Median house price
—
No data available
WA · Esperance Council
Salmon Gums, 6445
Est. population · Jun 2025
158
Growth (1 yr)
+1.3%
Growth (5 yr)
+11.3%
Median age
48
Median income
$900/wk
Employment rate
72.1%
Languages at home
6.6%non-English
Most common: Italian
2021 Census · usual residence
- Green suburb
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- Heritage area
Suburb profile
Salmon Gums offers a slower smaller community life in Esperance Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice.
Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield. Buyers typically pay more than the metro middle for a home here.
Crime trends have improved of late compared with the previous period. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
At a glance
Salmon Gums snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
158
+1.3% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
22.1%
Census unoccupied dwellings
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Safety
52nd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
53rd
percentile in WA
Advantage (IRSAD)
8/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
57th
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
Population
Estimated resident population
158(June 2025)
+1.3% annual · +11.3% over 5 years · 53th percentile in WA
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.3%
- 5-year growth
- +11.3%
- Change in 1 year
- +2
- Change in 5 years
- +16
- Growth rank in WA
- 53th 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 (~150), extrapolated at +0.2% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 146
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $900
- Dwelling vacancy
- 22.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 15 of 68
- Median monthly mortgage
- $661
- Employment rate
- 72.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 52 / 0 / 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)
- 6,479
- Against the person
- 2,215
- Against property
- 2,879
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 41,006.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 52.4th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -13.3%
Most common offence types
- Assault (Family)1034
- Assault (Non-Family)461
- Drug Offences953
- Property Damage726
- Stealing1012
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
- 1,023
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 57th
School list
- Salmon Gums Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1023 · 57th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 17 students · Top SEA quarter 21%View 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
Public transport
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- Coolgardie-Esperance Hwy Transwa Salmon Gums
- Coolgardie-Esperance Hwy Transwa Salmon Gums
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
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
4 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Arthur Guest Memorial ParkPark
- Dowak Nature ReserveNature reserve
- WA33501 Nature ReserveNature reserve
- WA43221 Nature ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 16
- 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
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Norseman Hospital (75.3 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)
- 2
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 12.7
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
- 29° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 83 mm · ~10 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 11°
- Rainfall
- 92 mm · ~12 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 17° / 6°
- Rainfall
- 102 mm · ~13 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 79 mm · ~10 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Heritage
1 heritage place
- Salmon Gums Research Station1663 Machens Rd, Salmon Gums16599
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
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 183.5 km away).
Coalition 65.9%Labor 34.1%
2.6 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -8.9 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- NorsemanLabor 49.6% · Coalition 50.4% TPP (2025)73.5 km away
- GibsonLabor 11.4% · Coalition 88.6% TPP (2025)88.9 km away
- CastletownLabor 23.9% · Coalition 76.1% TPP (2025)110.4 km away
- NulsenLabor 40.5% · Coalition 59.5% TPP (2025)112.8 km away
- Special Hospital Team 6Labor 44.9% · Coalition 55.1% TPP (2025)112.8 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)
- 8/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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 Esperance Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Western Australia.