Walgett
A population of 1,824 is spread across 6,565.98 sq km, giving Walgett a very low density of 0.3 people per sq km. The town has a detached-house profile, with 92.1% of dwellings separate houses, alongside a high 15.7% vacancy rate. At 35, the median age is 5 years below the national figure, while university attainment at 14.1% is 16 percentage points below national. Compared with nearby Lightning Ridge and Brewarrina, Walgett functions as a smaller service centre, supported by public administration at 22.4% of employment, education at 18.3% and healthcare at 15.2%. Its declining annual trend of -1.93% reflects a slower-growth setting.
Local council: Walgett
Population
1,824
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,554/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
Walgett suits buyers who value detached housing, larger blocks and low recurring housing costs more than apartment living or rapid capital growth. Separate houses make up 92.1% of dwellings, compared with 3.2% apartments and 4.6% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties account for 41.3% and four-bedroom-or-larger homes for 39.2%, so family-sized stock is much more prominent than compact housing. A mortgage figure of $970 per month represents 14.4% of household income, below the 43.7% renting share. With weekly household income at $1,554 and vacancy at 15.7%, buyers should still inspect each property carefully because condition, services and resale depth can vary more than in larger markets.
For Buyers
Walgett suits buyers who value detached housing, larger blocks and low recurring housing costs more than apartment living or rapid capital growth. Separate houses make up 92.1% of dwellings, compared with 3.2% apartments and 4.6% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties account for 41.3% and four-bedroom-or-larger homes for 39.2%, so family-sized stock is much more prominent than compact housing. A mortgage figure of $970 per month represents 14.4% of household income, below the 43.7% renting share. With weekly household income at $1,554 and vacancy at 15.7%, buyers should still inspect each property carefully because condition, services and resale depth can vary more than in larger markets.
For Investors
Walgett may appeal to investors seeking low weekly rents and a high proportion of tenant households, but the holding strategy needs to allow for weak demand cycles. Renting accounts for 43.7%, higher than outright ownership at 28.3%, while weekly rent is $175. Vacancy is 15.7%, higher than in a tightly supplied rental market, which can extend reletting periods and limit rent competition. There were 26 development matters in the latest 12 months, including a two-dwelling detached dual occupancy, specialised retail alterations and a truck depot. Overseas migration is the primary migration driver, yet the annual growth trend is -1.93%, so investors should prioritise durable local demand and conservative exit assumptions over short-term growth expectations.
Development Activity
Total DAs
85
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+43.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Walgett
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Walgett has a median age of 35, which is 5 years below the national figure, but its trajectory is ageing as the senior share has increased by 5.6 percentage points and the young share has fallen by 2.8 points. University attainment is 14.1%, 16 percentage points below national, while only 6.5% of residents were born overseas, 15.1 points below national. The largest recorded ancestry responses are English at 340 people, Irish at 127 and Scottish at 110. Christianity accounts for 701 residents and no religion for 436. Average household size is 2.5, the same as nationally, while 78.7% stayed at the same address over the reference period, higher than the 21.3% turnover rate. These patterns support demand for practical services and established household networks.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.1%
Houses
4.6%
Townhouse
3.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Walgett's housing stock is substantially more detached than apartment-based: 92.1% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 3.2% apartments and 4.6% semi-detached homes. Tenure is led by renting at 43.7%, followed by outright ownership at 28.3% and mortgages at 20.6%, with 7.5% recorded in other arrangements. The largest dwelling groups are three bedrooms at 41.3% and four or more bedrooms at 39.2%, compared with 14.4% for two-bedroom homes. Weekly rent is $175 and rent accounts for 11.3% of household income, below the 14.4% mortgage-to-income figure. Vacancy at 15.7% is higher than the share of apartment dwellings, reinforcing that local housing conditions are shaped by detached homes and a relatively thin rental market.
