suburb.guide

WA · Augusta Margaret River Council

Margaret River, 6285

Est. population · Jun 2025

10,586

Growth (1 yr)

+3.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+17.8%

Median age

39

Median income

$1,640/wk

Employment rate

65%

University qualified

24.5%

Work from home

10%

Languages at home

10.8%non-English

Most common: French, Italian, Spanish

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

42.7/100
Average

Top 44% of Western Australia's suburbs

Verified 94% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Beach
  • Wine country
  • Green suburb
  • National parks
  • River access
What Margaret River is known for: Beach, Wine country, Green suburb, National parks, River access

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Margaret River, WA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Margaret River, WA Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/wa/margaret-river-wa

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Suburb profile

Margaret River is a regional town in Western Australia, in Augusta Margaret River Council. The Augusta Margaret River is part of the surrounding geography.

Employment rates are stronger than in comparable places, with employment 14% above the peer median. Local school ICSEA scores are among the highest in the peer group, placing it among the highest-ranked regional towns. University qualifications are more common than in comparable places, with university qualifications 65% above the peer median, and heritage listings are more concentrated than in comparable places. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. Rents are among the highest in the peer group, with median rents 24% above the peer median.

Overall, Margaret River suits people prioritising school quality and employment over lower rents.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Regional town · compared with regional towns in Western Australia (52)

Strengths

  • Local school ICSEA scores are among the highest in the peer group
  • Employment rates are stronger than in comparable places
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places
  • Heritage listings are more concentrated than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Rents are among the highest in the peer group

What stands out

  • Margaret River Beach
  • Augusta Margaret River
  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Margaret River compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$680/wk

Population (ERP)

10,586

+3.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

19.2%

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

#9

among Country & regional · Established

Pop. growth

86th

percentile in WA

Rented dwellings

28%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

6/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

75th

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
42.7/100 — Average
State standing
Top 44% of Western Australia's suburbs
National rank
3710th in Australia
State rank
302nd in WA
Peer rank
#9 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#67 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
94%

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)
$680
Rental bonds lodged (wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv)
668

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 (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

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

10,586(June 2025)

+3.0% annual · +17.8% over 5 years · 86th percentile in WA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+3.0%
5-year growth
+17.8%
Change in 1 year
+307
Change in 5 years
+1,597
Growth rank in WA
86th 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 (~12,450), extrapolated at +3.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
8,918
Median age
39
Median household income / week
$1,640
Dwelling vacancy
19.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
733 of 3,815
Median monthly mortgage
$1,694
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$380
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
29.7% / 42.8% / 27.5%
Employment rate
65%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
10% / 1% / 64.7%
Walked or cycled to work
5.3%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
2,823 / 207 / 9 (+ 16 other)

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted 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

Qualifications

24.5% of adults have a university degree, compared with 23.8% across Western Australia. 19.9% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified24.5% · 23.8% WA
  • Diploma qualified10.8% · 9.3% WA
  • Trade / vocational19.9% · 17.8% WA
  • Year 12 or below44.8% · 49.1% WA

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Management and commerce15.1%
  • Engineering and related technologies13.6%
  • Society and culture12.3%
  • Education12%
  • Health11.7%
  • Food, hospitality and personal services9%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$51,049

14th percentile in WA · -13% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$52,652

21st percentile in WA · -19% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
14.0%

62nd percentile in WA · +1% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$55,096

36th percentile in WA · -13% vs Australia

Residents with business income
16.0%

97th percentile in WA · +54% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 6285 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
8,311
Taxpayers reporting net rent
1,195
Median net rent
$3,429
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,350
Taxable income vs state median
-16%
Salary / wages vs state median
-16%
Rental investment vs state median
+17%
Super vs state median
-14%
Business income vs state median
+100%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in WA, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Seasonal & agricultural work

4.2% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 1.8× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 2.3% across Western Australia.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
4.2%

44th percentile in WA · +83% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
191
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 6285

Occupation mix in this industry

2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.

  • Labourers103
  • Managers38
  • Technicians and trades workers15
  • Professionals13
  • Machinery operators and drivers12

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 6285 (Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.

Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)

Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for Bunbury (SA4 501), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212888
  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 1213795
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 1214706
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211359
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8415316
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412304
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 841993
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 841376
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841632
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841110

Bunbury is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.

Census employed residents counted in G54: 4,538 · AFF share +83% vs the state.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
  • Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0

Community & culture

10.8% speak a language other than English at home; 26.9% born overseas

Language at home
7,384 English only · 891 other
Non-English at home
10.8%
Born overseas
2,213 (26.9%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
146 (1.6%)
Australian citizens
7,371
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
18

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • French59 · 18.1%
  • Italian53 · 16.3%
  • Spanish53 · 16.3%
  • German44 · 13.5%
  • Tagalog18 · 5.5%
  • Mandarin17 · 5.2%
  • Thai12 · 3.7%
  • Cantonese9 · 2.8%

Religion

62.3%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 62.3%, while Christianity accounts for 24.5%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion62.3%42.5%
Christianity24.5%41.1%
Other / not stated13.2%16.4%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic10.8%18.7%
Anglican7.7%10.1%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Figures are for the South West Police District, not this suburb alone.

Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2026 to Sep 2026)
8,011
Against the person
2,104
Against property
3,892
Rate per 1,000 residents (annualised)
49.6
State crime-rate percentile
17.7th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
-35%

Most common offence types

  • Assault (Family)
  • Breach Of Violence Restraint Order
  • Drug Offences
  • Property Damage
  • Stealing

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

  • WA Police district crime statistics — Western Australia Police Force · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Sep 2026; Jan 2026 to Sep 2026 · Updated · Quarterly timeseries XLSX; district-level aggregates

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
2
Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
1,071
Median ICSEA percentile
75th
School list
  • Margaret River Montessori School - Margaret River campusCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1094 · 83th percentile · LBOTE 15% · 141 students · Top SEA quarter 43% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
  • Margaret River Senior High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 1048 · 67th percentile · LBOTE 9% · 1,196 students · Top SEA quarter 21% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Childcare

2 childcare services from OpenStreetMap

  • Bluebird Childcare Margaret RiverFearn Avenuechildcare
  • The Early Learning Centre of Margaret RiverRailway Terracechildcare

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Childcare centres per 1,000 residents

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated

Public transport

1 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Charles West Av Transwa Margaret River

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

19 mapped amenities

2 beaches · 2 wineries · 2 caravan parks

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 18 parks mapped in suburb
Walkability proxy
2/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
2.02
Community(1)
  • Margaret River Montessori SchoolSchool

    4-6 Clarke Road, Margaret River

Sport & outdoors(9)
  • Beach (2)
  • Darch Road Walk/Cycle TrailCycling route
  • Margaret River BMX TrackCycling route
  • Margaret River to PrevellyCycling route
  • Margaret River WalkwayCycling route
  • Leeuwin-Naturaliste National ParkNature reserve
  • NTWA Bushland covenant (0185) Conservation CovenantNature reserve
  • Darch Road Walk/Cycle TrailWalking trail
Wineries & breweries(3)
  • Margaret River Distilling CompanyDistillery

    Maxwell Street, Margaret River

  • Cape MentelleWinery
  • DormilonaWinery
Camping & holiday parks(2)
  • Margaret River Tourist Park and Country CottagesCaravan park
  • Riverview CaravanparkCaravan park
Places to stay(1)
  • Basildene ManorGuest house
Other(1)
  • Parking (3)

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Sporting clubs

1 named sporting club in this suburb

  • Margaret River Golf Club

    Golf

Named sporting clubs from OpenStreetMap, assigned to this suburb's boundary. Sporting facilities such as ovals, courts and recreation centres are listed under Amenities.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap sporting clubs — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Geofabrik australia-latest.osm.pbf

Parks & reserves

3 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Memorial ParkPark
  • Rotary ParkPark
  • Ruther ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
13.8%
Woodland / forest cover
13.6%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
258
Parks (OSM)
18
Typical summer maximum
26°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
5
Nearest hospital
Margaret River District Hospital (2.4 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
On site
GP clinics in suburb
1
GPs tagged bulk billing (OSM)
0 of 1
Aged-care services
1
Residential aged-care places
46

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

  • Margaret River Medical CentreGP
  • Margaret River District HospitalFarrelly StreetHospital
  • Margaret River District HospitalHospital
  • Pharmacy 777Bussel highwayPharmacy
  • Priceline PharmacyPharmacy
Aged-care services
  • Baptistcare MirrambeenaMARGARET RIVERResidential

Australian Government–subsidised services from the AIHW GEN list (30 June 2025), assigned to this suburb by location.

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
225
Participants per 1,000 residents
21.3

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

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
26° / 15°
Rainfall
49 mm · ~6 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
22° / 13°
Rainfall
242 mm · ~30 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
17° / 9°
Rainfall
600 mm · ~75 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
20° / 11°
Rainfall
248 mm · ~31 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Heritage

3 heritage places

  • Old Hospital Complex27 Tunbridge St, Margaret River3314
  • Basildene Farmhouse187 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River107
  • Margaret River Hotel125 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River108

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via WA bush fire prone area mapping. Flood cover uses floodplain mapping against the suburb boundary where published.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Forrest
Member of Parliament
Ben SMALL (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
117,485
Turnout (2025)
89.3%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+1.9 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 52.2%Labor 47.8%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 35.7 km away).

Coalition 40.7%Labor 59.3%

11.6 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: 0.0 pp

Nearest polling places

  • Margaret RiverLabor 61.2% · Coalition 38.8% TPP (2025)2.1 km away
  • Margaret River SouthLabor 57.4% · Coalition 42.6% TPP (2025)2.8 km away
  • WitchcliffeLabor 57.8% · Coalition 42.2% TPP (2025)7.7 km away
  • Rosa BrookLabor 48.0% · Coalition 52.0% TPP (2025)13.5 km away
  • CowaramupLabor 55.7% · Coalition 44.3% TPP (2025)13.7 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

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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Augusta Margaret River Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Western Australia.