Whyalla Norrie
Every one of the four SEIFA indexes lands Whyalla Norrie in decile 1, the lowest advantage tier nationally, and household income at the 16.3rd percentile confirms it. The 6,288 residents sit on a stable but shrinking base: population has fallen 3.8% over the decade against an aging trajectory. The economy still leans on hands-on work, with Machinery Operators and Drivers (430) and Labourers (359) the two largest occupation groups, well ahead of Professionals at 254. University qualifications reach just 13.2%, which is 16.9 points below the national figure, the structural reason incomes stay low. Renting dominates at 44.7%, and a 13.4% vacancy rate points to soft demand rather than tight supply.
Population
6,288
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,071/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
A median house price is not recorded for Whyalla Norrie in this dataset, but the affordability signals are strong. Monthly mortgage repayments average $953, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and far lower than what buyers face in capital-city markets. The stock suits families looking for space: 71.0% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 13.4% have four or more, while apartments are almost absent at 2.1%. Semi-detached homes lead at 54.8% with separate houses at 43.0%. Outright owners (24.1%) trail mortgage holders (31.2%), and affordability has improved over the decade, easing from 31.7% in 2011 to 28.1% in 2021 because incomes grew faster than housing costs.
For Buyers
A median house price is not recorded for Whyalla Norrie in this dataset, but the affordability signals are strong. Monthly mortgage repayments average $953, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and far lower than what buyers face in capital-city markets. The stock suits families looking for space: 71.0% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 13.4% have four or more, while apartments are almost absent at 2.1%. Semi-detached homes lead at 54.8% with separate houses at 43.0%. Outright owners (24.1%) trail mortgage holders (31.2%), and affordability has improved over the decade, easing from 31.7% in 2011 to 28.1% in 2021 because incomes grew faster than housing costs.
For Investors
Renters make up 44.7% of households, a deep tenant pool, but the headline weekly rent of $180 is low and the 13.4% vacancy rate signals oversupply rather than scarcity. Rent has risen 20.0% over the period, yet that climb starts from a small base. Demand drivers are weak: net internal migration runs at an outflow of roughly 152 a year, only partly offset by overseas migration of around 78, and the suburb's population has contracted 3.8% over the decade. With 29 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly verandahs, sheds and signage rather than new dwellings, supply is barely expanding. The investment case rests on high gross yields from cheap entry prices rather than capital growth, which the slow-growth, aging profile does not support.
Development Activity
Total DAs
199
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-9.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Whyalla Norrie iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sunrise Christian School Whyalla
R-10 · 257 students
Whyalla Secondary College
U, 7-12 · 1004 students
Long Street Primary School
R-6 · 140 students
Nicolson Avenue Primary School
U, R-6 · 261 students
Fisk Street Primary School
R-6 · 63 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below the national figure, yet the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.0 points over the decade while the young share fell 2.2 points. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, consistent with a high renter share and couples-without-children making up 27.7% of families against 1,508 couples with children. The population is heavily Anglo-leaning, led by English (2,640), Scottish (650) and German (455) ancestry, and just 18.5% were born overseas, 3.1 points below national. Non-English languages are marginal, with Greek (17) and Punjabi (15) the most common. University attainment of 13.2% runs 16.9 points under the national rate, the clearest structural marker of the suburb's profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
43.0%
Houses
54.8%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renters and mortgagees rather than outright owners: 44.7% rent, 31.2% carry a mortgage and only 24.1% own outright. That renter-heavy mix, combined with a 13.4% vacancy rate, points to soft demand rather than constrained supply. The stock is overwhelmingly family-sized, with 71.0% of dwellings holding three bedrooms and 13.4% four or more, while two-bedroom homes are just 12.3% and apartments a negligible 2.1%. Semi-detached dwellings lead at 54.8%, ahead of separate houses at 43.0%. Affordability is a genuine strength: monthly mortgage repayments of $953 leave a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.6% and rent-to-income at 16.8%, both well below the stress line and lower than almost any metropolitan market.
