Regional WA Leads the State in Property Price Growth
Perth has long been the benchmark for WA property. But the conversation is shifting, and for anyone considering a move to regional WA, the latest figures are worth noting.
Regional centres, including Albany, Bunbury, Busselton Geraldton, are now outpacing Perth in quarterly house price growth. If you’ve been watching the market and waiting for the right moment, here’s what’s happening and what it means for you.
What are the numbers showing?
Regional WA house prices are rising by roughly 2 to 6 per cent per quarter in key centres, including Bunbury in the South West and Albany in the Great Southern. By comparison, Perth recorded median house price growth of 4.1 per cent in the March 2026 quarter, with a median house price of $890,000.
To put that in perspective, Geraldton’s median house price was $550,000 in the September 2025 quarter, well below Perth’s $890,000, despite sustained strong growth. Regional WA is growing at a comparable or faster rate, from a significantly more affordable base. That combination is rare and won’t last forever.
Regional WA is growing at a comparable or faster rate, from a significantly more affordable base. That combination is rare and won’t last forever.
What’s driving it?
Lifestyle demand and affordability are aligning. Perth’s median has moved well beyond the reach of many buyers, particularly those entering the market for the first time. Regional centres offer far greater value, and increasingly, people aren’t treating this as a trade-off. The South West coast, the Great Southern and the Mid West offer a quality of life that more West Australians are actively choosing.
Growing employment opportunities and sustained infrastructure investment are reinforcing that shift. People are moving to these regions because they want to, because they’re better placed to support them than they were a decade ago.
What does it mean for buyers?
Regional markets carry lower stock levels than Perth, so well-priced properties move quickly. Home buyers are competing with investors in smaller markets where supply hasn’t kept pace with demand. When competition is strong and listings are limited, prices respond.
Building new is one way to get ahead of that pressure.. Building new means designing a home around how you want to live. The floorplan and finishes are yours to choose. There’s no back and forth with sellers and agents, and no compromise on what matters to you.
Why does building new still offer better value?
Buying established in a rising regional market often means paying a premium for someone else’s decisions. Older homes may need work, and in a competitive market, those additional costs quickly erode the affordability advantage.
When you build new, you start fresh. The home reflects what you need, not what the previous owner needed. As the market continues to grow, the value of what you’ve built grows with it. And because you’re starting fresh, every choice, from the floorplan to the finishes, reflects what you actually need.
That certainty is worth a great deal when conditions are moving as quickly as they are right now.
We know regional WA
WA Country Builders has been building across the state’s regions since 1991. We have local teams and trades in Perth, Bunbury, Busselton, Albany and Geraldton. We understand these markets because we’re part of them.
