Median house price
—
No data available
WA · West Arthur Council
Darkan, 6392
Est. population · Jun 2025
391
Growth (1 yr)
+1.0%
Growth (5 yr)
+3.7%
Median age
49
Median income
$1,321/wk
Employment rate
59.2%
Languages at home
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- National parks
- Education hub
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Darkan is a regional smaller community in West Arthur Council, oriented around local life rather than the metro orbit of Perth. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Local eateries and coffee spots give the area a friendly, everyday social rhythm.
Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets. Homes are relatively cheap compared with the wider market, which keeps entry costs lower.
Reported crime has been falling recently. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
The desirability picture is around average, weighed down by softer schools and education relative to similar regional towns.
At a glance
Darkan snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$205/wk
Population (ERP)
391
+1.0% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
15.3%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#27
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
32nd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
46th
percentile in WA
Advantage (IRSAD)
6/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
30th
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 41.9/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 47% of Western Australia's suburbs
- National rank
- 3431st in Australia
- State rank
- 324th in WA
- Peer rank
- #27 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #57 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 66%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- All types (wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv)
- $205
- Rental bonds lodged (wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv)
- 28
Median weekly rent from WA rental bond lodgements. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- WA rental bond lodgements — Department of Communities (WA) · wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv · Updated · Monthly bond summaries
Population
Estimated resident population
391(June 2025)
+1.0% annual · +3.7% over 5 years · 46th percentile in WA
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.0%
- 5-year growth
- +3.7%
- Change in 1 year
- +4
- Change in 5 years
- +14
- Growth rank in WA
- 46th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~400), extrapolated at +0.2% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 371
- Median age
- 49
- Median household income / week
- $1,321
- Dwelling vacancy
- 15.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 27 of 177
- Median monthly mortgage
- $980
- Employment rate
- 59.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 133 / 6 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Aug 2026)
- 3,627
- Against the person
- 983
- Against property
- 1,654
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 9,276.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 32th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -21.5%
Most common offence types
- Assault (Family)435
- Breach Of Violence Restraint Order369
- Drug Offences621
- Property Damage421
- Stealing645
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- WA Police district crime statistics — Western Australia Police Force · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Aug 2026; Jan 2026 to Aug 2026 · Updated · Quarterly timeseries XLSX; district-level aggregates
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 963
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 30th
School list
- Darkan Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 963 · 30th percentile · LBOTE 9% · 56 students · Top SEA quarter 14% · 1.7 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Amenities
32 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 cafes · 1 supermarkets · 2 places of worship · 1 playgrounds · 1 swimming pools · 1 petrol stations · 1 post offices
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 27/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 2.7
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 2.7
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 2.7
Food & drink(1)
- Rarebits on BurrowesCafe
Shopping(1)
- Fleay's StoreSupermarket
Community(5)
- Community Resource CentreCommunity centre
- CWACommunity centre
- Health and Resource CentreCommunity centre
- The ShedCommunity centre
- Darkan Town HallTownhall
Sport & outdoors(3)
- Playground
- Sports field
- Swimming pool
Other(17)
- Darkan Agri Services - NutrienAgrarian
- Rarebits on BurrowesBooks
- Putland MotorsCar repair
- Darkan Agri servicesFarm
- Fitness Station
- Allure for hairHairdresser
- Parking (3)
- WA FuelPetrol station
- Darkan Uniting ChurchPlace of worship
- St. MarysPlace of worship
- Australia PostPost Box
- Darkan LPOPost office
- Street LibraryPublic Bookcase
- Public toilets
- Shelter (3)
- TelstraTelephone
- Water Point (2)
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Proposed Nature ReserveNature reserve
- Robert L Perry ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 13
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Places of worship
2 places of worship within ~1.5 km
- Darkan Uniting Church
- St. Marys
From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- First Aid Muja Power Station (42.5 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 6
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 15.3
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 30° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 50 mm · ~6 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 24° / 11°
- Rainfall
- 103 mm · ~13 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 15° / 6°
- Rainfall
- 222 mm · ~28 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 21° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 99 mm · ~12 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via WA bush fire prone area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- O'Connor
- Member of Parliament
- Rick WILSON (Liberal)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 122,006
- Turnout (2025)
- 86.7%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -6.6 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 63.3%Labor 36.7%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 59.8 km away).
Coalition 87.6%Labor 12.4%
24.3 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -3.9 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- DarkanLabor 12.4% · Coalition 87.6% TPP (2025)0.9 km away
- WilliamsLabor 13.4% · Coalition 86.6% TPP (2025)37.9 km away
- Collie NorthLabor 51.3% · Coalition 48.7% TPP (2025)53.7 km away
- CollieLabor 51.4% · Coalition 48.6% TPP (2025)54.0 km away
- Collie SouthLabor 56.5% · Coalition 43.5% TPP (2025)55.6 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in West Arthur Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Western Australia.