Wagga Wagga
Regional NSW affordability defines Wagga Wagga: the $660,000 median house price sits well below metropolitan Sydney, while prices still climbed 8.5% in a single year from $638,000 (2024) to $692,500 (2025). Healthcare dominates employment at 25.3% (634 workers), more than education and public administration combined, marking this as a regional service hub rather than a commuter belt. University qualifications at 37.2% run 7.1 points above the national figure, lifted by the local campus presence, yet the suburb stays anglo-leaning with overseas-born residents at 17.5%, some 4.1 points below national. The 11.0% rental vacancy rate and 53.0% renter share point to a high-turnover tenant market.
Population
7,198
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,355/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
138
Median House
$660K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $660,000 median house price gives buyers a regional entry point far below Sydney levels, and the recent climb from $638,000 to $692,500 (an 8.5% CAGR over the latest year) shows demand is firming rather than stalling. Separate houses make up 53.9% of stock, so detached living is the norm, with apartments at 24.0% and semi-detached at 20.6% rounding out the options. Three and four-bedroom homes account for 51.7% of dwellings, suiting families, while two-bedroom stock at 40.3% serves downsizers and first buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.9%, just below the stress threshold because regional prices track local incomes. Only 18.2% carry a mortgage while 28.7% own outright, a higher outright-ownership share than most metro markets.
For Buyers
The $660,000 median house price gives buyers a regional entry point far below Sydney levels, and the recent climb from $638,000 to $692,500 (an 8.5% CAGR over the latest year) shows demand is firming rather than stalling. Separate houses make up 53.9% of stock, so detached living is the norm, with apartments at 24.0% and semi-detached at 20.6% rounding out the options. Three and four-bedroom homes account for 51.7% of dwellings, suiting families, while two-bedroom stock at 40.3% serves downsizers and first buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.9%, just below the stress threshold because regional prices track local incomes. Only 18.2% carry a mortgage while 28.7% own outright, a higher outright-ownership share than most metro markets.
For Investors
A 53.0% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant pool, and weekly rent of $295 against the $660,000 median produces a gross yield near 2.3%, stronger than inner-metro markets where yields fall below 2%. The catch is an 11.0% vacancy rate, elevated for a regional centre and a sign that supply has outpaced tenant demand. Rent grew 35.7% over the decade, so rental income momentum is real even with current softness. Development activity is brisk at 134 applications in 12 months, which adds future supply that could keep vacancy high. Balanced migration (net internal +54 and net overseas +50 per year) underpins steady demand rather than a boom, making this a yield-and-hold market more than a capital-growth play.
Development Activity
Total DAs
759
Last 12 Months
138
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wagga Wagga iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lutheran School Wagga Wagga
K-6 · 332 students
The Riverina Anglican College
K-12 · 1000 students
Saint Mary MacKillop Colleges Limited
K-12 · 198 students
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 166 students
Wagga Wagga Christian College
K-12 · 563 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 sits 2 years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age population anchored by health and education employers. Overseas-born residents at 17.5% run 4.1 points below national, keeping the area anglo-leaning, with English ancestry leading at 2,813, followed by Irish (1,143) and Scottish (833). Punjabi (40), Nepali (33) and Mandarin (29) are the largest non-English language groups, a small but growing migrant layer. University qualifications reach 37.2%, fully 7.1 points above the national average, driven by the local campus. Couples without children (1,537 families, 36.8%) slightly outnumber couples with children (1,485), and the average household size of 1.9 is 0.6 below national, consistent with a mix of young professionals and established empty-nesters.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.9%
Houses
20.6%
Townhouse
24.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Renters make up 53.0% of households, well above the outright-owner share of 28.7% and the mortgage-holder share of 18.2%, an unusually renter-heavy tenure for a regional city. Detached houses dominate the stock at 53.9%, with apartments at 24.0% and semi-detached at 20.6%. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 40.3%, followed by three-bedroom at 36.3% and 4-plus at 15.4%, a stock skewed smaller than a typical family suburb. The price series rose from $638,000 in 2024 to $692,500 in 2025, an 8.5% annual gain. The IER decile 4 (below the national midpoint) despite a median house price of $660,000 reflects the renter-heavy tenure, because aggregate household wealth is depressed when more than half of residents do not own. Mortgage-to-income at 25.9% and rent-to-income at 21.8% both sit below stress thresholds.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$295
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$819
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.0%
Unoccupied
409
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.8%
Couples, no children
4,173
