Wannanup
At a median age of 47, Wannanup is 7 years older than the national figure, a gap that shapes nearly everything about the suburb. Its 4,142 residents live almost exclusively in detached houses, with 90.7% of dwellings separate houses and 64.6% carrying four or more bedrooms, well above state norms. A 24.8% vacancy rate signals a coastal or semi-rural market with a significant holiday and second-home component. Despite sitting in the 44.8th percentile for household income nationally, rent-to-income at 24.8% and mortgage-to-income at 29.8% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, keeping housing affordable for residents who choose to stay year-round.
Population
4,142
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,461/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$467K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $467,000 median house price sits well below the WA metropolitan median, reflecting Wannanup's Peel Region coastal location. Stock is overwhelmingly detached (90.7% separate houses, 0.4% apartments), so buyers almost always compete in the detached market. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 64.6%, and three-bedroom at 31.1% is the realistic entry tier. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,885, with mortgage-to-income at 29.8%, just under the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners (39.4%) and mortgage holders (39.9%) are nearly equal, pointing to a mix of long-established residents and recent buyers.
For Buyers
The $467,000 median house price sits well below the WA metropolitan median, reflecting Wannanup's Peel Region coastal location. Stock is overwhelmingly detached (90.7% separate houses, 0.4% apartments), so buyers almost always compete in the detached market. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 64.6%, and three-bedroom at 31.1% is the realistic entry tier. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,885, with mortgage-to-income at 29.8%, just under the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners (39.4%) and mortgage holders (39.9%) are nearly equal, pointing to a mix of long-established residents and recent buyers.
For Investors
A 24.8% vacancy rate is the defining risk, reflecting holiday and seasonal demand rather than year-round tenancy. Weekly rent of $363 against a $467,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, above inner-city markets but tempered by that vacancy. The 20.7% renter share is lower than the national average, so the rental pool is thin. Rent growth of 14.3% over the measured period shows the market is tightening, and net internal migration of 185 residents a year sustains demand pressure. Population grew 30% over the decade, supporting the longer-term investment case.
Schools in Wannanup iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Falcon Primary School
K-6 · 554 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, and the senior share rose 8.3 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 3.2 points, accelerating the aging trajectory. Overseas-born residents at 29.5% sit 7.9 percentage points above national, despite English and Scottish ancestry dominating. University qualifications at 19.1% are 11 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a workforce led by Mining (14.6%) and Construction (10.9%), sectors that reward trade qualifications over degrees. Volunteering at 12.9% reflects community engagement relative to the lower-income profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.7%
Houses
6.5%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split nearly evenly: outright owners 39.4%, mortgage holders 39.9%, renters 20.7%. The renter share is lower than the national average, indicating a predominantly owner-occupied suburb. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 64.6% of dwellings, and apartments are just 0.4%, confirming a detached-dominant market with minimal medium-density supply. Mortgage-to-income at 29.8% and rent-to-income at 24.8% both sit below the 30% stress benchmark, making Wannanup more affordable than the national median on repayment measures despite household incomes at the 44.8th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,885
Rent / wk
$363
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$670
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
24.8%
Unoccupied
519
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.7%
Couples, no children
3,301
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining leads at 14.6% with 159 workers, tying Wannanup to WA's resources economy and partly explaining why household incomes sit at the 44.8th percentile nationally despite a below-average university rate. Education (13.7%) and Healthcare (12.8%) provide a public-sector anchor. Unemployment at 7.2% is above metropolitan norms, and labour force participation at 50.6% is low because 1,421 residents are not working, a direct result of the older age profile. The SEIFA IEO score sits in decile 3, placing Wannanup in the bottom third nationally for education and occupation advantage, notably lower than its IER decile 6 economic resources score.
Unemployment
2.7%
Labour Force
5,236
Unemployed
139
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.1%
Part-time
32.7%
Participation
50.6%
Employed
1,616
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.1%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
29.5%
Dwellings
1,574
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 86.3% of workers drive and only 5.7% use public transport, lower than the national average for coastal suburbs with rail access. The 1.8% walking and cycling share underlines the car-centric layout. No schools are recorded within the Wannanup boundary, so families depend on neighbouring suburbs. Crime data is not available. The IRSAD decile of 4 places Wannanup in the lower-middle tier of advantage nationally. Need-for-assistance is 4.1% (161 residents), modest for a suburb with a median age of 47, and housing stress stays below the 30% threshold on both rent and mortgage measures.
Drive
86.3%
Public Transport
5.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.23%/yr
(+252 people/yr)
EstablishedWannanup is one of the faster-growing suburbs in the Peel Region, with annual population growth at 2.23% and a 30% rise over the decade. The active gentrification score of 53 ranks it above the typical established-coastal baseline, driven by net internal migration of 185 residents a year attracting sea-change movers. Medium forecasts for the broader SA2 project the population reaching 12,673 by 2031, up from 11,288 in 2025. Affordability improved from 55.0% in 2011 to 49.5% in 2021, showing the market became relatively more accessible over the decade than the national trend.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+127
Net Internal / yr
+185
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +44% since 2011, Net internal migration +185/yr, Accelerating: 16% → 25%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wannanup compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wannanup a good suburb to live in?
Wannanup suits established households and retirees well, with 90.7% detached houses, a median age of 47, and housing costs below the 30% stress threshold on both mortgage and rent measures. The IRSAD decile of 4 places it in the lower-middle tier nationally, and public transport is limited to 5.7% of commuters, so a car is essential.
What is the median house price in Wannanup?
The median house price is approximately $467,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,885, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.8% sits just below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $363.
What schools are in Wannanup?
No schools are recorded inside the Wannanup boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs including Dawesville and central Mandurah. The suburb's university qualification rate of 19.1% is 11 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce concentrated in trades and mining.
Is Wannanup safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Wannanup in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the IRSD score places the suburb in decile 4 nationally for relative disadvantage, and housing stress levels remain below the 30% threshold for both renters and mortgage holders, indicators generally associated with stable communities.
Is Wannanup good for property investment?
The main caution is a 24.8% vacancy rate, well above metropolitan norms, pointing to a holiday and seasonal demand pattern. Weekly rent of $363 against a $467,000 median gives a gross yield around 4.0%. Population grew 30% over the decade and internal migration adds 185 residents a year, supporting long-term demand, though yield realisation depends on tenancy fill rates.
How is Wannanup's population changing?
Population is growing at 2.23% annually, adding about 252 residents per year. The suburb grew 30% over the prior decade, with an active gentrification score of 53. Internal migration drives growth at a net 185 per year, supplemented by 127 overseas arrivals annually. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 8.3 points over the decade.
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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