Wadalba
Wadalba's most distinctive feature is its family-scale housing in a compact 3.82 sq km setting. The suburb has 4,204 residents, a median age of 32, and density of 1,101.0 people per sq km, making it younger and more concentrated than many established outer-suburban areas. Detached homes account for 94.3% of dwellings, while household income sits at the 73.0 percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Warnervale and Woongarrah, Wadalba reads as a practical, car-oriented family precinct because large homes, couples with children and mortgage households dominate. Its 40.0% renting share and active development pipeline also create a mix of established owners, newer arrivals and tenants.
Population
4,204
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,942/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
Wadalba suits buyers prioritising detached space, family bedrooms and manageable household costs over apartment living. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,167 compares with weekly rent of $480, while mortgage households account for 42.5%, higher than the 17.5% owned outright share. The housing profile is strongly family-sized: 73.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with 14.9% containing 3 bedrooms and 5.4% being semi-detached. Mortgage-to-income is 25.8% and the mortgage stress flag is false, which supports capacity for many established borrowers. Buyers should compare recent sales by bedroom count because a suburb-wide figure can blur the difference between large detached homes and smaller properties.
For Buyers
Wadalba suits buyers prioritising detached space, family bedrooms and manageable household costs over apartment living. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,167 compares with weekly rent of $480, while mortgage households account for 42.5%, higher than the 17.5% owned outright share. The housing profile is strongly family-sized: 73.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with 14.9% containing 3 bedrooms and 5.4% being semi-detached. Mortgage-to-income is 25.8% and the mortgage stress flag is false, which supports capacity for many established borrowers. Buyers should compare recent sales by bedroom count because a suburb-wide figure can blur the difference between large detached homes and smaller properties.
For Investors
Wadalba has a substantial tenant base, with renting at 40.0%, above outright ownership at 17.5%. Weekly rent is $480 and the vacancy rate is 4.3%, giving investors a useful starting point for assessing tenant demand without assuming that every property will perform alike. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, while forecast rent growth is 30.3%, supporting a case for continued rental interest if local employment and housing demand remain resilient. Development activity is also material, with 25 applications recorded over 12 months, including dual occupancy, subdivision and dwelling work. The 3.27% annual growth trend is positive, but new supply means investors should compare dwelling quality, parking and tenant appeal carefully.
Development Activity
Total DAs
243
Last 12 Months
25
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-49.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wadalba
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Wadalba has a younger age profile, with a median age of 32, which is 8.0 years below the national comparison. University attainment is 24.1%, or 6.0 percentage points below the national figure, while the overseas-born share is 18.3%, 3.3 points below nationally. Household size is 3.0 people, 0.5 above the national comparison, because couples with children make up 50.4% of families and one-parent families account for 22.4%. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 1,625 people, followed by Irish and Scottish ancestry at 359 each. Christianity accounts for 2,167 residents and no religion for 1,649. Compared with nearby Warnervale and Woongarrah, Wadalba presents as a younger, family-focused community with a predominantly Anglo background.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.3%
Houses
5.4%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Wadalba's housing stock is shaped by detached family dwellings rather than apartments. Separate houses represent 94.3% of homes, substantially higher than the 5.4% semi-detached share, and 73.6% of dwellings contain 4 or more bedrooms. With density of 1,101.0 people per sq km across 3.82 sq km, the suburb is compact but still dominated by larger homes. Tenure is split between 42.5% mortgages, 40.0% renting and 17.5% outright ownership, so mortgaged households are higher than outright owners but only slightly above renters. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,167 and weekly rent is $480. Compared with nearby Warnervale, buyers should focus on the balance between land, bedroom count, maintenance and new-build quality rather than treating every dwelling as interchangeable.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $480.
