Key takeaways

• The picks: Ten suburbs across Regional WA's south-west coast, mid-west, Great Southern, Avon Valley and southern corridor make this list, with house medians from $490,000 to $1,110,000 and unit medians from $601,000 to $675,000.
• Who they suit: Investors willing to move beyond Perth for stronger yields and long-run growth, from income-focused buyers to those chasing capital gains in tightly supplied coastal and regional centres.
• Market conditions: Regional WA dwelling values rose +19.8 per cent over the year to July 2026, on Cotality's figures, with gross yields of 5.1 per cent well above what most capital cities offer.
• The forecast: REIWA expects several centres to record double-digit house price growth in 2026, with Albany, Busselton and Geraldton having the potential for +20 per cent or more.
• The trade-off: Suburbs with the strongest recent growth mostly carry thinner yields, so the strongest income picks generally show more measured price gains.

Why invest in Regional WA now?

Regional WA has been one of the strongest-performing property markets in the country over the past few years, and the numbers behind that run are still broadly positive in mid-2026. The pace has cooled a little from its peak, but the conditions that drove the growth have not gone away: tight supply, population movement from Perth, solid rental demand and entry prices well below the capital.

Dwelling values across regional WA rose +19.8 per cent over the 12 months to July 2026, according to Cotality's Home Value Index, with a further +2.1 per cent added in the most recent quarter. The median dwelling value sits at $725,791.

At the centre level, REIWA data shows every regional centre recorded house-price growth over both the quarter and the year to June 2026. The reason prices have held up is straightforward: not enough homes are being built. Building costs are high, land in established centres is limited, and planning and construction timeframes are long, so competition stays focused on existing stock. REIWA regional spokesperson Peta McKenzie put it plainly: "the challenges of building a new home, including the limited availability of land, building costs and timeframes, continue to support demand in the established homes market."

The rental market is in good shape for landlords. Conditions are very tight across most centres, with the gross rental yield sitting at 5.1 per cent on Cotality's figures, well above what most capital-city markets offer. That means rent is doing more of the work for an investor here than it would in Sydney or Melbourne. In the Pilbara, yields run considerably higher still, driven by mining and government demand for housing that the private rental market struggles to meet.

Sentiment pulled back through the June quarter. REIWA members noted that buyers were more cautious, partly because of Federal Budget tax changes affecting investors and partly because saving a deposit while renting is genuinely hard right now. That caution has given the market more breathing room than it had in late 2025, which for a buyer means more listings to consider and a little more room to negotiate.

If you are sizing up a suburb on this list, a free property report gives you a practical rundown: recent comparable sales, suburb statistics, average days on market and an estimated property value, all free and with no obligation.

Western Australia property market forecast and price predictions 2026

Regional WA property market predictions for 2026 are the most specific of any Australian regional market, because REIWA publishes centre-by-centre forecasts updated quarterly. The headline finding: several centres have the potential for strong double-digit house price growth this year.

REIWA President Suzanne Brown said in July 2026 that "Many regions are outperforming Perth for median house sale price growth and some have the potential to record extremely strong growth over 2026. In particular, Albany, Busselton, and Geraldton currently have the potential to see growth of 20 per cent or more."

REIWA's centre-by-centre breakdown puts Bunbury, Esperance and Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the 15 to 20 per cent range, Karratha and Port Hedland at around 15 per cent, and Broome at around 5 per cent. On rents, REIWA expects growth of over 5 per cent statewide, with stronger gains in Albany, Karratha and Port Hedland.

Two caveats matter. First, REIWA noted the rate of growth appears to be declining in some centres. Second, Federal Budget tax changes have dampened investor activity, and that is showing up in the June quarter data already.

For context, Cotality's Home Value Index put regional WA dwelling values up +19.8 per cent over the year to July 2026, with a gross rental yield of 5.1 per cent.

If you are weighing up which centre to focus on, seeing what is available before committing makes a real difference. OpenAdvantage is OpenAgent's buyer network: it gives you early access to thousands of off-market properties, homes whose owners are ready to sell but have not yet listed publicly, at no cost.

How we chose the best suburbs in Regional WA

OpenAgent's data team built and ran the scoring model behind these rankings, using sales and rental records as inputs. The model is growth-led: 12-month and five-year price growth do most of the work, with days on market, listings volume and rental yield each contributing a smaller amount.

The rankings use sales and rental data for the 12 months to 30 June 2026. Growth figures compare that period with the previous 12 months and the equivalent period five years earlier. Each suburb is ranked on its stronger property type, house or unit.

The gross rental yield is an estimate based on all properties in a suburb, not only rented ones. Suburbs with fewer than about 20 sales are excluded, and some datapoints are omitted where data is too limited to be reliable.

