Wickham
Mining wages and a median house price of $170,000 rarely appear in the same suburb profile, yet Wickham holds both. Household income sits at the 98.7th percentile nationally, yet median house prices are a fraction of coastal city equivalents, because 94.6% of residents rent from a small pool of privately owned stock. The population is young, with a median age of 31 that is 9 years below the national figure, and heavily male at 57%, reflecting the fly-in/fly-out workforce patterns common to Pilbara mining towns. The vacancy rate of 35.5% signals an oversupplied rental market that keeps rents low at $115 per week, well below average for WA.
Population
2,022
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,358/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$170K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $170,000 is extremely low compared to WA state and national medians, making Wickham one of the most affordable entry points for buyers in the state. Monthly mortgage repayments average $790, and mortgage-to-income runs at just 5.4%, far below the stress threshold of 30%. However, only 3.4% of dwellings carry a mortgage and 2.0% are owned outright, because 94.6% of residents rent. The stock is 74.2% separate houses and 25.8% semi-detached, with three-bedroom dwellings dominating at 53.5% and four-plus bedroom homes at 29.4%. Buyers entering this market should weigh the low price against the 35.5% vacancy rate, which reflects limited owner-occupier demand in a transient workforce town.
For Buyers
The median house price of $170,000 is extremely low compared to WA state and national medians, making Wickham one of the most affordable entry points for buyers in the state. Monthly mortgage repayments average $790, and mortgage-to-income runs at just 5.4%, far below the stress threshold of 30%. However, only 3.4% of dwellings carry a mortgage and 2.0% are owned outright, because 94.6% of residents rent. The stock is 74.2% separate houses and 25.8% semi-detached, with three-bedroom dwellings dominating at 53.5% and four-plus bedroom homes at 29.4%. Buyers entering this market should weigh the low price against the 35.5% vacancy rate, which reflects limited owner-occupier demand in a transient workforce town.
For Investors
Wickham's rental market is unusual: the renter share of 94.6% is among the highest in WA, yet the vacancy rate of 35.5% is extremely high, indicating that supply substantially exceeds demand. Weekly rent of $115 against a median price of $170,000 produces a gross yield near 3.5%, above national averages, but the vacancy rate undermines reliable income. The workforce is dominated by mining at 62.9%, meaning rental demand is tied to commodity cycles and project pipelines rather than organic population growth. Full-time employment runs at 77.1% and unemployment is only 1.9%, supporting tenant incomes when the sector is active. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, confirming a stable rather than expanding housing stock.
Schools in Wickham iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Wickham Primary School
K-6 · 355 students
Demographics
Wickham skews young and male: the median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, and 57% of residents are male, reflecting FIFO mining rosters that pull workers away from family bases. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above the national average, and 891 couple-with-children families make up the majority of the 1,328 total families. The overseas-born share of 17.5% is 4.1 points below national, with ancestry led by English (631), Irish (136) and Scottish (126), suggesting a predominantly Anglo-Australian workforce community. University qualifications reach only 12.3%, which is 17.8 points below the national rate, consistent with an industry profile dominated by trades and machinery operators rather than professional roles.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.2%
Houses
25.8%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tenure in Wickham is defined almost entirely by renting: 94.6% of dwellings are rented, with outright ownership at 2.0% and mortgage holders at just 3.4%. This is not a homebuyer market in the conventional sense. The median house price of $170,000 and rent-to-income ratio of 3.4% are both well below state norms. Three-bedroom homes account for 53.5% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes 29.4%, a larger-than-average bedroom profile compared to metropolitan markets. Separate houses make up 74.2% of stock, with semi-detached at 25.8% and no apartment data recorded. The extreme renter majority means prices are set by investor returns and company housing arrangements rather than owner-occupier competition.
Mortgage / mo
$790
Rent / wk
$115
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,674
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
35.5%
Unoccupied
280
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
3.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
5.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
15.0%
Couples, no children
1,328
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining employs 62.9% of Wickham's workforce, which is 407 of the 647 employed residents, making the suburb one of the most mining-concentrated communities in WA. Healthcare and Education each account for around 8-9%, providing the service base that supports the mining town. Machinery operators and drivers are the top occupation at 174 workers, followed by labourers at 96, reflecting site-based roles. The full-time employment rate of 77.1% is higher than the national average, and unemployment is just 1.9%, well below the national rate. Household income at the 98.7th percentile nationally reflects mining wage premiums, yet university qualifications at 12.3% are 17.8 points below the national rate, a direct trade-off between earnings and credential levels in this industry.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
77.1%
Part-time
21.0%
Participation
63.2%
Employed
897
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.3%
Postgraduate
1.5%
Born Overseas
17.5%
Dwellings
515
Transport to Work
Car travel dominates at 73.4% of commuters, which is typical for a remote WA town with no urban transit network. Public transport is used by 12.7% of residents, above what might be expected for a regional centre of this size, likely reflecting shuttle services to mine sites. Active transport at 4.9% suggests some walkability within the town itself. No schools are recorded in the suburb data, so families rely on facilities in nearby communities or boarding arrangements. Need-for-assistance rate is low at 1.7%, covering 27 residents, and volunteering at 24.2% is notably high compared to metropolitan suburbs, reflecting the community cohesion typical in small, geographically isolated towns. Rent-to-income at 3.4% means housing costs place no burden on residents relative to national norms.
Drive
73.4%
Public Transport
12.7%
Walk / Cycle
4.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wickham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wickham a good suburb to live in?
Wickham suits workers in the Pilbara mining industry well. Household income sits at the 98.7th percentile nationally due to mining wage premiums, housing costs are low with rent at $115 per week, and unemployment is just 1.9%. The trade-offs are remoteness, a 35.5% vacancy rate reflecting transient population, and limited services compared to metropolitan areas.
What is the median house price in Wickham?
The median house price is approximately $170,000, making it one of the most affordable markets in WA by purchase price. Monthly mortgage repayments average $790 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is just 5.4%. However, 94.6% of residents rent rather than own, so the owner-occupier market is very thin.
What schools are in Wickham?
No schools are recorded inside the Wickham suburb boundary in this dataset. Families with school-age children typically access schools in Karratha, which is the main service centre for the Pilbara region. The suburb's median age of 31 and large proportion of couples with children suggest school access is a practical consideration for residents.
Is Wickham safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Wickham in this dataset. As indirect indicators, unemployment is just 1.9%, well below the national rate, and housing stress is negligible with rent-to-income at 3.4%. Only 1.7% of residents (27 people) need daily assistance, suggesting a generally healthy, working-age community.
Is Wickham good for property investment?
Wickham offers a gross yield near 3.5% based on $115 weekly rent against a $170,000 median price, above national averages. However, the 35.5% vacancy rate is a significant risk, indicating oversupply. Rental demand is tied to mining at 62.9% of local employment, so returns depend heavily on commodity sector activity and project timelines.
How is Wickham's population changing?
Population turnover is high, with 32.8% of residents having moved in the prior year. The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, reflecting a workforce-age base that rotates with mining contracts. Average household size of 2.9 is above the national average, and 891 couple-with-children families suggest a core of settled residents alongside the transient workforce.
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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