Wangaratta
A $525,000 median house price and 85.3% separate-house stock make Wangaratta read as an affordable regional service base, not a high-rise market. The town supports 19,214 residents on 48.8 sq km, with a median age of 44 that is 4.0 years above the national figure and household income in the 26.2 percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Benalla or Rutherglen, Wangaratta's larger health and school role is clear because healthcare employs 1,582 locals and 10 schools operate in the suburb.
Population
19,214
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,218/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
34
Median House
$525K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers get space first: 85.3% of dwellings are separate houses, only 0.1% are apartments, and 51.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms. The $525,000 median house price is below the $550,000 peak from Apr-Jun 2023 by 4.5%, giving buyers more room than the recent high. Mortgage repayments average $1,300 a month and mortgage-to-income sits at 24.6%, so the area suits buyers who want a detached home without the pressure seen in higher-priced regional centres.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get space first: 85.3% of dwellings are separate houses, only 0.1% are apartments, and 51.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms. The $525,000 median house price is below the $550,000 peak from Apr-Jun 2023 by 4.5%, giving buyers more room than the recent high. Mortgage repayments average $1,300 a month and mortgage-to-income sits at 24.6%, so the area suits buyers who want a detached home without the pressure seen in higher-priced regional centres.
For Investors
Investors should treat Wangaratta as a yield and tenant-quality play rather than a scarcity market. Renters make up 29.9% of households and median rent is $260 a week, but the 7.1% vacancy rate is higher than a tight rental setting, so leasing risk matters. The 26 development applications in 12 months may add choice for tenants, while rent growth of 44.4% in the shift series suggests demand has improved from a low base.
Development Activity
Total DAs
67
Last 12 Months
34
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+61.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wangaratta iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Cathedral College Wangaratta
Prep-12 · 1075 students
St Patrick's School
Prep-6 · 227 students
St Bernard's School
Prep-6 · 356 students
Galen Catholic College
7-12 · 973 students
Wangaratta Primary School
Prep-6 · 148 students
Demographics
Wangaratta skews older and more locally rooted than the national profile. Median age is 44, which is 4.0 years above national, while overseas-born residents are 10.4%, 11.2 percentage points below national. University attainment at 23.5% is 6.6 points below national, reflecting a workforce shaped more by services, trades and care roles. English ancestry is the largest count at 8,197, followed by Irish at 2,723 and Scottish at 2,200, while average household size is 2.2, or 0.3 below national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.3%
Houses
14.2%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached, family-scale housing dominates because 85.3% of dwellings are separate houses and 78.8% have 3 or more bedrooms. Prices have more than doubled from $240,000 in 2013 to $525,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 118.8% rise and 5.8% annual growth over 14 years, but the latest median remains 4.5% below the $550,000 peak. Tenure is balanced for a regional centre: 38.6% owned outright, 31.4% with a mortgage and 29.9% renting.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$260
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$700
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.1%
Unoccupied
606
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.8%
Couples, no children
13,913
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the economic anchor, employing 1,582 people or 28.8%, well above education at 628 and 11.4%. Construction adds 498 workers, manufacturing 476 and public admin 404, so jobs lean to services with a practical trade base. Unemployment is 3.8% and full-time work is 60.0%, but participation is 52.1% because the town is older. SEIFA shows the constraint: IEO decile 4 sits only slightly above IER decile 3, while IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 3 point to lower advantage nationally.
Unemployment
6.5%
Labour Force
9,900
Unemployed
645
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.0%
Part-time
36.2%
Participation
52.1%
Employed
7,963
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.5%
Postgraduate
4.7%
Born Overseas
10.4%
Dwellings
7,911
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented because 84.8% of commuters drive, compared with just 0.2% using public transport and 7.1% walking or cycling. School choice is broad, with 10 local schools spanning ICSEA 913 to 1084; Cathedral College Wangaratta leads at 1084, ahead of St Patrick's School at 1045 and St Bernard's School at 1042, across Independent, Catholic and Government sectors. The trade-off is safety: 2,325 offences equal 121.0 per 1,000 people, and IRSAD decile 3 is below the national middle.
Drive
84.8%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
7.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.69%/yr
(+139 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The trend forecast adds 139 people a year, or 0.69% annually, lifting the medium population path from 20,348 in 2026 to 21,043 in 2031. The primary driver is Overseas migration, with overseas inflow at 73 people a year compared with 16 from internal migration, so local services need gradual capacity rather than a surge. The shift trajectory is Aging, with seniors up 4.1 points and young residents down 2.0, while the gentrification score is 4 and the stage is Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+73
Net Internal / yr
+16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +11% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,325
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
121.0
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 Wangaratta compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wangaratta a good suburb to live in?
Yes, Wangaratta suits buyers who want a regional service centre with detached housing, schools and healthcare jobs. The median age is 44, 10 schools operate locally, and 85.3% of dwellings are separate houses, but the 121.0 offences per 1,000 people safety reading should be weighed carefully.
What is the median house price in Wangaratta?
The median house price in Wangaratta is $525,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 4.5% below the $550,000 peak reached in Apr-Jun 2023, while the longer run has been strong, rising 118.8% from $240,000 in 2013.
What schools are in Wangaratta?
Wangaratta has 10 schools across Government, Catholic and Independent sectors. Cathedral College Wangaratta records the highest ICSEA at 1084 with 1,075 enrolments, followed by St Patrick's School at 1045 and St Bernard's School at 1042.
Is Wangaratta safe?
Wangaratta has a high recorded crime rate at 121.0 offences per 1,000 people, with 2,325 total offences. The largest category is property and deception offences at 904, followed by justice procedures offences at 603, so safety varies by street and lifestyle.
Is Wangaratta good for property investment?
Wangaratta can work for investors seeking affordable entry and regional tenants, with a $525,000 median house price, $260 median weekly rent and 29.9% renters. The caution is vacancy at 7.1%, which is higher than tight rental markets, plus 26 recent development applications.
How is Wangaratta's population changing?
Wangaratta is projected to grow slowly, adding about 139 people a year at 0.69%. The medium path reaches 21,043 by 2031, and migration is led by Overseas migration at 73 people a year compared with 16 from internal migration.
What development is happening in Wangaratta?
There were 26 development applications in the past 12 months, including subdivision and easement-related permits. That points to incremental land and lot activity rather than a major apartment wave, consistent with 85.3% separate houses and only 0.1% apartments.
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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