General information only, not financial advice. Figures are estimates and past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Always seek independent advice.

Regional WA's best suburbs to invest in 2026

Ten suburbs make this list, two units and eight houses. Each is profiled individually after the comparison table. Across the picks, the strongest recent growth tends to come with thinner yields, while the suburbs offering the best income generally show more measured price gains.

Source: OpenAgent data.

1. Halls Head 6210

Halls Head sits on the Mandurah coast, about 75 kilometres south of Perth along the Kwinana Freeway. It is a family-oriented suburb of canals and beach access that draws both lifestyle buyers and investors, and the unit market here has moved sharply.

Units took an average of 23.5 days to sell over the past year, down from 41.5 days the year before, while listings fell -29.7 per cent. That combination, faster sales and less stock, tells you buyers here are not sitting on the fence. A gross yield of 5.1 per cent at a median of $675,000 gives this suburb rare dual appeal: genuine income alongside strong capital growth of +33.7 per cent over twelve months.

• Strengths: A coastal lifestyle location where units are selling fast and income is competitive.
• Risks and considerations: A small, thinly traded unit market where sentiment shifts can move the median quickly.
• Best suited for: Investors seeking both income and growth, comfortable with a coastal market at a meaningful entry price.

2. Bunbury 6230

Bunbury is the commercial heart of the South West, about 175 kilometres south of Perth, with a working port, a hospital precinct and a genuine town centre that sustains demand beyond seasonal lifestyle buyers. Its unit market has tracked a similarly strong run to Halls Head.

The median unit price rose +32.1 per cent over the year to $601,000. Units are sitting on the market for 48 days, unchanged from a year ago, which suggests the market is settling after a sharp run rather than losing steam entirely. The gross yield of 5.2 per cent is the better income number of the two unit picks, against a five-year gain of +105.8 per cent.

• Strengths: A diversified regional economy underpins demand in a way smaller coastal towns cannot match.
• Risks and considerations: Selling pace has not improved in twelve months, suggesting the market is finding its level after a sharp run.
• Best suited for: Income-focused investors who want a regional centre with economic depth behind it.

3. Dongara 6525

Dongara is a quiet fishing town on the mid-west coast, about 360 kilometres north of Perth near the mouth of the Irwin River. It draws sea-changers and retirees, and its housing market is driven by a small pool of buyers competing for very little stock.

Listings fell -23.7 per cent over the past year, yet homes are now taking 86 days to sell, up from 62 days before. That gap between tighter supply and slower selling pace is worth watching: fewer homes available, but buyers are taking longer to commit. The median house price reached $750,000, up +31.8 per cent over twelve months and +126.6 per cent over five years, on a gross yield of 4.6 per cent.

• Strengths: Exceptional long-run price growth in a market where supply has genuinely tightened.
• Risks and considerations: Selling pace has slowed noticeably, and a small buyer pool can make an exit difficult to time.
• Best suited for: Patient long-hold investors drawn to a tightly supplied coastal town with a strong five-year track record.

4. Broadwater 6280

Broadwater is a quiet rural-residential pocket in the Busselton local government area, sitting between wine country and the Geographe Bay coast. It draws buyers who want space and a prestige lifestyle address, and prices reflect that demand.

The median is $1,110,000, the highest of the ten picks, up +27.6 per cent over the past year. Homes are selling in 31.5 days, down from 43. The gross yield is 4 per cent, the lowest gross yield of the nine picks with a figure, meaning rent covers only a modest share of the costs of ownership. The case here rests on prices continuing to grow.

• Strengths: Strong and sustained price growth in a prestige lifestyle location where buyer demand has been accelerating.
• Risks and considerations: Rental income is modest relative to the entry price, so the investment depends on continued price growth.
• Best suited for: Capital-growth investors with the financial capacity to carry a premium entry price on a modest rental return.

5. Northam 6401

Northam is the main service town of the Avon Valley, about 100 kilometres east of Perth. It is an agricultural hub with a hospital, a racecourse and a university campus, giving it a more stable employment base than most regional towns of its size.

The median house price rose +26.2 per cent over the year to $542,500. Five-year growth of +135.9 per cent is the strongest of the ten picks. The gross yield of 5.6 per cent is the highest of the nine picks with a figure, meaning this suburb offers the best rental income relative to its price of any pick on the list. Homes are selling in 42 days, down from 47 a year ago.

• Strengths: Exceptional long-run growth record, paired with genuine rental income that most metro picks cannot match.
• Risks and considerations: Northam is an inland agricultural town, and its appeal to lifestyle buyers is narrower than the coastal picks.
• Best suited for: Yield-focused investors who want genuine income alongside a long-run growth record, and are comfortable with an inland market.

