Wandong
At 1,477 residents spread across 33.87 square kilometres, Wandong sits in Victoria's outer north as one of the state's most ownership-heavy localities. The mortgage belt character is clear: 57.5% of households carry a home loan while only 8.0% rent, one of the lowest renter shares you will find in metropolitan-fringe VIC. Household income ranks at the 78.3rd percentile nationally, punching well above average despite the rural-fringe location. The overseas-born share of 9.5% sits 12.1 percentage points below national, and university qualifications at 13.8% are 16.3 points below national, both consistent with a trade-and-construction workforce rather than a professional-services one.
Population
1,477
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,083/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
The median house price reached $762,500 at the 2023 peak before settling back to $700,000 in 2024, a 8.2% correction from peak. Over 12 years from 2013 the median has risen 76.1% from $397,500, a compound annual growth rate of 4.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,842, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which helps explain why 57.5% of households carry a mortgage without financial strain. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.9%, and the bedroom profile skews large: 56.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 37.3% have 3, making Wandong an obvious target for families seeking space that smaller suburban footprints cannot match.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $762,500 at the 2023 peak before settling back to $700,000 in 2024, a 8.2% correction from peak. Over 12 years from 2013 the median has risen 76.1% from $397,500, a compound annual growth rate of 4.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,842, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which helps explain why 57.5% of households carry a mortgage without financial strain. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.9%, and the bedroom profile skews large: 56.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 37.3% have 3, making Wandong an obvious target for families seeking space that smaller suburban footprints cannot match.
For Investors
Renters account for only 8.0% of households, which limits the tenant pool compared to higher-density suburbs, but weekly rent of $305 against a $700,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.3%. The vacancy rate of 5.2% is moderate. Development activity is low, with just 3 planning applications lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply pressure is minimal. The 85.3% residential stability rate means few properties cycle to market each year, supporting prices through scarcity. Population of 1,477 in a 33.87 km2 area at 43.6 residents per km2 reflects a low-density setting where land per dwelling is high, a feature that tends to underpin long-term land values in greenfield corridors.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+200.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wandong iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Wandong Primary School
Prep-6 · 488 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly. Overseas-born residents are just 9.5%, which is 12.1 percentage points below national, and English ancestry dominates: English (513), Irish (192) and Scottish (168) are the top three groups, reinforcing the Anglo-leaning identity signal. University qualifications at 13.8% are 16.3 points below national, reflecting a workforce concentrated in construction (18.5%), healthcare (12.8%) and education (11.9%) rather than professional services. Average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above national, driven by a high share of couples with children (561 families vs 292 couples without children). Volunteering reaches 15.5% of residents, indicating solid civic participation for a small community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.9%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 98.9% of the stock, with no meaningful apartment or semi-detached presence. Tenure splits heavily toward ownership: 34.4% own outright, 57.5% carry a mortgage and only 8.0% rent. The outright ownership rate of 34.4% reflects an established local population. Prices climbed from $397,500 in 2013 to a peak of $762,500 in 2023 before easing to $700,000 in 2024, a 76.1% total gain over 12 years with a CAGR of 4.8%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.4% and rent-to-income of 14.6% are both below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are proportionate to the above-average incomes at the 78.3rd household income percentile nationally. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 56.9% of all dwellings.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,842
Rent / wk
$305
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$767
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
24
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.9%
Couples, no children
1,223
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction is the dominant industry at 18.5% of employed residents (87 workers), well above its national share, which makes sense for a greenfield-adjacent community where residential development drives local work. Healthcare follows at 12.8% (60 workers) and Education at 11.9% (56), suggesting many residents commute to Mitchell Shire and Whittlesea service centres. The unemployment rate is low at 2.7% and 62.8% of employed residents work full-time. Managers are the top occupation group (96 workers), followed closely by Clerical/Admin (90) and Professionals (85), indicating a white-collar mix that commutes rather than works locally. Participation rate of 59.5% reflects the household composition, with many primary carers in family households.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
59.5%
Employed
677
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.8%
Postgraduate
4.4%
Born Overseas
9.5%
Dwellings
441
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 90.2% of residents drive to work, compared to 2.5% using public transport, well below state and national averages. The area spans 33.87 km2, so distances between services and the nearest train station require personal transport. The crime rate of 55.5 incidents per 1,000 residents covers 82 total recorded offences, with property and deception offences the largest category at 54 incidents. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in nearby towns. The rent-to-income ratio of 14.6% and mortgage-to-income of 20.4% are both below stress thresholds, meaning financial pressure on residents is lower than in most comparable areas. Household income at the 78.3rd percentile nationally supports day-to-day livability.
Drive
90.2%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
82
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
55.5
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wandong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wandong a good suburb to live in?
Wandong suits families seeking large homes at moderate cost. Household income sits at the 78.3rd percentile nationally and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.4% is well below the 30% stress threshold. The main trade-offs are near-total car dependence (90.2% drive to work) and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Wandong?
The median house price was $700,000 in 2024, down from a peak of $762,500 in 2023. Over 12 years from 2013 the median has risen 76.1% from $397,500, a compound annual growth rate of 4.8%. Weekly rent averages $305 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,842.
What schools are in Wandong?
No schools are recorded within the Wandong suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers 33.87 km2 at a density of 43.6 residents per km2, so families typically travel to schools in neighbouring Mitchell Shire towns. University qualifications locally are 13.8%, which is 16.3 points below the national figure.
Is Wandong safe?
Wandong recorded 82 total offences, giving a crime rate of 55.5 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 54 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 17. The small population of 1,477 means a single incident can move the per-1,000 rate noticeably.
Is Wandong good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $305 against a $700,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%, modest but positive. Only 8.0% of households rent, limiting the tenant pool. The 4.8% CAGR over 12 years and a low development pipeline of 3 applications in 12 months support the case for capital growth over yield.
How is Wandong's population changing?
Wandong has 1,477 residents at a density of 43.6 per km2. Residential stability is high, with 85.3% of residents remaining in the same dwelling, pointing to a settled population rather than rapid turnover. The average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above the national figure, driven by the high share of family households.
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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