Warialda
A median house price of $320,000 combined with a household income sitting at just the 11.5th percentile nationally tells the core Warialda story: housing is accessible but incomes are low, and the two facts move together. The population of 1,480 spreads across 1,197 square kilometres at a density of 1.2 persons per km2, making this one of NSW's most sparsely settled localities. The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, and 53.7% of dwellings are owned outright, well above national averages, reflecting a long-settled, low-debt community. Only 4.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 17.1 points below the national rate.
Population
1,480
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$964/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$320K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $320,000, the median house price is a fraction of most NSW markets, and prices grew 3.2% from $310,000 in 2024 to $320,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means purchasing here is relatively affordable compared to state norms. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96%, with semi-detached at 1.9% and apartments at just 1.7%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.7% of dwellings, while 4-plus bedroom homes account for a higher-than-average 28.3%. With 53.7% of homes owned outright and only 24.4% under mortgage, debt levels are low, pointing to a buyer pool of retirees and long-term residents rather than first-home buyers stretching finances.
For Buyers
At $320,000, the median house price is a fraction of most NSW markets, and prices grew 3.2% from $310,000 in 2024 to $320,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means purchasing here is relatively affordable compared to state norms. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96%, with semi-detached at 1.9% and apartments at just 1.7%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.7% of dwellings, while 4-plus bedroom homes account for a higher-than-average 28.3%. With 53.7% of homes owned outright and only 24.4% under mortgage, debt levels are low, pointing to a buyer pool of retirees and long-term residents rather than first-home buyers stretching finances.
For Investors
Rental demand is thin but present: 22% of dwellings are rented at $230 per week, implying a gross yield near 3.7% against the $320,000 median, which is higher than most capital-city markets. The vacancy rate of 10.6% is elevated, signalling more supply than tenants can absorb in a town of 1,480 people. Development activity registered 15 applications in the past 12 months, including residential and secondary dwelling applications, which shows some ongoing interest in new stock. Income levels are low with household income at the 11.5th percentile nationally, so rental affordability is maintained: rent-to-income at 23.9% stays below the 30% stress line. Investors relying on capital growth face limited upside given population contraction in many similar NSW rural towns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
97
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Warialda iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Warialda Public School
K-6 · 192 students
Warialda High School
7-12 · 199 students
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 25 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 sits 11.0 years above the national average, the clearest indicator of Warialda's aging resident base. Only 4.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 17.1 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with the Anglo-Celtic ancestry pattern where English (613), Scottish (158) and Irish (132) lead. University qualifications reach 16.6% of residents, 13.5 points below the national figure, reflecting the region's primary-industry and service-worker profile rather than knowledge-economy employment. Average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below the national figure. Volunteering stands at 24.3%, well above typical urban rates, and 34.7% of families are couples without children, consistent with an older, post-child-rearing demographic.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.0%
Houses
1.9%
Townhouse
1.7%
Apartment
Tenure
The ownership rate tells the standout story: 53.7% of dwellings are owned outright, far above the national average, while only 24.4% carry a mortgage and 22.0% are renting. This pattern reflects decades of residency and low debt, not recent investment activity. Separate houses account for 96% of stock, with virtually no apartment supply. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 49.7%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 28.3%. Prices moved from $310,000 in 2024 to $320,000 in 2025, a 3.2% gain, with a one-year CAGR of 3.2%. Monthly mortgage costs of $1,000 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24% place Warialda well below the stress threshold, making it genuinely affordable compared to most NSW markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,000
Rent / wk
$230
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$515
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.6%
Unoccupied
70
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.7%
Couples, no children
1,036
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 18.6% of workers (60 people), followed by Education at 16.8% (54) and Agriculture at 16.1% (52), a trio that reflects a rural service-centre economy. Construction accounts for 8.7% and Public Administration for 8.4%. Managers are the largest occupational group (99 workers), ahead of Professionals (75) and Labourers (70). Unemployment runs at 5.7%, above the national average, and the participation rate is 44.4%, well below average because a large share of the population, 562 residents, are not in the labour force, consistent with the high median age of 51. Household income at the 11.5th percentile nationally indicates that wages remain below what most Australians earn, which is expected in a predominantly agricultural and public-service town.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.2%
Part-time
29.1%
Participation
44.4%
Employed
515
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.6%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
4.5%
Dwellings
593
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 85.4% of residents driving to work, above the national norm, because public transport options are limited in a rural town of this density (1.2 persons per km2). Walking or cycling accounts for 8.3% of commutes, modest for a small town. No school records appear in the dataset for Warialda itself, though the town does service the surrounding Gwydir Shire region for education. The need-for-assistance rate is 12.0% (164 residents), elevated relative to urban averages, because the median age of 51 means more residents are in age brackets requiring daily support. Rent-to-income at 23.9% and mortgage-to-income at 24.0% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, making living costs manageable relative to local incomes.
Drive
85.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
8.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Warialda compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Warialda a good suburb to live in?
Warialda suits buyers seeking genuinely affordable regional living: the median house price is $320,000 and mortgage-to-income sits at 24%, below the 30% stress threshold. The median age is 51, 11 years above the national figure, and the community has a high volunteering rate of 24.3%, indicating strong local engagement. Trade-offs include limited employment diversity and a vacancy rate of 10.6%.
What is the median house price in Warialda?
The median house price is $320,000, up from $310,000 in 2024, a 3.2% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 24% is below the national stress benchmark. Weekly rent averages $230, implying a gross yield near 3.7% against the current median.
What schools are in Warialda?
No schools are recorded inside the Warialda dataset boundary. The town functions as a service centre for the surrounding Gwydir Shire area. Locally, 16.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 13.5 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the region's agricultural and services employment base.
Is Warialda safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Warialda in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the town has very low population density at 1.2 persons per km2 and a stable community where 82.5% of residents did not move in the past year. The need-for-assistance rate is 12.0%, which is elevated relative to urban areas mainly because of the older median age of 51.
Is Warialda good for property investment?
Gross rental yield is near 3.7% at $230 per week rent against a $320,000 median, higher than many capital-city markets. However, the 10.6% vacancy rate indicates more rental supply than demand. Prices grew 3.2% from 2024 to 2025, and 15 development applications were lodged in the past year. Low income levels at the 11.5th percentile nationally limit rental growth potential.
How is Warialda's population changing?
Warialda's current population is 1,480 across a large 1,197 km2 area. The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national average, pointing to an aging trajectory with fewer working-age residents over time. Community turnover is low at 17.5%, with 82.5% of residents staying in place, but the low overseas-born share of 4.5% means little migration-driven growth to offset aging.
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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