Mortgage / mo
$953
Rent / wk
$180
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$596
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.4%
Unoccupied
421
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.7%
Couples, no children
4,458
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in essential and industrial sectors: Healthcare leads at 21.4% (297 workers), Manufacturing follows at 18.9% (263), then Education at 10.4%, Construction at 8.3% and Mining at 7.4%, reflecting Whyalla's steel and resources base. By occupation, Machinery Operators and Drivers (430) and Labourers (359) outnumber Professionals (254), which explains why personal income holds at $596 a week and household income sits in the 16.3rd percentile. Unemployment is elevated at 9.7%, well above the national rate, and participation is low at 50.9% because 1,985 residents are not in the labour force. The decile 1 reading across all four SEIFA indexes follows directly from this low-skill, low-participation economic mix, though real incomes still grew 10.2% over the decade.
Unemployment
13.7%
Labour Force
10,646
Unemployed
1,460
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
27.0%
Participation
50.9%
Employed
2,351
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.2%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
18.5%
Dwellings
2,716
Transport to Work
Daily life here is built around the car: 85.5% of commuters drive, far above national reliance, while public transport carries just 2.9% and 4.1% walk or cycle, reflecting the low-density 865.3 residents per square kilometre layout. The clearest livability challenge is crime, with 1,035 recorded incidents and a rate of 164.6 per 1,000 residents, high by any benchmark and consistent with the decile 1 IRSD disadvantage reading. Volunteering runs at 13.5% and 8.0% of residents (468 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the 7.27 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding Whyalla suburbs, though affordable housing with a 16.8% rent-to-income ratio offsets some of these trade-offs.
Drive
85.5%
Public Transport
2.9%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.18%/yr
(-39 people/yr)
EstablishedWhyalla Norrie is classified as an established, slow-growth suburb, and the numbers point downward: population is forecast to decline at 0.18% a year, having already fallen 3.8% over the past decade. The aging shift is clear, with the senior share up 4.0 points and the young share down 2.2 points. Net internal migration runs at an outflow of about 152 residents a year, the dominant force, partly cushioned by overseas migration of roughly 78. The gentrification score reads 0, firmly in the not-gentrifying band, which fits a decile 1 area with low university attainment of 13.2%. The one bright spot is affordability, which improved from 31.7% to 28.1% between 2011 and 2021 as real incomes rose 10.2%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+78
Net Internal / yr
-152
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -152/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,035
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
164.6
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Whyalla Norrie compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Whyalla Norrie a good suburb to live in?
Whyalla Norrie scores decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes, the lowest advantage tier nationally, with household income at the 16.3rd percentile. The trade-off is genuine affordability: mortgage-to-income runs at 20.6% and rent-to-income at 16.8%, both well below the 30% stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Whyalla Norrie?
A median house price is not recorded for Whyalla Norrie in this dataset. As affordability indicators, monthly mortgage repayments average $953 and weekly rent is $180, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.6%, far below the levels seen in capital-city markets.
What schools are in Whyalla Norrie?
No schools are recorded inside the 7.27 square kilometre Whyalla Norrie boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding Whyalla suburbs. Education employs 10.4% of the local workforce, with 145 residents working in the sector.
Is Whyalla Norrie safe?
Crime is a real concern, with 1,035 recorded incidents and a rate of 164.6 per 1,000 residents, high by any benchmark. This aligns with the suburb's decile 1 IRSD score, the lowest tier on the national index of relative disadvantage.
Is Whyalla Norrie good for property investment?
Renters make up 44.7% of households, but weekly rent of $180 is low and the 13.4% vacancy rate signals oversupply. With population down 3.8% over the decade and net internal outflow near 152 a year, returns depend on yield from cheap entry prices rather than capital growth.
How is Whyalla Norrie's population changing?
The population of 6,288 has fallen 3.8% over the past decade and is forecast to keep declining at 0.18% a year. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.0 points and the young share down 2.2 points, driven by net internal migration outflow.
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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