Top 10 best suburbs in regional Western Australia to invest in 2026
Regional Western Australia (WA) continues to outpace other markets across the nation for house price growth. Alongside state capital Perth, country WA has delivered some of the strongest increases in home values and buyer interest in 2026, even as other locations begin to slow.
WA’s Goldfields region has experienced the highest growth, in part due to the area’s mining industry attracting investors and workers looking to relocate. Lifestyle affordability has been a key driver for buyers, but a lack of new housing supply has continued to push up property prices.
If you’re considering investing in regional WA, the ‘best’ suburb to buy in will vary based on your budget, strategy, and risk tolerance. What positions a suburb among the ‘best’ in its class will vary between investors: one might consider vacancy rates the deciding factor, while another might be more interested in local economic growth or buyer demand.
For our purposes, we’ve considered Cotality data highlighting Western Australian suburbs boasting the largest annual growth in median property values from 2025 to 2026:
Rank | Suburb | Median value | Annual change |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kambalda West | $272,595 | +38.2% |
2 | Beverley | $512,043 | +36.5% |
3 | West Lamington | $562,034 | +36.1% |
4 | Coolgardie | $229,913 | +35.4% |
5 | Hannans | $661,882 | +34.9% |
6 | Karlkurla | $797,189 | +34.6% |
7 | Kalgoorlie | $462,729 | +34.0% |
8 | Piccadilly | $501,018 | +34.0% |
9 | Bindoon | $1,064,253 | +33.6% |
10 | South Kalgoorlie | $483,567 | +33.2% |
Source: Cotality, July 2026.
Buyer demand in regional Western Australia
According to RealEstate.com.au, buyer demand in the following regional suburbs in WA has grown year-on-year:
Suburb | Demand growth |
|---|---|
West Lamington | +119% |
Lamington | +103% |
Source: PropTrack, July 2026. Buyer demand is measured by key enquiry numbers per property listing in a suburb.
What do you need to know about the regional Western Australia property market in 2026?
According to August insights from Cotality, dwelling values in regional WA are up by 19.6% year-on-year. WA is also one of the few states where regional growth has trended upwards through all of 2026, with an increase of 2.1% between May and July.
Cotality lists the median dwelling values across regional WA in August 2026 as:
- Combined: $725,791
- Houses: $747,835
- Units: $458,286
If you’re looking at Western Australian property outside Perth, consider the following factors:
- Vacancy rates: According to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA), July 2026 rental vacancy rates were 2.2% in Perth, but varied across regional areas, from 0.6% in Albany, to 3.0% in Port Hedland.
- Sales volumes: Cotality reports that regional WA has seen a decrease in sales volume of 10.0% in the 12 months to August 2026.
- Rental growth: Regional WA rental rates have grown by 8.2% in the 12 months to August 2026 (Cotality).
- Rental yield: Gross rental yields in regional WA are 5.1% as of August 2026. RealEstate.com.au’s April 2026 data cites a median weekly rent for a dwelling in regional parts of WA as $680.
- Infrastructure spending: The WA Government’s 2026-27 Budget includes $44.3 billion for state infrastructure, $2.6 billion towards water and energy, and $4.7 billion to boost housing supply. Key regional facilities and projects are also partially funded by WA’s Royalties for Regions policy, which reserves 25% of the state’s mining and petroleum royalties for rural development.
What is impacting price growth in regional Western Australia?
While other states have experienced a mid-year slowdown in property sales and prices, regional WA has remained on a steady incline. However, WA is not immune to cost of living pressures or increasing core inflation, so the conditions we’re seeing nation-wide could still impact growth in the future. Factors to be aware of include:
- RBA cash rate hikes: RBA cash rate hikes throughout the year have led banks and lenders to increase their own home loan rates, putting more pressure on borrowers.
- Proposed changes to negative gearing and CGT: Investors may be hesitant to purchase existing properties due to Federal Budget reforms to Capital Gains Tax and negative gearing. The changes, set to apply in 2027, attempt to nudge investors towards new builds instead.
What to consider when buying property in regional Western Australia?
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics put the WA population at just under 3.1 million in 2025. Approximately 25% of residents live outside of Perth, but these areas contribute around 40% of the state’s gross state product (GSP). This is largely down to the mining, construction and energy industries in regional WA.
ABS statistics show WA is the fastest-growing Australian state, with a 2.2% population increase between 2024 and 2025. If this trend continues, the ABS projects WA’s population to reach up to 3.3 million by 2032.
The state’s strong economy has created an ongoing demand for workers to support the key industries. The regional lifestyle and a lower cost of living also continues to attract interstate and global migration.
In addition to price and demand trends, consider the following when you’re researching property in regional WA.
- Utility costs: Essential services including water supply, sewerage and waste collection, electricity and gas suppliers and mobile and broadband coverage.
- Flood and fire risk: Natural disaster risks and management, which are particularly important in rural and regional areas.
- Local amenities: Access to healthcare, education, shopping, entertainment and other services.
- Economic diversity: The impact of the region’s biggest employers and industries on the local economy.