Mortgage / mo
$970
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$175
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$823
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.7%
Unoccupied
80
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
11.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.1%
Couples with children
41.7%
Couples, no children
23.4%
Single parent
312
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration is Walgett's largest industry at 22.4%, or 87 workers, followed by education at 18.3% and 71, agriculture at 16.0% and 62, healthcare at 15.2% and 59, and other services at 4.1% and 16. The occupation mix includes 139 managers, 114 community and personal service workers, 92 professionals, 72 labourers and 64 trades workers. Unemployment is 3.9%, but participation is only 43.9% because 292 people are outside the labour force; this helps explain why low unemployment does not necessarily signal a broad employment base. Household income is $1,554 per week, around the 49.5th percentile. SEIFA results are below higher-advantage areas, with IRSAD and IRSD both at decile 1, IRSAD at decile 2 and IEO at decile 3.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
617
Unemployed
24
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.3%
Part-time
24.8%
Participation
43.9%
Employed
593
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.1%
Postgraduate
1.4%
Born Overseas
6.5%
Dwellings
431
Transport to Work
Daily movement is car-led, with 67.0% of residents driving to work, higher than the 15.4% who walk or cycle; 12.4% work from home. Walgett has 2 local government schools, covering primary and secondary stages through Walgett Community College. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because education access can cut across town and district boundaries. The very low density of 0.3 people per sq km across 6,565.98 sq km means services, health appointments and regional travel require more planning than in compact centres. Socioeconomic conditions sit below higher-advantage areas, with an IRSAD decile of 2 and an IRSD decile of 1. For safety decisions, compare recent NSW Police information with nearby towns and consider street-level conditions rather than relying on broad housing or transport measures.
Drive
67.0%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
15.4%
Work from Home
12.4%
Growth Outlook
Walgett's outlook is declining, with an annual trend of -1.93% and population change across the wider area of -18.9% over 10 years. Overseas migration is identified as the primary driver, but the shift trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 5.6 percentage points and the young share down 2.8 points. Rent growth has reached 55.7%, while affordability worsened from 29.9% in 2011 to 32.7% in 2021. Compared with a positive-growth market, the -1.93% annual trend points to lower underlying expansion and a greater need to retain essential services. Gentrification measures are mixed: the dedicated score is 0 with a Not gentrifying stage, while the broader shift indicator records a score of 40 and Early signs. The result is a slow-growth town with demographic ageing rather than a clear redevelopment cycle.
Population trend: Walgett council area
Walgett sits in the Walgett council area. These are the council area's residents, not Walgett's.
Residents 2025
5,437
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
-1.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Walgett compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walgett a good suburb to live in?
Walgett can suit residents seeking detached housing, low weekly rent and a small service-centre lifestyle. Rent is $175 per week and 92.1% of homes are separate houses. However, university attainment is 14.1%, below the national figure by 16 percentage points, so access to some specialised services may be narrower than in larger regional centres.
What is the median house price in Walgett?
Walgett's median house price should be checked against recent settled sales before making an offer rather than relying on an isolated listing. Weekly rent is $175 and 92.1% of dwellings are separate houses, so compare like-for-like detached sales than apartment data from larger markets and allow for property condition and resale depth.
What schools are in Walgett?
Walgett has 2 government schools through Walgett Community College: a primary school campus and a high school campus. This is a narrower sector mix than larger regional centres, so families should confirm the correct enrolment zone, year-level availability and transport arrangements for the exact address.
Is Walgett safe?
Walgett should not be labelled safe or unsafe from housing and transport figures alone. The town's density is 0.3 people per sq km and 67.0% of residents drive to work, while recent NSW Police information should be checked and compared with nearby towns. Consider street conditions, lighting, service access and time-of-day patterns before choosing a property.
Is Walgett good for property investment?
Walgett can suit a conservative investor seeking low rents, but vacancy is 15.7%, higher than in a tightly supplied market, which can increase reletting risk. Renting is 43.7% and weekly rent is $175, while the annual growth trend is -1.93%. The 26 recent development matters also support careful assessment of future competition.
How is Walgett's population changing?
Walgett has a declining outlook, with an annual trend of -1.93% and wider-area population change of -18.9% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.6 percentage points while the young share has fallen 2.8 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, so change may be more uneven than in positive-growth towns.
What development is occurring in Walgett?
There were 26 development matters in the latest 12 months, covering more than housing alone. Recent examples include a detached dual occupancy with 2 dwellings, specialised retail alterations and a truck depot. That mix is more varied than a purely residential pipeline, so investors should compare new supply with local rental demand and the -1.93% annual growth trend.
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).
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