Margaret River

Margaret River lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Margaret River's population is 11,898 as of November 2025. This shows an increase of 1,705 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,193. The growth is inferred from ABS data: estimated resident population was 11,690 in June 2024 and there were 118 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 88 persons per square kilometer. Margaret River's growth rate of 16.7% since the 2021 census exceeds the national average (8.9%). Interstate migration contributed approximately 45.7% to population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 growth estimation, AreaSearch utilises ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Projected demographic shifts indicate above median population growth for Australian non-metropolitan areas. By 2041, Margaret River's population is projected to increase by 2,611 persons, reflecting a total increase of 20.1% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Margaret River was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Margaret River averaged approximately 131 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21 and FY25655 homes were approved, with an additional 49 approved in FY26 to date. Each year, around 2.5 new residents were gained per dwelling built over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost for new dwellings is $315,000. In FY26, $6.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to the Rest of WA, Margaret River exhibits comparable construction activity per person, suggesting market stability aligned with regional patterns, but significantly higher than national levels, indicating strong developer confidence. New developments consist of 95% detached dwellings and 5% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character.

With around 85 people per approval, Margaret River reflects a developing area. By 2041, AreaSearch quarterly estimates project an addition of 2,398 residents. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Margaret River has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include the Margaret River Net-Positive Circular Hotel, Goldfields Group Darch Road Development, Margaret River WA 6285, and Margaret River South Structure Plan. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Margaret River performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Margaret River has a highly educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.7% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 6.5% over the past year.

As of this date, 7,190 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% below Rest of WA's rate of 3.3%. Workforce participation was at 67.0%, higher than Rest of WA's 59.4%. Key industries for employment among residents are accommodation & food, construction, and retail trade. Margaret River has a particular specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 4.1% compared to Rest of WA's 9.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population data. In the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 6.5%, and labour force grew by 6.3%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest a potential future demand within Margaret River. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with differing growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Margaret River's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.0% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Margaret River SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $47,488 and an average income of $63,297 in financial year 2022. This was slightly lower than the national average. Rest of WA's median income in the same period was $57,323 with an average income of $71,163. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $54,231 (median) and $72,285 (average), based on a 14.2% increase since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that incomes in Margaret River cluster around the 52nd percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 35.8% of the population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, with 4,259 individuals in this category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 46th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the sixth decile.

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

Margaret River's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.4% houses and 7.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro WA had 89.8% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Margaret River was 30.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.2% and rented ones at 27.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, lower than Non-Metro WA's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Margaret River was $380, compared to Non-Metro WA's $360. Nationally, Margaret River's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Margaret River features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 72.4% of all households, including 32.9% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.6%, with lone person households at 22.5% and group households at 4.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

Margaret River shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Margaret River's residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion with university qualifications (30.3%) than the Rest of WA (17.6%) or the SA4 region (18.0%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 40.0% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (27.0%). Educational participation is high in Margaret River, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (12.5%), secondary education (9.7%), and tertiary education (2.2%).

Transport servicing is very low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Margaret River has one active public transport stop operating within its boundaries. This stop is served by a mix of buses running along one route. The service provides 22 weekly passenger trips in total.

Transport accessibility in Margaret River is limited, with residents typically located 2681 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages three trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 22 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Margaret River shows excellent health outcomes, with low prevalence rates for common health conditions across all age groups.

Private health cover is present in approximately 51% of the total population (~6,091 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 7.1 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A significant majority (76.4%) report being free from medical ailments, higher than the Rest of WA's 69.5%. The population aged 65 and over is 13.9%, comprising 1,659 people, lower than the 20.0% in Rest of WA. Despite this, seniors' health outcomes align with those of the general population.

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

Margaret River's cultural diversity was above average, with 10.3% speaking a language other than English at home as of the 2016 Census. Additionally, 26.2% were born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 27.3%.

Buddhism, however, was overrepresented compared to the rest of WA, making up 1.6% vs 1.1%. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.1%), Australian (25.5%), and Irish (8.2%). Notably, French (1.1%) Welsh (0.8%), and Dutch (1.9%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.7%, 0.7%, and 1.7% respectively.

Margaret River's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Margaret River is 40 years, aligning with the average for Rest of WA but slightly exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 45-54 are particularly prominent at 15.9%, while the 55-64 group is smaller at 10.6% compared to Rest of WA. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 25-34 has grown from 11.8% to 13.7%. Conversely, the age groups 5-14 and 55-64 have declined from 15.2% to 13.4% and from 11.7% to 10.6%, respectively. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Margaret River's age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to increase by 664 people (41%) from 1,624 to 2,289. Conversely, both the 15-24 and 85+ age groups are expected to decrease in number.