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 25.3% (634 workers), more than education (13.8%, 345) and public administration (9.4%, 236) combined, confirming the suburb as a regional services anchor. Construction (7.7%, 192) and professional and technical services (6.6%, 165) round out the top five. Professionals dominate occupations at 1,015, ahead of managers (441) and community and personal service workers (440). Full-time employment runs at 67.1% and unemployment sits at 5.3%, near the broader average, though the participation rate of 57.5% is below national, weighed down by 2,074 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA places the area mid-pack: IEO decile 5, with IER, IRSD and IRSAD all at decile 4, slightly below the national midpoint despite the high-skill health and education base, reflecting modest household incomes at the 35th percentile.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
8,452
Unemployed
258
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.1%
Part-time
27.6%
Participation
57.5%
Employed
3,439
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.2%
Postgraduate
10.3%
Born Overseas
17.5%
Dwellings
3,290
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 76.1% driving to work and just 1.2% using public transport, typical of a regional city where distances and limited rail favour private vehicles. Walking and cycling at 15.9% is respectable for a low-density area at 813 people per km2. Education is a genuine strength: university qualifications reach 37.2%, some 7.1 points above national, and the education sector employs 13.8% of workers, though this dataset holds no individual school records to list. Volunteering at 18.0% points to community engagement above many metro suburbs. SEIFA decile 4 on the IRSAD index places the area just below the national midpoint, while housing pressure stays moderate with rent-to-income at 21.8%, leaving everyday costs more manageable than in major capitals.
Drive
76.1%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
15.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.73%/yr
(+170 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 2.73% per year (about 170 persons), a high-growth pace that sits above the typical regional NSW rate, with a 10-year change of 60.6%. The ERP rose from 5,967 in 2023 to 6,227 in 2025, and medium forecasts project 7,234 by 2031, a further 16% above the 2025 base. Migration is balanced, with net internal migration of +54 and net overseas of +50 per year, so growth draws evenly from interstate movers and new arrivals. The working-age share expanded by 4.4 points and the senior share by 1.8, signalling broad-based gains across all ages. Real incomes grew 59.4% over the decade and affordability improved from 65.3% in 2011 to 45.2% in 2021. The gentrification score of 22 marks early signs, with internal migration accelerating from 26% to 37%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+50
Net Internal / yr
+54
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal migration +54/yr, Accelerating: 26% → 37%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wagga Wagga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wagga Wagga a good suburb to live in?
Wagga Wagga suits buyers who want regional affordability, with a $660,000 median house price well below Sydney and rent-to-income at a manageable 21.8%. University qualifications at 37.2% run 7.1 points above national, and volunteering at 18.0% signals an engaged community. The trade-off is high car dependence at 76.1% and an 11.0% rental vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Wagga Wagga?
The median house price is $660,000, based on 2024-2025 PSI-derived data. The series rose from $638,000 in 2024 to $692,500 in 2025, an 8.5% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517 and weekly rent is $295, giving a gross rental yield near 2.3%, higher than most inner-metro markets.
What schools are in Wagga Wagga?
This dataset holds no individual school records for Wagga Wagga, so specific campuses cannot be listed here. The wider area is education-rich though: the education sector employs 13.8% of local workers (345 people), and 37.2% of residents hold university qualifications, 7.1 points above the national average.
Is Wagga Wagga safe?
Published crime statistics are not included in this dataset for Wagga Wagga, so a crime rate cannot be quoted here. Contextually, the suburb sits at SEIFA IRSAD decile 4, just below the national midpoint, and the share of residents needing daily assistance is 8.1% (552 people), figures consistent with a stable regional centre.
Is Wagga Wagga good for property investment?
The 53.0% renter share gives a deep tenant pool, and $295 weekly rent on a $660,000 median produces a gross yield near 2.3%, above inner-metro levels. Rent grew 35.7% over the decade. The risk is an 11.0% vacancy rate plus 134 new development applications in 12 months adding supply, so this favours yield-and-hold over rapid capital growth.
How is Wagga Wagga's population changing?
Population grows about 2.73% per year (roughly 170 people), a 60.6% rise over 10 years. The ERP climbed from 5,967 in 2023 to 6,227 in 2025, with medium forecasts projecting 7,234 by 2031. Growth is balanced between net internal migration of +54 and net overseas of +50 per year, drawing evenly from movers and new arrivals.
How much development is happening in Wagga Wagga?
There were 134 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, a brisk rate for a suburb of 7,198 people. Recent lodgements include new residential accommodation, swimming pools and garages. This pipeline adds future housing supply, which helps explain the elevated 11.0% rental vacancy rate.
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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