Halls Creek
Statistical Area - sa2

Halls Creek has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Halls Creek's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was around 4,242 by August 2025. This represented an increase of 639 people, a rise of 17.7% from the 2021 Census figure of 3,603 individuals. The change was inferred using the estimated resident population of 4,236 from the ABS as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 0.00 persons per square kilometer. Halls Creek's growth rate surpassed the national average (8.6%) during this period, positioning it as a notable growth leader among non-metropolitan areas. Natural growth accounted for approximately 60.7% of overall population gains recently, although all migration factors contributed positively to growth.

AreaSearch bases its projections on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 estimates, AreaSearch uses growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023). Future population dynamics suggest a median increase for non-metropolitan Australia, with Halls Creek expected to grow by 447 persons to reach approximately 5,689 individuals by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 10.4% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Halls Creek recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Halls Creek averaged approximately five new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY 2021 and FY 2025, 25 dwellings were approved, with none so far in FY 2026. Over these five years, an average of 16.8 people moved to the area per dwelling built.

This supply lag has led to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new properties constructed at an average expected cost value of $1,062,000, indicating a focus on premium developments. In FY 2026, $377,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the Rest of WA, Halls Creek has significantly less development activity, being 56.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Recent construction comprises 75.0% standalone homes and 25.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature.

As of FY 2021 to FY 2025, there were an estimated 1189 people in the area per dwelling approval. Future projections indicate Halls Creek adding 441 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Halls Creek has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that may affect this region: Halls Creek to Kununurra Bridges (Great Northern Highway), East Kimberley Clean Energy Project, Gibb River Road Upgrades, and Northern Territory Freight Rail And Logistics Capacity Improvements. The following details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment conditions in Halls Creek face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Halls Creek, as of June 2025, has a balanced workforce with an unemployment rate of 26.0%. It has 980 residents in work, which is 22.8% higher than the Rest of WA's rate of 3.2%.

Workforce participation in Halls Creek is significantly lower at 38.5%, compared to Rest of WA's 59.4%. The leading employment industries among residents are education & training, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. Education & training has a particularly high share of employment at 2.9 times the regional level, while mining employs only 4.4% of local workers, below Rest of WA's 11.7%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.4%, and employment declined by 4.2%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 1.4 percentage points.

In contrast, Rest of WA experienced employment growth of 1.1% and labour force growth of 0.5%, with a drop in unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that Halls Creek's employment could grow by approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The latest AreaSearch postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Halls Creek's median income is $43,977 and average income is $54,217. This is below the national average. The Rest of WA has a median income of $57,323 and an average income of $71,163. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $49,083 (median) and $60,512 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61%. The 2021 Census reveals that Halls Creek's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 1st and 7th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 29.4% of individuals in Halls Creek earn $800 - $1,499 annually, differing from broader area patterns where $1,500 - $2,999 is dominant at 31.1%. Housing costs are modest, with 92.1% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at the 14th percentile nationally.

Halls Creek is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Halls Creek's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 83.8% houses and 16.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro WA's 79.3% houses and 20.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Halls Creek was at 8.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 1.5% and rented ones at 90.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,600, below Non-Metro WA's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Halls Creek was $90, compared to Non-Metro WA's $200. Nationally, Halls Creek's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,600 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Halls Creek has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.6% of all households, including 27.8% couples with children, 12.8% couples without children, and 25.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.4%, with lone person households at 27.0% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 3.3 people, larger than the Rest of WA average of 2.8.

Halls Creek faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has university qualification rates of 12.3%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 28.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (3.8%) and certificates (24.9%).

Educational participation is high at 33.0%, including 18.1% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 1.0% pursuing tertiary education. Nine schools operate within Halls Creek, educating approximately 619 students. The educational mix includes two primary schools and seven K-12 schools.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Halls Creek's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Halls Creek, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (around 2,002 people), compared to 53.4% across the rest of WA and a national average of 55.3%. Diabetes and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 6.5% and 4.2% of residents respectively.

A total of 82.8% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 79.9% across the rest of WA. The area has 6.3% of residents aged 65 and over (265 people), which is lower than the 7.4% in the rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Halls Creek was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Halls Creek has a cultural diversity above average, with 5.7% of its population born overseas and 54.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Halls Creek, comprising 73.4% of people there, compared to 48.7% across Rest of WA. The top three represented ancestry groups are Australian Aboriginal at 73.0%, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 33.7%, English at 8.3%, notably lower than the regional average of 19.1%, and Australian at 6.4%, also notably lower than the regional average of 19.7%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Halls Creek are Australian Aboriginal, comprising 73.0% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 33.7%, English, comprising 8.3% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 19.1%, and Australian, comprising 6.4% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 19.7%.

Halls Creek hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Halls Creek's median age is 29 years, which is significantly younger than the Rest of WA average of 40 years and lower than the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of WA, Halls Creek has a higher percentage of residents aged 15-24 (17.4%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (3.9%). Post-2021 Census data shows that the age group 25 to 34 has grown from 17.0% to 18.9%, while the age group 45 to 54 has declined from 11.8% to 10.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Halls Creek's age profile. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow by 44%, adding 352 residents to reach a total of 1,155. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the age groups 5 to 14 and 15 to 24.