of households owning their home outright or carrying a mortgage, while the rent-to-income ratio of 18.1% stays comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
Local council: Greater Geraldton (57% of the suburb; the rest sits in a neighbouring council)
Population
2,679
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,605/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Housing stress indicators are favourable: mortgage repayments average $1,540 per month and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Nearly all stock, 95.9%, is separate houses, with 54% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, compared to the national proportion where smaller configurations dominate. Buyers seeking a large family home get genuine choice here. Outright owners account for 32.9% and mortgage holders 43.5%, together giving 76.4% owner-occupier representation, which is higher than many comparable regional WA suburbs.
For Buyers
Housing stress indicators are favourable: mortgage repayments average $1,540 per month and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Nearly all stock, 95.9%, is separate houses, with 54% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, compared to the national proportion where smaller configurations dominate. Buyers seeking a large family home get genuine choice here. Outright owners account for 32.9% and mortgage holders 43.5%, together giving 76.4% owner-occupier representation, which is higher than many comparable regional WA suburbs.
For Investors
Waggrakine's rental market shows a vacancy rate of 8.7%, which is elevated compared to the national average, indicating some softness in tenant demand. The renter share is 23.6%, a relatively shallow pool. Full-time employment runs at 64.0% and the unemployment rate of 6.6% is above the national average, which reflects the regional economic cycle tied to mining and healthcare. With a turnover rate of 19.5% and no recorded development applications in the past 12 months, new supply pressure is minimal, but demand drivers remain modest given flat household formation signals.
Schools in Waggrakine
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
WAGGRAKINE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
The median age of 36 sits four years below the national figure, giving Waggrakine a younger working-age profile than most Australian suburbs. Overseas-born residents make up 12.1%, which is 9.5 points below the national average, indicating a predominantly locally-born community. English ancestry leads at 1,004 residents, followed by Scottish at 205 and Irish at 204, consistent with the suburb's Anglo-Celtic heritage profile. Average household size of 2.7 is slightly above the national average, reflecting the prevalence of couple-with-children families; 43.5% of families are couples with children and 24.6% are couples without children. The volunteering rate of 16.0% suggests a moderately engaged community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.9%
Houses
0.7%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split leans clearly toward ownership: 32.9% own outright and 43.5% carry a mortgage, with only 23.6% renting, lower than the national renter share. The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 95.9%, with semi-detached at just 0.7% and no significant apartment presence. Bedroom configuration skews large, with 54.0% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 38.2% having three, meaning three-bedroom-and-above accounts for over 92% of all stock. This profile is suited to families rather than singles or young professionals.
Mortgage / mo
$1,540
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$290
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$759
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.7%
Unoccupied
83
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.9%
Couples with children
37.2%
Couples, no children
20.3%
Single parent
685
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 17.5% of the workforce (116 workers), followed by Education at 11.3% (75 workers), Mining at 10.3% (68 workers) and Construction at 9.4% (62 workers). Mining's presence reflects Waggrakine's location in the Geraldton region, a hub for iron ore and mineral exports, while Healthcare's lead is consistent with national trends where aged and community care drives regional employment growth. By occupation, Clerical/Admin (151), Community/Personal (143) and Labourers (138) sit close together at the top, reflecting a mixed blue-collar and service economy. The full-time employment rate of 64.0% is solid, though the unemployment rate of 6.6% is above national levels, suggesting some structural underemployment tied to the cyclical mining sector.
Unemployment
6.1%
Labour Force
1,223
Unemployed
74
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.1%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
59.7%
Employed
1,149
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.4%
Postgraduate
1.8%
Born Overseas
12.1%
Dwellings
872
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 89.0% of residents driving to work, while public transport use sits at just 1.3%, well below national metropolitan averages, reflecting the limited transit options typical of regional WA. Walking and cycling account for 1.0% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby facilities in Geraldton's wider area. Crime data is not available at suburb level for Waggrakine. The need-for-assistance rate of 5.1% (121 residents) is moderate, and with rent-to-income at 18.1% and mortgage-to-income at 22.2%, residents face lower financial stress than the national average. The community's 16.0% volunteering rate sits above many comparable regional suburbs, indicating reasonable social participation.
Drive
84.9%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
4.6%
Growth Outlook
Waggrakine's population of 2,679 is spread across a generous 31.19 square kilometres, giving a low density of 85.9 persons per square kilometre, well below urban suburb averages nationally. The suburb's mobility data shows 80.5% of residents stayed in the same address over the reference period, indicating a stable, low-turnover community compared to higher-churn metropolitan areas. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, pointing to a consolidation phase rather than active new supply. Household income in the 52.8th percentile nationally has held Waggrakine in the middle tier, and the mining-linked economy means local conditions respond to commodity cycles more than national housing trends. The suburb's young median age of 36 supports continued household formation.
Population trend: Greater Geraldton council area
About 57% of Waggrakine sits in Greater Geraldton; the rest is in a neighbouring council. These are the council area's residents, not Waggrakine's.
Residents 2025
42,882
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.9%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Waggrakine compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Waggrakine a good suburb to live in?
Waggrakine suits families looking for affordable, spacious housing in a stable regional community. Mortgage-to-income sits at 22.2% and rent-to-income at 18.1%, both below national stress thresholds. The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure, giving the suburb a younger demographic profile. Car dependency is high at 89%, so access to a vehicle is essential.
What is the median house price in Waggrakine?
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,540 and weekly rent averages $290. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2% is below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership more achievable here than in most capital city markets.
What schools are in Waggrakine?
No schools are recorded inside the Waggrakine boundary in this dataset. Families access educational facilities in the wider Geraldton area. The local unemployment rate is 6.6% and the Education sector employs 11.3% of residents (75 workers), reflecting education as a significant local industry.
Is Waggrakine safe?
Suburb-level crime statistics are not available for Waggrakine in this dataset. The need-for-assistance rate is 5.1% (121 residents), which is a moderate indicator of disadvantage. Housing stress metrics are below average, with rent-to-income at 18.1% and mortgage-to-income at 22.2%, both lower than national benchmarks.
Is Waggrakine good for property investment?
However, the vacancy rate of 8.7% is elevated, signalling some softness in rental demand. The renter share is 23.6% and no development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, limiting near-term supply pressure.
How is Waggrakine's population changing?
Waggrakine has a population of 2,679 across 31.19 square kilometres, giving a low density of 85.9 persons per square kilometre compared to metropolitan suburbs. The mobility data shows 80.5% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period, indicating a stable community. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, suggesting a consolidation phase.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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