6. Lower King 6330

Lower King is a residential suburb on Albany's eastern fringe, sitting close to the King River estuary and the dairy and farming country that gives the Great Southern its character. Albany itself has been named one of the state's seven key regional centres, which has focused infrastructure spending on the area.

The median house price rose +34.4 per cent over the past year to $825,000, the strongest twelve-month growth of the ten picks. Homes sold in 42 days on average, down from 47 days. The gross yield of 5 per cent is solid for a market at this price point, with five-year growth of +98.8 per cent behind it.

• Strengths: The fastest-growing suburb on the list over the past year, in a regional centre with committed government investment.
• Risks and considerations: Listings data from the prior year is unavailable, so the supply trend is harder to read than for other picks.
• Best suited for: Growth-focused investors who want a foothold in Albany's orbit at a price point below the city's prestige coastal end.

7. Preston Beach 6215

Preston Beach is a small coastal settlement south of Mandurah, facing the Yalgorup Lakes system and the Indian Ocean. It is a holiday and sea-change destination with limited permanent population, where most buyers are chasing a lifestyle address rather than a rental income.

The median house price rose +34 per cent over the year to $650,000, and homes are selling in 27.5 days, down sharply from 47 days. Listings also fell -29.5 per cent. Rental and yield data is unavailable for this suburb, which reflects how thinly traded the permanent rental market is here: if income is central to your investment case, this suburb cannot give you the figures to model it.

• Strengths: Strong recent price growth and accelerating selling pace in a tightly supplied coastal enclave.
• Risks and considerations: No rental data is available, so income cannot be modelled, and a very small market can be illiquid when conditions ease.
• Best suited for: Growth-focused investors comfortable buying into a holiday-town market without reliable income figures.

8. Beachlands 6530

Beachlands is a coastal suburb of Geraldton, Western Australia's mid-west capital, with beach access and a relaxed residential character that appeals to families and retirees alike. Geraldton's infrastructure pipeline, including the Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area, gives this location economic depth beyond lifestyle appeal.

The median house price rose +26.1 per cent over the year to $600,000, on a gross yield of 4.4 per cent. Listings fell -39.2 per cent over the past year, and homes are selling in 35 days, marginally faster than a year ago. The five-year growth of +131.7 per cent shows how much ground this suburb has covered.

• Strengths: Solid long-run growth backed by Geraldton's expanding economic base and genuine tightening in available stock.
• Risks and considerations: A sharp fall in listings limits buyer choice on the way in, and may reflect sellers holding back rather than pure demand.
• Best suited for: Long-hold investors who want a coastal Geraldton address with a track record across multiple years of growth.

9. Golden Bay 6174

Golden Bay is a beachside suburb in Perth's southern coastal corridor, close to Rockingham and about 50 kilometres from the CBD. It has the feel of a family suburb that happens to have beach access, which explains why it tends to attract owner-occupiers as much as investors.

The median house price rose +21.1 per cent over the year to $830,000, the weakest twelve-month growth of the ten picks, though five-year growth of +130.6 per cent tells a more compelling story. Homes are selling in 24 days, the shortest of the eight house picks. Listings rose +40.7 per cent over the past year, which means buyers here have more choice than in most of the list and a little more room to negotiate on price.

• Strengths: The fastest-selling house pick, with a strong long-run growth record and genuine lifestyle appeal.
• Risks and considerations: A sharp rise in available listings gives buyers more negotiating room, which could moderate near-term price growth.
• Best suited for: Investors who value liquidity and a proven long-run record, and are comfortable buying into a market where stock is building.

10. Hopetoun 6348

Hopetoun is a small fishing and farming town on WA's south coast, near the Fitzgerald River National Park and about 190 kilometres west of Esperance. It is genuinely remote, which keeps prices low but also limits the tenant and buyer pools substantially.

At $490,000, its median carries the lowest entry price of the ten picks, up +32.4 per cent over the past year. Homes are taking 91 days to sell, down from 110 days a year ago, and the gross yield is 4.8 per cent. A slow selling pace at 91 days is a real consideration: if you need to exit, finding a buyer will take time.

• Strengths: The most accessible entry price on the list, with improving selling pace in a market coming off a low base.
• Risks and considerations: Remote location, a very small buyer and tenant pool, and a slow selling pace make an exit harder to plan.
• Best suited for: Investors prepared to hold for the long term in a speculative, low-entry-cost market, who fully accept the illiquidity involved.

The bottom line

Regional WA remains one of the stronger performing markets in the country, with REIWA forecasting double-digit house price growth across most centres in 2026, and yields that most capital cities cannot match. The picks on this list are spread across lifestyle, income and long-hold strategies, and the honest note is that low liquidity in smaller towns is a real risk worth pricing in.

Explore suburb profiles to dig into the prices, growth and rental data for any suburb before you commit.