Malabaine WA 6401
Malabaine is a rural locality in Western Australia, 109 km from Perth CBD, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Population is 51; the median age is 57 and the median household income is $84,500 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The locality grew 13.3% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $228 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. Malabaine is characterised by high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Walkability is low.
This locality is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 51. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.
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Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
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Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025128 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 23% of its income on the median rent in postcode 6401.
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.
Short-Stay Rentals
No active Airbnb listings.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months.
Schools
Walkability
Malabaine is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Malabaine.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 31
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
Northam: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Malabaine is home to 51 residents, with a median age of 57 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $84,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
51
Median Age
57
Median Household Income
$84,500/yr
Census Median Rent
$228/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$46,748/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
16.7%
Total Dwellings
18
Owner-Occupier Rate
77.8%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
14.0%
Mortgage Stress
30.8%
Work From Home
76.9%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 60.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 74.5%
- Employment Rate
- 52.4%
- Completed Year 12
- 37.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,471 a year through Northam based on 2023 figures.
Building Approvals: Northam
In the year to August 2026, 85 new dwellings were approved across Northam. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses. Approvals are down 68.4% on the same period a year earlier.
Climate & Setting
from Northam, 9.1 kmDry climate — very hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 225 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 399 mm
- 57 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 34.2°C
- 53 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 5.5°C
- 6 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the locality 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 6401, 19 of 7,218 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.1% (154 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.4%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 6401, 1,729 rooftop-solar systems totalling 10.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 3,523 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 75 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.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Trish Cook Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Trish Cook | 50.5% | 49.5% | -2.8 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Lachlan Hunter The Nationals WA
Next state election: 10 March 2029.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lachlan Hunter NP | 73.3% |
| 2021 | Mia Davies NP | 60.7% |
| 2017 | Mia Davies NP | 72.6% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2023, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: Western Australian Electoral Commission.
Looking at a specific address in Malabaine?
Every figure above is a locality 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 51 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 Malabaine to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other WA suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Malabaine
Is Malabaine a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Malabaine is high (84/100, ranked against other WA suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Malabaine?
Malabaine has no recorded bushfire history. No mapped flood overlay applies. These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Malabaine?
Malabaine, WA had a population of 51 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Malabaine, WA?
The postcode for Malabaine, WA is 6401.
How far is Malabaine from Perth?
Malabaine is 109 km from Perth CBD by road, about 89 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Malabaine?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Malabaine was $84,500 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 Malabaine?
There are too few current rental listings in Malabaine for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $228, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Malabaine?
The median age of residents in Malabaine was 57 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the weather like in Malabaine?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Malabaine, Northam (9.1 km away), summer days average 34.2°C, winter nights 5.5°C, 399 mm of rain a year over 57 rainy days, and 53 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Malabaine?
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 Malabaine belong to?
Malabaine sits within the Northam local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Malabaine?
The average residential rates bill through Northam is $2,471 a year (2023). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Malabaine?
Across Northam, 85 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 68.4% 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 Malabaine in?
Malabaine sits within the federal Division of Bullwinkel, currently held by Trish Cook (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2023–24
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- 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.