Withers
A rental share of 44.9% is the clearest marker of Withers, alongside an 11.9% vacancy rate and a population of 2,979. It is a compact detached-home area, with 76.6% separate houses, but household income ranks at only the 12.4th percentile nationally. The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure, while the forecast gives a gentrification score of 0 and an Aging trajectory. Compared with nearby South Bunbury's coastal setting, Withers is a more rental-oriented, practical southern Bunbury option, which helps explain its strong car dependence and slow-growth outlook.
Local council: Bunbury
Population
2,979
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$983/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Withers suits buyers prioritising a conventional house over apartment living: 76.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 5.2% apartments, and 57.7% have 3 bedrooms. A suburb-level median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales matter more than a headline estimate. The $1,300 monthly mortgage figure and 30.5% mortgage-to-income ratio indicate tighter budgeting than the 24.4% rent-to-income ratio. With 44.9% renting versus 24.0% owning outright, buyers may find more varied tenure and resale competition than in a heavily owner-occupied market.
For Buyers
Withers suits buyers prioritising a conventional house over apartment living: 76.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 5.2% apartments, and 57.7% have 3 bedrooms. A suburb-level median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales matter more than a headline estimate. The $1,300 monthly mortgage figure and 30.5% mortgage-to-income ratio indicate tighter budgeting than the 24.4% rent-to-income ratio. With 44.9% renting versus 24.0% owning outright, buyers may find more varied tenure and resale competition than in a heavily owner-occupied market.
For Investors
Withers has a sizeable tenant base, with 44.9% of dwellings rented, higher than the 24.0% owned outright share. Weekly rent is $240, while vacancy is 11.9%, so tenant demand exists alongside a comparatively loose supply position. Rent growth of 20.8% supports recent income momentum, but the vacancy rate means investors should stress-test leasing time and maintenance costs rather than assume continuous gains. Only 5 development applications were recorded over 12 months, and the forecast names migration as Balanced, which points to incremental rather than high-pressure demand. Separate houses make up 76.6%, giving family-oriented stock a larger role than apartments at 5.2%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
5
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$39K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Withers has an established, Anglo-leaning profile: English ancestry is recorded for 1,248 people, followed by Irish at 298 and Scottish at 295. No religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 1,494, ahead of Christianity at 1,043. The median age is 39, 1 year below the national figure, while university participation is 14.5%, 15.6 percentage points below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents make up 20.5%, only 1.1 points below the national share, so migration is present without defining the suburb. Average household size is 2.2, or 0.3 below the national figure. Compared with nearby South Bunbury's coastal setting, Withers reads as a more mature, lower-income residential pocket within Bunbury.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.6%
Houses
18.3%
Townhouse
5.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing dominates Withers, with 76.6% separate houses and another 18.3% semi-detached dwellings, compared with 5.2% apartments. The stock is concentrated in 3-bedroom homes at 57.7%, while 4-bedroom-plus dwellings account for 23.5%. Tenure is more rental-heavy than outright ownership: 44.9% rent, 29.7% hold a mortgage and 24.0% own outright. That mix creates an accessible family-house segment but also leaves households exposed to housing-cost pressure, with mortgage costs at 30.5% of income. Household income ranks at the 12.4th percentile, below a national midpoint, so affordability remains central even though no current median sale price is available. Compared with South Bunbury, Withers is the more practical detached-stock option rather than a premium coastal market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$240
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$552
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.9%
Unoccupied
170
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.5% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.5%
Couples with children
36.3%
Couples, no children
31.4%
Single parent
752
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads Withers' industry mix at 20.3% and 127 workers, followed by construction at 10.9% and 68, education at 10.7% and 67, retail at 10.4% and 65, and hospitality at 8.0% and 50. The occupation mix is similarly hands-on, led by 222 labourers and 192 trades workers, ahead of 154 community and personal service workers. Unemployment is 12.7%, participation is 49.4% and full-time employment is 53.2%, pointing to a thinner labour-market position than a professional, high-participation suburb. All four SEIFA measures sit in decile 1, including IRSAD and IRSD, consistent with the 12.4th household-income percentile. Healthcare's lead reflects local service needs, while construction and trades connect the suburb to the wider Bunbury economy.
Unemployment
12.7%
Labour Force
1,207
Unemployed
153
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.2%
Part-time
39.9%
Participation
49.4%
Employed
1,054
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.5%
Postgraduate
1.8%
Born Overseas
20.5%
Dwellings
1,254
Transport to Work
Withers is highly car-oriented: 83.3% drive to work, compared with 2.3% using public transport and 2.7% walking or cycling. Only 3.2% work from home, so daily access to jobs and services depends more on road connections than on local active-transport patterns. The suburb covers 4.37 square kilometres, has 2,979 residents and a density of 682.4 people per square kilometre, making it compact enough for short local trips but still transport-dependent. Volunteering is 14.8%, while 9.4% of people, or 255 residents, need assistance. The IRSAD decile is 1, well below the national midpoint, so affordability and service access matter more than amenity branding. Families should check school enrolment zones and travel times against the exact address, as nearby options may sit outside suburb boundaries.
Drive
83.3%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
3.2%
Growth Outlook
Withers is on an aging, slow-growth path: the forecast trend is -0.09% annually and population change across the wider area is -3.5% over 10 years. The primary migration driver is Balanced, so neither a strong inflow nor a sharp outflow dominates the outlook. Senior share has risen 6.3 percentage points while young share has fallen 2.4 points, a contrast that helps explain the Aging trajectory. Gentrification is scored at 0 and classified Not gentrifying, while affordability is broadly Stable, moving from 41.6% in 2011 to 41.8% in 2021. Compared with a high-growth corridor, Withers is more likely to see gradual turnover than rapid reinvention.
Population trend: Bunbury council area
Withers sits in the Bunbury council area. These are the council area's residents, not Withers's.
Residents 2025
35,730
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
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 Withers compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Withers a good suburb to live in?
Withers can suit households seeking detached housing and a $240 weekly rent, with 76.6% of dwellings being separate houses. Car access is important because 83.3% drive to work and only 2.3% use public transport. Its IRSAD decile of 1 means buyers should weigh affordability against services and amenity.
What is the median house price in Withers?
A current suburb-level median house price is not available. Buyers should compare recent sales for the dominant 3-bedroom stock, which represents 57.7% of homes, and test repayments against the $1,300 monthly mortgage figure. With 44.9% renting, local sales evidence should be checked carefully.
What schools are in Withers?
School access for a Withers address should be checked through current enrolment zones and travel times before buying. With 30.5% of families recorded as couples with children and 57.7% of homes having 3 bedrooms, nearby government and non-government options can materially affect daily convenience.
Is Withers safe?
A reliable suburb-level crime rate is not available, so safety decisions should use current WA Police information and inspect the exact street at different times. With 2,979 residents and 14.8% volunteering across 4.37 square kilometres, local conditions can vary between residential pockets.
Is Withers good for property investment?
Withers can suit an investor targeting detached rental stock: 44.9% of dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $240 and 76.6% are separate houses. However, vacancy is 11.9%, development activity is 5 applications over 12 months, and migration is Balanced. These figures favour conservative vacancy assumptions over an aggressive growth thesis.
How is Withers's population changing?
Withers is ageing rather than expanding quickly. The forecast trend is -0.09% a year, population change across the wider area is -3.5% over 10 years, and senior share has increased 6.3 points while young share fell 2.4 points. Migration is Balanced and the trajectory is labelled Aging.
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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