$675
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $700 · units $480
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$805
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.3%
Unoccupied
61
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.4%
Couples with children
25.6%
Couples, no children
22.4%
Single parent
1,124
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Wadalba's leading employment industry at 26.2%, representing 328 workers, followed by construction at 9.4% and education at 8.6%. This concentration helps explain the strong presence of professionals, trades workers and community or personal service roles, recorded at 336, 291 and 267 people respectively. The unemployment rate is 4.2%, participation is 65.1% and the full-time employment rate is 55.5%, indicating a mixed labour market with both full-time and part-time work. Household income of $1,942 per week sits at the 73.0 percentile. SEIFA results are uneven: the education and occupation decile is 4, below the economic resources decile of 8, while IRSD and IRSAD both sit at 5. That gap suggests household resources are stronger than some education and occupation measures.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
2,017
Unemployed
85
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.5%
Part-time
32.4%
Participation
65.1%
Employed
1,932
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.1%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
18.3%
Dwellings
1,360
Transport to Work
Wadalba is most convenient for residents who drive, work from home or organise daily trips around family needs. Car drivers account for 65.7% of commuting, compared with only 1.4% using public transport and 0.9% walking or cycling, while 27.5% work from home. This transport pattern matters because low public transport use can increase reliance on private vehicles for work, shopping and school travel. There is 1 local school, Wadalba Community School, a government central/community school. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, since boundaries can cut across nearby suburbs. The IRSAD decile is 5, placing overall relative advantage around the middle compared with Australian areas. For safety decisions, check current local incident information and inspect the immediate street environment at different times.
Drive
65.7%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
27.5%
Population Forecast
+3.27%/yr
(+753 people/yr)
EstablishedWadalba's forecast growth trend is 3.27% annually and is driven primarily by internal migration. Population change across the wider area reaches 60.5% over 10 years, while the gentrification score is 40 at an Active stage, with an accelerating signal from 22% to 47%. Compared with that active market pressure, the demographic shift is labelled Declining young: the young share has fallen by 3.2% and the senior share has risen by 1.2%. Rent growth of 30.3% and real income growth of 17.4% add to the change in housing demand, while affordability improved from 69.5% in 2011 to 62.7% in 2021. The pattern points to continued inflow and redevelopment, alongside gradual ageing of an established resident base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+104
Net Internal / yr
+516
Gentrification Signal
Active
Net internal migration +516/yr, Accelerating: 22% → 47%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wadalba compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wadalba a good suburb to live in?
Wadalba can suit households seeking detached space and family-sized homes. It has 4,204 residents, a median age of 32 and 94.3% separate houses. Car dependence is high at 65.7%, so compare commute routes, school access and daily services with your needs before choosing an address.
What is the median house price in Wadalba?
For a current median, check recent settled sales in Wadalba and separate them by property type. The suburb is 94.3% separate houses and 73.6% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, so a blended figure can mislead buyers comparing smaller dwellings with large family homes.
What schools are in Wadalba?
Wadalba Community School is the local school, operating as 1 government central/community school. Confirm the current enrolment zone against the exact property address, particularly when comparing homes near Warnervale, Woongarrah or other nearby suburbs.
Is Wadalba safe?
A reliable safety decision should use current police incident information rather than assumptions based on suburb size. Wadalba has 4,204 residents and a density of 1,101.0 people per sq km, so inspect the specific street, lighting, traffic conditions and nearby activity at different times.
Is Wadalba good for property investment?
Wadalba has 40.0% renters, weekly rent of $480 and a 4.3% vacancy rate. Forecast rent growth is 30.3%, while 25 development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing supply. Compare property quality, tenant demand and competition from new dwellings before investing.
How is Wadalba's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 3.27% annually and is primarily driven by internal migration. Population change across the wider area is 60.5% over 10 years, while the young share has declined by 3.2% and the senior share has increased by 1.2%, indicating growth alongside gradual ageing.
What development is occurring in Wadalba?
There were 25 development applications over 12 months, including dual occupancy, subdivision and dwelling work. That activity is consistent with an established suburb experiencing renewed housing demand. Buyers and investors should check whether nearby projects add competing rental stock or improve housing choice.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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