WA · Port Hedland Council

Port Hedland, 6721

Est. population · Jun 2025

4,145

Growth (1 yr)

-1.5%

Growth (5 yr)

-1.9%

Median age

34

Median income

$3,434/wk

Employment rate

73.4%

Languages at home

12.5%non-English

Most common: Australian Indigenous languages, Tagalog, Afrikaans

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

35.9/100
Below average

413th in WA

Verified 78% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • Excellent transport
  • National parks
  • Education hub
  • Heritage area
What Port Hedland is known for: Green suburb, Excellent transport, National parks, Education hub, Heritage area

Suburb profile

Port Hedland is a quieter mid-sized suburb in Port Hedland Council, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with family life visible on every street. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.

Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. Buses make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.

Homes cost more here than in most comparable suburbs. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.

The overall desirability read is below average, pulled by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities compared with similar regional towns, though community and employment remain brighter spots. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Port Hedland snapshot

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

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

$1,175/wk

Population (ERP)

4,145

-1.5% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

27.1%

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

#22

among Country & regional · Established

Safety

8th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

2nd

percentile in WA

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

19th

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
35.9/100 — Below average
National rank
4503rd in Australia
State rank
413th in WA
Peer rank
#22 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#118 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
78%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

All types (wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv)
$1,175
Rental bonds lodged (wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv)
907

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 lodgementsDepartment 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

4,145(June 2025)

-1.5% annual · -1.9% over 5 years · 2th percentile in WA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
-1.5%
5-year growth
-1.9%
Change in 1 year
-62
Change in 5 years
-81
Growth rank in WA
2th 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 (~4,050), extrapolated at -0.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
4,081
Median age
34
Median household income / week
$3,434
Dwelling vacancy
27.1%
Unoccupied private dwellings
498 of 1,841
Median monthly mortgage
$1,812
Employment rate
73.4%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
910 / 163 / 245 (+ 18 other)

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian 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 ProfileAustralian 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)
5,762
Against the person
2,048
Against property
2,421
Rate per 1,000 residents
1,390.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 2 residents
State safety percentile
7.6th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
-6.5%

Most common offence types

  • Assault (Family)1124
  • Breach Of Violence Restraint Order564
  • Drug Offences729
  • Property Damage713
  • Stealing706

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

  • WA Police district crime statisticsWestern 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
4
Median school ICSEA (4 schools)
933
Median ICSEA percentile
19th
School list
  • Port Hedland Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 989 · 42th percentile · LBOTE 19% · 478 students · Top SEA quarter 14%View on My School →
  • Port Hedland School Of The AirPrimary · Government · ICSEA 943 · 22th percentile · LBOTE 21% · 28 students · Top SEA quarter 8%View on My School →
  • St Cecilia's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 923 · 16th percentile · LBOTE 42% · 157 students · Top SEA quarter 6%View on My School →
  • Strelley Community SchoolCombined · Independent · ICSEA 656 · 1th percentile · LBOTE 93% · 53 students · Top SEA quarter 0%View on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

69 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Richardson St After Wedge St
  • Richardson St Before Edgar St
  • Styles Rd After Matheson Dr
  • Sutherland St After Taplin St
  • Sutherland St Before Taplin St

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

7 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • A car helps for daily errands
  • Great for outdoor family life12 parks mapped in suburb
  • Well connected by public transport69 public transport stops
Walkability proxy
30/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
2.94
Other(5)
  • Bbq
  • Bench (2)
  • Picnic Table
  • Shelter (2)
  • Waste Basket

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 insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

11 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Art Galley ParkPark
  • Cemetery Beach ParkPark
  • Civic Center GardensPark
  • Dome Cafe FieldPark
  • Don Rhodes Mining Museum ParkPark
  • Leap ParkPark
  • Lion's ParkPark
  • Marapikurrinya ParkPark
  • Port Hedland Turf Club FieldPark
  • Pretty Pool ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
13
Parks (OSM)
12

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

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
2
Nearest hospital
Hedland Health Campus (8.4 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
Not in suburb
  • DentistDentist
  • Physiological Training - PhysiotherapyAnderson StreetPhysiotherapist

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
38
Participants per 1,000 residents
9.2

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
37° / 26°
Rainfall
189 mm · ~24 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
34° / 22°
Rainfall
109 mm · ~14 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
29° / 14°
Rainfall
35 mm · ~4 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
36° / 20°
Rainfall
4 mm · ~1 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Heritage

4 heritage places

  • Dalgety House6 Anderson St, Port Hedland3357
  • Lock Hospital (fmr) and Burial Ground, Port Hedland34 Sutherland St, Port Hedland5948
  • District Medical Officer's Quarters (fmr)76 The Esplanade, Port Hedland2286
  • St Matthew's Anglican ChurchLot 37 Edgar St, Port Hedland2285

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage registerState heritage authority · current · Updated

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 overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Durack
Member of Parliament
Melissa PRICE (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
119,942
Turnout (2025)
78.3%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-5.5 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 60.1%Labor 39.9%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 197.6 km away).

Coalition 53.6%Labor 46.4%

6.5 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -10.3 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • Port HedlandLabor 40.8% · Coalition 59.2% TPP (2025)4.4 km away
  • South Hedland EastLabor 54.6% · Coalition 45.4% TPP (2025)8.1 km away
  • South HedlandLabor 59.4% · Coalition 40.6% TPP (2025)8.7 km away
  • WickhamLabor 44.6% · Coalition 55.4% TPP (2025)161.6 km away
  • RoebourneLabor 60.1% · Coalition 39.9% TPP (2025)163.7 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)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

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

Compare with

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

More in Port Hedland Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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