Wagin
With a median house price of $241,000 and a vacancy rate of 15.4%, Wagin sits at the affordable end of Western Australia's regional market. Household income falls in the 16.4th percentile nationally, yet housing stress is absent because mortgage repayments consume only 20.1% of income. At a median age of 51, residents are 11 years older than the national figure, and the working-age share has fallen 4.1 points over the decade. Agriculture and healthcare together account for about 31% of local jobs, giving the economy a classic wheat-belt service-centre character. Population is essentially stable at 1,448 residents, with annual growth of just 0.16%.
Population
1,448
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,073/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$241K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $241,000, the median house price is well below the WA state median, making entry accessible even on regional incomes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $932, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is 92.8% detached houses, with semi-detached at 6.5%. Three-bedroom homes lead at 49.2%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 27.9%. With 44.7% of residents owning outright and only 30.5% carrying a mortgage, much of the housing is held by long-term debt-free owners, which limits turnover and means purchase opportunities arise from natural churn rather than forced sales.
For Buyers
At $241,000, the median house price is well below the WA state median, making entry accessible even on regional incomes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $932, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is 92.8% detached houses, with semi-detached at 6.5%. Three-bedroom homes lead at 49.2%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 27.9%. With 44.7% of residents owning outright and only 30.5% carrying a mortgage, much of the housing is held by long-term debt-free owners, which limits turnover and means purchase opportunities arise from natural churn rather than forced sales.
For Investors
The rental yield case in Wagin depends on the low entry price. Weekly rent sits at $195 against a $241,000 median, implying a gross yield of around 4.2%, higher than most metro suburbs. However, the 15.4% vacancy rate is elevated and signals that rental demand does not currently absorb available supply. Annual population growth is just 0.16%, and net internal migration averages 12 residents per year, providing limited organic demand growth. Rent growth has been meaningful at 35.7% over the period, but from a low base. Compared to Perth metro markets, Wagin offers a much lower entry price at the cost of thinner liquidity and a slower-moving economy anchored by agriculture and public services.
Schools in Wagin iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Wagin District High School
K-12 · 217 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, reflecting a community in clear aging trajectory. The senior share grew 7.2 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 4.1 points. University qualifications stand at 17.5%, which is 12.6 points below national, consistent with a workforce anchored in agriculture and trades. Overseas-born residents make up 19.7%, which is 1.9 points below national. Ancestry is predominantly English (642), Scottish (124) and Irish (115). Average household size is 2.1, slightly below national, driven by the 42.5% of families who are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.8%
Houses
6.5%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits clearly: 44.7% own outright, 30.5% carry a mortgage and 24.8% rent. The high outright-ownership rate compared to national norms points to a settled, long-tenure community. Separate houses make up 92.8% of stock, confirming this as a detached-house market. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.2% and 4-plus bedroom at 27.9%, so family-sized dwellings account for over three quarters of all homes. At a $241,000 median and rent-to-income of 18.2%, both buyers and renters avoid the housing stress that affects metro markets where mortgage-to-income ratios routinely exceed 30%.
Mortgage / mo
$932
Rent / wk
$195
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$621
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.4%
Unoccupied
107
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.5%
Couples, no children
898
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 17.0% (43 workers), followed by Agriculture at 13.8% (35), Education at 13.4% (34), Manufacturing at 9.5% and Public Administration at 7.9%. This spread reflects Wagin's role as a service hub for the surrounding wheat-belt. By occupation, Labourers (102) lead ahead of Managers (77) and Machinery/Drivers (64), consistent with a trade-heavy regional economy. The unemployment rate is 6.6% and participation sits at 43.4%, partly because 491 residents are not in the labour force due to the older age profile. SEIFA IRSAD at decile 4 places Wagin below the national median, driven by lower incomes rather than acute disadvantage.
Unemployment
1.8%
Labour Force
2,739
Unemployed
48
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
43.4%
Employed
499
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.5%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
19.7%
Dwellings
584
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 84.5% driving to work, above national norms, because public transport serves only 2.3% of commuters. Walking and cycling account for 6.7%, reasonable for a compact town. Crime statistics are not available for comparison. The IRSAD decile of 4 places Wagin below the national median in relative advantage, driven by lower incomes and education rather than acute hardship. A volunteering rate of 26.9% stands well above most metro suburbs, indicating strong community participation. Only 7.4% of residents (95 people) need daily assistance, and both rent-to-income at 18.2% and mortgage-to-income at 20.1% sit below stress thresholds, giving residents more financial headroom than national averages.
Drive
84.5%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.16%/yr
(+8 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth is 0.16%, about 8 persons per year, placing Wagin in the slow-growth tier compared to regional WA centres. The 10-year population change is effectively flat at minus 0.1%. Net internal and overseas migration each average 12 residents per year, balanced but insufficient to drive expansion. The medium forecast holds the broader statistical area around 5,083 to 5,114 through 2031. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, with a score of 28 reflecting early signals only. Affordability improved from 27.3% in 2011 to 24.4% in 2021, a modest positive that could attract buyers priced out of larger regional centres over time.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+12
Net Internal / yr
+12
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wagin compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wagin a good suburb to live in?
Wagin offers very affordable housing at a $241,000 median and low housing stress, with mortgage repayments at 20.1% of income. The town has a strong community volunteering rate of 26.9%. Trade-offs include a SEIFA IRSAD decile 4 score below national average, a 15.4% rental vacancy rate, and limited public transport with 84.5% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Wagin?
The median house price is $241,000, well below the WA state median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $932, and weekly rent is $195. At 20.1% mortgage-to-income, buyers face no housing stress by standard measures. The stock is 92.8% separate houses with 3-bedroom homes the most common at 49.2%.
What schools are in Wagin?
No school records are available for Wagin in the current dataset. Education accounts for 13.4% of local employment (34 workers), suggesting school services are present in the town. University qualification rates sit at 17.5% of residents, which is 12.6 points below the national average.
Is Wagin safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Wagin in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the SEIFA IRSD decile score is 4, which is below the national median, and 7.4% of residents (95 people) need daily assistance. The high volunteering rate of 26.9% suggests a community with strong social cohesion.
Is Wagin good for property investment?
Entry costs are low at $241,000 median with a weekly rent of $195, implying a gross yield around 4.2%, higher than most metro markets. However, the 15.4% vacancy rate is elevated and annual population growth is only 0.16%, limiting demand-side pressure. Rent growth of 35.7% over the measured period is a positive signal, but liquidity is thin compared to Perth.
How is Wagin's population changing?
Population growth is 0.16% annually, or about 8 persons per year, and the 10-year change is effectively flat at minus 0.1%. The community is aging, with the senior share up 7.2 points and the working-age share down 4.1 points over the decade. Net migration is balanced at 12 residents per year each from internal and overseas sources.
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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