Margaret River (WA)

Looking at development activity over the past five years, the suburb of Margaret River's approval levels have been significantly above the yearly average of 118, indicating strong recent growth in development activity.

Over the past five years, the population in the suburb of Margaret River has grown by approximately 1,721 people, while 591 residential approvals were recorded. This equates to a ratio of 2.9 people added for each new dwelling approval. This indicates solid population growth supported by housing development activity.

Over the past 10 years, the population in the suburb of Margaret River has shown a compound annual growth rate of 3.1% per annum.

Population growth in the suburb of Margaret River is driven by: Interstate migration (46.0%), Overseas migration (37.0%), Natural increase (18.0%). The primary driver is Interstate migration, contributing 46.0% of overall population gains.

On AreaSearch estimates updated to August 2026, the most under-represented age group in the suburb of Margaret River compared to the Regional WA region is the 55 - 64 group, making up 10.4% of the population.

Yes, certain age groups in the suburb of Margaret River show significant variance compared to Regional WA. The most under-represented age group is 85+ year-olds (1.1% vs 2.0%).

AreaSearch estimates children aged 0-14 years at 19.4% of the population in the suburb of Margaret River as at August 2026.

AreaSearch estimates people aged 65 and over at 14.8% of the population in the suburb of Margaret River as at August 2026.

Based on Wage Price Index adjustments to June 2026, the estimated average taxable income in the suburb of Margaret River is approximately $74,653 compared to $83,842 in Regional WA. The official ATO data from FY-24 shows $69,743 and $78,328 respectively.

As per the 2021 Census, the weekly household income bracket containing the largest proportion of the suburb of Margaret River's households (~35.7% / 1,098 households) is the $1,500 - 2,999 cohort.

The largest weekly household income cohort in the suburb of Margaret River is the $1,500 - 2,999 group, representing about 35.7% of households. In comparison, Regional WA's largest household income cohort is the $1,500 - 2,999 group, representing 31.1% of its households, according to the 2021 Census.

The 2021 Census data indicates that the median household income in the suburb of Margaret River is $1,640/wk.

According to the 2021 Census, the median family income in the suburb of Margaret River is $1,944/wk.

The 2021 Census shows that the median personal income in the suburb of Margaret River is $839/wk.

The suburb of Margaret River shows a median taxpayer income of $50,421 and an average of $69,743 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-24. This is slightly lower than average on a national basis, contrasting with Regional WA's median income of $62,873 and average income of $78,328. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 7.04% since FY-24, current estimates would be approximately $53,971 (median) and $74,653 (average) as of June 2026.

The estimated disposable income in the suburb of Margaret River is $5,929 per year according to AreaSearch analysis.

The suburb of margaret river's disposable income is $5,929 compared to $6,025 for Regional WA, based on AreaSearch analysis.

Over the past year to March 2026, the suburb of Margaret River has experienced employment growth, with total employment increasing while the labour force increased. As a result, the unemployment rate has risen. By comparison, Regional WA saw employment decreased and its unemployment rate rose.

The workforce participation rate in the suburb of Margaret River is 72.4%, which represents the proportion of working-age residents who are either employed or actively seeking work. This high participation rate indicates strong workforce engagement and economic vitality. The local rate leading the Regional WA average of 65.4%, indicating stronger workforce attachment in the local area.

The suburb of margaret river shows notable specialisation in accommodation & food, which employs 13.9% of the local workforce compared to 7.1% across Regional WA. This concentration suggests the area has developed competitive advantages in this sector. The area also shows above-average employment in 2 other sectors, contributing to a distinctive economic profile.

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The suburb of margaret river's employment market shows strong performance nationally, ranking in the top 25% of areas assessed by AreaSearch. This indicates robust employment conditions and economic vitality compared to other regions. Recent job advertisement trends show the broader employment region saw a 3.7% decline, ranking 31st out of 37 regions nationally.

The most common qualifications in the suburb of Margaret River are: Certificate (27.7%), Bachelor Degree (21.0%), Advanced Diploma (12.7%).

30.6% of the population in the suburb of Margaret River is currently engaged in formal education, including 12.6% in primary school, 9.2% in secondary school, 2.2% at university (all shares of total residents).

The average ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) score for schools in the suburb of Margaret River is 1048, indicating average socio-educational advantage (national average is 1000).

There are 5 schools within the suburb of Margaret River, with a combined enrollment of approximately 2,487 students.

The suburb of margaret river includes 3 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 1 combined school.

Of the 2,218 family households, couples with children account for 32.3% of all households, couples without children at home 27.0%, and single parent families 12.4%. This mix shapes local demand for schools, family services, and housing types.

Compared to Regional WA, the suburb of Margaret River shows distinct household patterns. The prevalence of shared households suggests a younger demographic or affordability considerations.

Families in the suburb of Margaret River have an average of 1.6 children, slightly below the Regional WA average of 1.9. This influences local demand for child-related services and larger family homes.

Marriage patterns reveal 44.1% of the adult population are currently married, while 38.8% have never married. This compares to 46.4% married and 35.8% never married across Regional WA.

Single-person households represent 22.5% of all households in the suburb of Margaret River, similar to the average for Regional WA of 27.4%. This affects demand for smaller dwellings and single-person accommodation.

Group households (unrelated people sharing) account for 5.2% of households, above the Regional WA average of 2.8%. This higher rate points to more student or young professional shared accommodation.

26.9% of the suburb of Margaret River population was born overseas, compared to 19.8% across Regional WA.

10.8% of the population in the suburb of Margaret River speaks a language other than English at home, compared to 9.7% in Regional WA.

1.2% of the suburb of Margaret River population identifies as Australian Aboriginal, compared to 6.1% in Regional WA.

82.7% of the suburb of Margaret River population holds citizenship, compared to 82.8% in Regional WA.

Outright home ownership in the suburb of Margaret River stands at 29.7%, compared to 34.1% in Regional WA.

The median monthly mortgage repayment in the suburb of Margaret River is $1,694, compared to $1,560 in Regional WA.

The aggregate monthly housing cost in the suburb of Margaret River is $1,177, which represents the average monthly cost across all housing types.

In the suburb of Margaret River, households with mortgages typically spend 23.8% of their income on mortgage repayments, while renters spend 23.2% of their income on rent.

The average persons per bedroom ratio in the suburb of Margaret River is 0.8, indicating the level of household density.

Housing affordability in the suburb of Margaret River shows mortgage holders spending 23.8% of income on repayments (vs 22.5% in Regional WA), while renters spend 23.2% of income on rent (vs 16.6% in Regional WA).

The dwelling mix in the suburb of Margaret River consists of 92.4% detached houses, 6.8% semi-detached dwellings, 0.3% apartments, and 0.5% other dwelling types.

Housing in Margaret River consumes approximately 16.6% of median household income ($7,101 monthly), indicating costs are highly affordable. The generally accepted benchmark is that housing should not exceed 30% of household income.

Recent development applications in Margaret River show attached dwellings contributing 4% of approvals compared to 8% of existing stock, while detached houses represent 96% of applications versus 92% of current dwellings. This suggests development patterns consistent with existing housing mix. The area shows minimal growth in housing density compared to other Australian locations.

Diabetes affects 1.9% of the suburb of Margaret River population, while in Regional WA, 4.6% of people are diagnosed with diabetes.

2.8% of people in the suburb of Margaret River have heart disease. Across Regional WA,3.6% of the population is affected by heart disease.

In the suburb of Margaret River, 53.0% of the population are estimated to have private health insurance. Comparatively, Regional WA sees an estimated private health coverage rate of 56.4%.