Mount Austin
At a $455,000 median house price, Mount Austin sits well below the NSW state median, making it one of Wagga Wagga's more accessible entry points for buyers priced out of capital cities. The suburb's household income lands in just the 18.3rd percentile nationally, yet mortgage-to-income sits at a contained 23.6%, lower than most Sydney markets, because prices are genuinely affordable rather than artificially low. The population of 4,035 skews 3 years younger than the national median age of 40, and 46.8% of households rent, giving the suburb a working-age, high-rental character. Detached houses make up 90.0% of the housing stock, which is unusually high compared to most urban suburbs.
Population
4,035
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,124/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
11
Median House
$455K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $455,000 is significantly lower than the NSW state median, and the price trend shows momentum: values climbed from $430,000 in 2024 to $475,000 in 2025, a 10.5% one-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,148, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 90.0%, with three-bedroom homes the dominant type at 55.7% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms at 22.8%. Buyers get more bedrooms per dollar here than the state average. Outright owners represent 24.4% of households, mortgage holders 28.9%, and renters 46.8%, signalling a suburb where turnover is driven largely by the rental pool rather than long-held owner-occupied stock.
For Buyers
The median house price of $455,000 is significantly lower than the NSW state median, and the price trend shows momentum: values climbed from $430,000 in 2024 to $475,000 in 2025, a 10.5% one-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,148, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 90.0%, with three-bedroom homes the dominant type at 55.7% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms at 22.8%. Buyers get more bedrooms per dollar here than the state average. Outright owners represent 24.4% of households, mortgage holders 28.9%, and renters 46.8%, signalling a suburb where turnover is driven largely by the rental pool rather than long-held owner-occupied stock.
For Investors
A 46.8% renter share is higher than the national average, providing landlords with a large active tenant base. Weekly rent averages $250, which against a $455,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.9%, modest but better than inner-city markets. The 8.0% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants attention, suggesting some softness in rental demand that can compress net returns. Development activity is modest at 11 applications in the past 12 months, mostly residential alterations rather than new supply, so the existing stock is not being rapidly diluted. Price growth of 10.5% year-on-year from 2024 to 2025 is the strongest investment signal, though the 18.3rd-percentile household income base limits how far rents can stretch.
Development Activity
Total DAs
84
Last 12 Months
11
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-38.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mount Austin iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mount Austin Public School
K-6 · 228 students
Demographics
Mount Austin's median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age population base. The university qualification rate is 13.9%, which is 16.2 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the area's trade and community service employment profile. Overseas-born residents are 13.1%, which is 8.5 percentage points below the national figure, giving the suburb a predominantly Australian-born character. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic in composition, led by English (1,476), Irish (407) and Scottish (373). Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national average of 2.5. The volunteering rate of 11.9% reflects a degree of community engagement, and 12.4% of residents (456 people) need daily assistance, a meaningful share that tracks with the community and personal services employment base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.0%
Houses
6.8%
Townhouse
3.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 90.0% of dwellings, a much higher proportion than the national average, pointing to a suburban residential fabric with very little apartment or townhouse development. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 55.7%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 22.8%, meaning most properties are family-sized rather than compact. Tenure splits into renters at 46.8%, mortgage holders at 28.9% and outright owners at 24.4%. The median house price reached $455,000 in the 2024-2025 period (PSI derived), up 10.5% from $430,000 in 2024 to $475,000 in 2025. Mortgage-to-income at 23.6% and rent-to-income at 22.2% are both below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting the local market is affordable relative to local incomes despite low household income percentile standing.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,148
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$612
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
137
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.6%
Couples, no children
2,743
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 23.9% of workers (199 people), nearly double its share in a typical suburb, because Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and related health services are major regional employers. Education follows at 11.0% (92 workers) and Construction at 9.5% (79 workers), with Retail at 8.3% and Manufacturing at 7.7%. By occupation, Community and Personal Services workers lead at 244, followed by Labourers at 216 and Professionals at 169. The unemployment rate is 7.5%, above the national average, and the labour force participation rate of 46.5% is low, with 1,272 residents not in the workforce. Household income sits in just the 18.3rd percentile nationally, which reflects the mix of lower-wage service, trade and community roles rather than professional or knowledge-sector employment.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.4%
Part-time
30.1%
Participation
46.5%
Employed
1,379
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.9%
Postgraduate
2.1%
Born Overseas
13.1%
Dwellings
1,567
Transport to Work
Mount Austin is heavily car-dependent: 87.2% of residents drive to work, and only 0.7% use public transport, which is far below the national average. Walking and cycling account for 2.5% of commutes. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding Wagga Wagga areas. Rent-to-income at 22.2% keeps tenants in a comfortable position relative to income, and mortgage-to-income at 23.6% is below the stress threshold. The 8.0% vacancy rate is above typical levels, which may reflect housing stock that exceeds current demand. With 12.4% of residents needing daily assistance (456 people), the community services and healthcare employment base aligns with local support needs.
Drive
87.2%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Austin compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Austin a good suburb to live in?
Mount Austin offers genuinely affordable housing, with a $455,000 median house price and mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb is car-dependent with limited public transport at 0.7%, and the 7.5% unemployment rate is above the national average. It suits buyers and renters seeking detached house living at accessible price points in regional NSW.
What is the median house price in Mount Austin?
The median house price is $455,000 based on 2024-2025 PSI-derived data. Prices rose 10.5% from $430,000 in 2024 to $475,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $250 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,148, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.6%.
What schools are in Mount Austin?
No schools are recorded inside the Mount Austin suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Wagga Wagga areas. The local university qualification rate is 13.9%, which is 16.2 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the suburb's trade and service employment base.
Is Mount Austin safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Mount Austin are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a 7.5% unemployment rate and household income in the 18.3rd percentile nationally, factors that can correlate with higher crime rates in comparable regional areas. Prospective residents should check NSW Police crime statistics directly for current data.
Is Mount Austin good for property investment?
The renter share of 46.8% is above the national average, providing a broad tenant pool. Weekly rent of $250 against a $455,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.9%. Price growth was 10.5% from 2024 to 2025. The 8.0% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants due diligence on local rental demand before committing.
How is Mount Austin's population changing?
The suburb has a population of 4,035 with a median age of 37, which is 3 years below the national median of 40, suggesting a relatively young working-age profile. The turnover rate is 19.7%, with 80.3% of residents staying in the same address over the reference period, indicating moderate stability among owner-occupiers alongside active rental movement.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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