Wanniassa
Wanniassa's population is declining at -0.27% per year (21 people lost annually), the steepest drop in this cohort, driven by net internal outflows of -128 per year. Despite this, household incomes sit at the 88th percentile ($2,295/week), mortgage stress is just 21.1%, and SEIFA scores at decile 8 across all four indices confirm solid upper-middle advantage. Public Administration employs 33.1% of workers, nearly identical to neighbouring Gordon. The contradiction between declining population and strong economics reflects Canberra's established suburbs releasing empty-nester housing faster than younger families are buying in.
Population
7,885
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,295/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$568K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median of $568,000 (rent-derived) is accessible for Canberra, particularly given household incomes at the 88th percentile. Detached houses dominate at 89.7%, with 46.7% having 4-plus bedrooms and 42.5% having 3 bedrooms. Mortgage-to-income at 21.1% is among the lowest in this data set. The 42.1% mortgage rate and 36.6% outright ownership indicate a mature suburb. Five schools serve the area, all above ICSEA 991, with Trinity Christian School (ICSEA 1,150) the standout. Buyers benefit from a stable, well-serviced community, though the declining population suggests the suburb is in its generational turnover phase.
For Buyers
The estimated median of $568,000 (rent-derived) is accessible for Canberra, particularly given household incomes at the 88th percentile. Detached houses dominate at 89.7%, with 46.7% having 4-plus bedrooms and 42.5% having 3 bedrooms. Mortgage-to-income at 21.1% is among the lowest in this data set. The 42.1% mortgage rate and 36.6% outright ownership indicate a mature suburb. Five schools serve the area, all above ICSEA 991, with Trinity Christian School (ICSEA 1,150) the standout. Buyers benefit from a stable, well-serviced community, though the declining population suggests the suburb is in its generational turnover phase.
For Investors
The 21.3% renter share is modest, and vacancy at 4.9% is moderate. Weekly rent of $400 against $568,000 estimated median implies a gross yield of approximately 3.7%. Population decline of -0.27% per year and net internal outflow of -128/year are concerning for demand fundamentals. Only 7 development applications in 12 months (including a secondary residence) indicate minimal new supply. The investment case depends on the public service employment anchor: 33.1% of workers in Public Admin provides income stability, and Canberra's federal role limits economic downside compared to other declining suburban markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
63
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-30.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wanniassa iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Trinity Christian School
K-12 · 1073 students
St Anthony's Parish Primary School
K-6 · 421 students
Wanniassa Hills Primary School
K-6 · 340 students
Erindale College
10-12 · 871 students
Wanniassa School
K-10 · 538 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 sits 1 year below the national median. English ancestry (2,760) leads, followed by Irish (1,056) and Scottish (914). At 23.0% born overseas (1.4pp above national), Wanniassa is broadly representative of Canberra's diversity level. University education at 45.3% is 15 percentage points above the national average. Professionals (1,142) and Clerical/Admin (648) lead occupations, consistent with the government workforce. Malayalam (74 speakers) and Nepali (42) are the top non-English languages. The 18.5% volunteering rate is above the national average.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.7%
Houses
9.5%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
No historical price series is available, so the $568,000 median is rent-derived. Detached houses dominate at 89.7%, with semi-detached at 9.5% and almost no apartments (0.8%). Ownership: 36.6% outright, 42.1% mortgage, 21.3% renting. Three-bedroom (42.5%) and 4-plus bedroom (46.7%) homes provide family-scale options. Rent-to-income at 17.4% and mortgage-to-income at 21.1% are both well below stress thresholds, confirming high income-to-housing affordability. Average household size of 2.6 is slightly above the national average.
Mortgage / mo
$2,100
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,127
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
150
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.7%
Couples, no children
6,546
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Administration dominates at 33.1% (948 workers), followed by Healthcare (14.9%, 426) and Education (10.8%, 310). Professional/Tech (9.9%, 282) and Construction (7.1%, 202) round out the top 5. The public sector concentration mirrors Gordon and reflects Wanniassa's Tuggeranong Valley location within Canberra's public service commute belt. Full-time employment at 67.9% is well above the national average, and unemployment at 4.4% is low. SEIFA IRSAD decile 8 and IER decile 8 confirm strong economic positioning. The participation rate of 60.9% reflects working-age stability.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
4,205
Unemployed
232
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.9%
Part-time
27.7%
Participation
60.9%
Employed
3,680
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.3%
Postgraduate
13.2%
Born Overseas
23.0%
Dwellings
2,897
Transport to Work
Five schools cover Wanniassa, all above ICSEA 991: Trinity Christian School (Combined, Independent, ICSEA 1,150, 1,073 students) leads, followed by St Anthony's Parish Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1,067, 421 students) and Wanniassa Hills Primary (Government, ICSEA 1,061, 340 students). Erindale College (Secondary, Government, ICSEA 1,041, 871 students) provides senior secondary. Public transport at 5.4% is moderate for Canberra. Car usage at 84.8% is high, and walking/cycling at 2.7% is low. SEIFA IRSAD decile 8 indicates good service access.
Drive
84.8%
Public Transport
5.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.27%/yr
(-21 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is forecast to decline from 7,731 (2025) to 7,563 by 2031, losing 21 people per year (-0.27% annual), below the ACT average and one of the steepest declines nationally among established suburbs. Net internal migration is -128/year, the largest outflow in this cohort, with overseas inflow of 48/year insufficient to offset. The ageing trajectory shows seniors' share rising 7.8 percentage points (second highest in this cohort) and working-age share dropping 4.9pp. Gentrification score of 0 (not gentrifying) confirms a suburb in demographic release. Affordability has improved (40.5% to 35.5% rent-to-income) because incomes grew 5.9% in real terms while rents rose only 14.3%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+48
Net Internal / yr
-128
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -128/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wanniassa compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wanniassa a good suburb to live in?
Wanniassa offers family-sized housing at $568,000 median with the second-lowest mortgage stress in this cohort (21.1%). All 5 schools score near or above the ICSEA benchmark, unemployment is 4.4%, and SEIFA decile 8 confirms above-average advantage. The population is declining at -0.27% per year.
What is the median house price in Wanniassa?
The estimated median is $568,000 (rent-derived, 2025). Weekly rent averages $400, and monthly mortgage repayments of $2,100 produce a 21.1% mortgage-to-income ratio, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Wanniassa?
Wanniassa has 5 schools: Trinity Christian School (Combined, ICSEA 1,150, 1,073 students), St Anthony's Parish Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1,067, 421 students), Wanniassa Hills Primary (Government, ICSEA 1,061, 340 students), Erindale College (Secondary, ICSEA 1,041, 871 students), and Wanniassa School (Combined, ICSEA 991, 538 students).
Is Wanniassa safe?
Crime data is not available for Wanniassa in the current dataset. The 4.4% unemployment rate, SEIFA IRSD decile 8, and 82.0% residential stability are all strong indicators that correlate with below-average crime in comparable Canberra suburbs.
Is Wanniassa good for property investment?
The implied gross yield of 3.7% ($400/week on $568,000) is moderate. Vacancy at 4.9% is manageable. However, population is declining at -0.27% per year with net internal outflow of 128 people annually. Only 7 development applications in 12 months means supply is static, protecting existing values.
How is Wanniassa's population changing?
Population is declining at -0.27% per year (21 people lost annually), the steepest drop in this cohort. Net internal migration is -128/year, with overseas inflow of 48/year insufficient to offset. Seniors' share is rising 7.8 percentage points, and the suburb grew only 1.2% over the past decade.
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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