Dongara is a town in Western Australia, 351 km from Perth CBD, around 3 hours 50 minutes by car. Population is 1,393; the median age is 51 and the median household income is $56,784 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $268 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,600. The area shows high coastal erosion risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. 1 school sits within the town boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Dongara a good town?
Dongara scores a C (33/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit and community.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 17/100 · 351 km · 232 min drive to Perth
Median available
Median $615K
Moderate crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 52/100 · Flood 54/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 2/10 · median age 51 · 1,393 residents
Liveability Rating
33 / 100 · Ranked #420 in WAEach bar is Dongara's rank among WA suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Dongara?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
33 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median Land Price
Public listings dataDongara's land market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $184,000, roughly 37% above where it sat a year earlier.
Land
$184,000
Based on 65 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 74 days — median across 28 sales that recorded a listing period
Houses
$615,000
Based on 60 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 33 days — median across 18 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 26 sales $542K
- 4 bed 26 sales $748K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Dongara are currently listed at around $824,000 on average. Based on 18 houses listed in the past six months.
$824K
18 houses listed in the last 6 months.
18 of the suburb's 547 dwellings (3.3%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Dongara rent for around $600 a week on average, based on 5 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$600/wk
5 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
6 rentals advertised against an estimated 135 rented homes (4.4%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025154 Affordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 19% of its income on the median rent in postcode 6525.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$600/week ($31,000 a year) on a $824,000 median
Based on a small sample (5 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
9 active Airbnb listings: 8 whole homes and 1 room. Whole homes are about 1.2% of the town's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 1.3 km
- Rate
- -0.20 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -9.3 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
One school serve Dongara, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 342 students in one school (avg 342)
Combined
Walkability
Dongara is very car-dependent on foot — at 17/100, nearly all errands require a car.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Dongara.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 46%
- Premises covered
- 939
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Irwin: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 4 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the town closely.
Dongara is home to about 1,400 residents, with a median age of 51 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $57,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,393
Median Age
51
Median Household Income
$56,784/yr
Census Median Rent
$268/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,600/mo
Avg Household Size
2.3
Median Personal Income
$31,200/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
20.5%
Total Dwellings
547
Owner-Occupier Rate
75.4%
Houses
88.1%
Rental Stress
24.5%
Mortgage Stress
33.8%
Work From Home
7.5%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
24 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 5 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 129 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 78.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.2%
- Employment Rate
- 47.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 27.2%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
13 residents (0.9%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
7.1% of residents (94) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Perth (77).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,331 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (3 of 558).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $3,719 a year through Irwin based on 2023 figures.
Building Approvals: Irwin
In the year to August 2026, 43 new dwellings were approved across Irwin. That mix is 41 houses and 2 units. Approvals are up 57.1% on the same period a year earlier.
Setting
- Elevation
- 15 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 1.3 km
- 3.4 km to a named beach
Elevation is the ground at the town centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
EV adoption
In postcode 6525, 4 of 3,790 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.6% (62 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 6525, 1,039 rooftop-solar systems totalling 5.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,839 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 53 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $800,000.
Cap is $800,000 SOUTH of the 26th parallel (which includes all of metropolitan Perth) and $1,000,000 NORTH of it. We store the southern figure because that is where almost every buyer is; the northern cap is higher, so the stored value never overstates eligibility. The southern cap rose from $750,000 on 7 May 2026 in the 2026-27 Housing Taxation Package. The same package moved the first home owner RATE OF DUTY thresholds, which is a different scheme and lives in the web repo's app/stamp_duty.py.
Mortgage repayments
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with RevenueWA
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $800,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Department of Finance WA.
At $184,000 this is under the $800,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Department of Finance WA.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Melissa Price Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Melissa Price | 39.9% | 60.1% | -5.5 |
| 2022 | Melissa Price | 45.7% | 54.3% | -9.2 |
| 2019 | Melissa Price | 35.2% | 64.8% | +3.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Shane Love The Nationals WA
Next state election: 10 March 2029.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Shane Love NP | 63.7% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2023, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Western Australian Electoral Commission.
Looking at a specific address in Dongara?
Every figure above is a town average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 1,393 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Dongara to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other WA suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Dongara
Is Dongara a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Dongara is moderate (52/100, ranked against other WA suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Dongara?
Dongara has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (54/100). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Dongara a good place to live?
Dongara has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (33/100), ranked against other WA suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Dongara?
Dongara, WA had a population of 1,393 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Dongara, WA?
The postcode for Dongara, WA is 6525.
How far is Dongara from Perth?
Dongara is 351 km from Perth CBD by road, about 232 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Dongara?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Dongara was $56,784 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Dongara?
The median advertised rent in Dongara is $600 a week for houses (5 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Dongara?
The median age of residents in Dongara was 51 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Dongara?
There is 1 school inside the Dongara boundary: 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Dongara walkable?
Dongara scores 17/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Dongara?
First-home buyers in WA may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $800,000. The grant is administered by Department of Finance WA; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Dongara belong to?
Dongara sits within the Irwin local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Dongara?
The average residential rates bill through Irwin is $3,719 a year (2023). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Dongara?
Across Irwin, 43 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 57.1% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Dongara in?
Dongara sits within the federal Division of Durack, currently held by Melissa Price (Liberal).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2023–24
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2025
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.