WA · Port Hedland Council

South Hedland, 6722

Est. population · Jun 2025

13,007

Growth (1 yr)

+1.9%

Growth (5 yr)

+14.4%

Median age

32

Median income

$2,586/wk

Employment rate

64%

Languages at home

19%non-English

Most common: Australian Indigenous languages, Tagalog, Filipino

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

44.2/100
Average

Top 41% of Western Australia's suburbs

Verified 78% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • Excellent transport
  • National parks
  • Education hub
  • High desirability
What South Hedland is known for: Green suburb, Excellent transport, National parks, Education hub, High desirability

Suburb profile

South Hedland sits in Port Hedland Council as a regional established suburb that feels self-contained and a long way from big-city bustle. Day-to-day life leans on nearby towns and local hubs rather than the metro area. The community skews younger, with plenty of young families in the mix.

Sport and recreation are easy to access, with local venues supporting active weekends and after-work routines. Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many regional towns, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. Reasonably walkable — many errands reachable on foot or by bus, and buses help with longer trips.

Housing is expensive relative to much of the state. The area is still finding its shape, with new households arriving and the community evolving year by year.

The desirability picture is around average, weighed down by softer schools and education relative to similar regional towns.

At a glance

South Hedland snapshot

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

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

$850/wk

Population (ERP)

13,007

+1.9% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

22.0%

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

#3

among Country & regional · Growth area

Safety

0th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

71st

percentile in WA

Advantage (IRSAD)

5/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

6th

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
44.2/100 — Average
State standing
Top 41% of Western Australia's suburbs
National rank
3060th in Australia
State rank
286th in WA
Peer rank
#3 among Country & regional · Growth area suburbs
Cohort rank
#41 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)
$850
Rental bonds lodged (wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv)
2,137

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

13,007(June 2025)

+1.9% annual · +14.4% over 5 years · 71th percentile in WA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.9%
5-year growth
+14.4%
Change in 1 year
+247
Change in 5 years
+1,637
Growth rank in WA
71th 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 (~14,400), extrapolated at +2.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
11,046
Median age
32
Median household income / week
$2,586
Dwelling vacancy
22%
Unoccupied private dwellings
952 of 4,330
Median monthly mortgage
$1,387
Employment rate
64%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
2,417 / 719 / 204 (+ 26 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
443
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 5 residents
State safety percentile
0.3th (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
5
Median school ICSEA (5 schools)
867
Median ICSEA percentile
6th
School list
  • South Hedland Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 815 · 3th percentile · LBOTE 58% · 265 students · Top SEA quarter 4% · 0.5 km awayView on My School →
  • Cassia Education Support CentreSpecial · Government · ICSEA 828 · 4th percentile · LBOTE 28% · 42 students · Top SEA quarter 4% · 0.8 km awayView on My School →
  • Cassia Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 867 · 6th percentile · LBOTE 48% · 444 students · Top SEA quarter 2% · 0.8 km awayView on My School →
  • Hedland Senior High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 886 · 8th percentile · LBOTE 29% · 1,138 students · Top SEA quarter 5% · 0.9 km awayView on My School →
  • Baler Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 902 · 11th percentile · LBOTE 36% · 592 students · Top SEA quarter 5% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

80 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Brodie Cr Before Driver Wy
  • Hawkins St After Edkins Pl
  • Hawkins St Before Edkins Pl
  • Traine Cr After Driver Wy
  • Traine Cr Before Driver Wy

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

28 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

1 cafes · 1 supermarkets · 1 fast food · 4 playgrounds · 3 sports centres · 4 swimming pools · 1 post offices

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Reasonably walkable — many errands reachable on foot or by bus
  • Great for outdoor family life20 parks mapped in suburb, 4 playgrounds nearby
  • Well connected by public transport80 public transport stops
  • Strong local sport and recreation12 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
59/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0.09
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0.18
Parks per 1,000 residents
1.81
Food & drink(2)
  • Muffin BreakCafe
  • ZambreroFast food

    2 Throssell Road, South Hedland

Shopping(1)
  • ColesSupermarket

    9 Throssell Road

Sport & outdoors(12)
  • Playground (4)
  • South Hedland Bowling & Tennis ClubSports centre
  • Sports centre
  • Wanangkura Stadium 24-7Sports centre
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool (4)
Other(11)
  • Commonwealth BankBank
  • Bicycle Parking (3)
  • HoldenCar
  • Isuzu UteCar
  • Pilbara ToyotaCar
  • South Hedland Carwash and DogwashCar wash

    15 Nairn Street

  • Just JeansClothes
  • KmartDepartment Store
  • Hedland Home HardwareHardware
  • South Hedland Post OfficePost office
  • EB GamesVideo Games

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

12 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Centenary ParkPark
  • Daylesford ParkPark
  • Forrest ParkPark
  • Koombana ParkPark
  • Marquee ParkPark
  • Shay Gap Memorial ParkPark
  • South Hedland Aquatic CentrePark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
34
Parks (OSM)
20

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
1
Nearest hospital
Hedland Health Campus (0.8 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
On site
  • Hedland Health CampusHospital

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
258
Participants per 1,000 residents
19.8

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

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 190.9 km away).

Coalition 42.0%Labor 58.0%

18.2 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -2.6 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • South HedlandLabor 59.4% · Coalition 40.6% TPP (2025)0.9 km away
  • South Hedland EastLabor 54.6% · Coalition 45.4% TPP (2025)1.5 km away
  • Port HedlandLabor 40.8% · Coalition 59.2% TPP (2025)12.1 km away
  • WickhamLabor 44.6% · Coalition 55.4% TPP (2025)154.8 km away
  • RoebourneLabor 60.1% · Coalition 39.9% TPP (2025)156.6 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

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
5/10
IRSD decile (2021)
4/10

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

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.