Warragamba

Development Activity

Schools in Warragamba iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Demographics

The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national figure, making this a comparatively young suburb. Overseas-born residents account for just 9.8%, which is 11.8 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the Anglo-leaning identity signal. Ancestry is led by English (488 residents), Irish (145) and Scottish (91), with Christianity the dominant religion at 609 adherents. University qualifications reach only 11.9%, which is 18.2 percentage points below national, reflecting the blue-collar occupational base where Machinery and Drivers and Labourers collectively outnumber Professionals (54 workers). Average household size is 2.5, exactly at the national figure. The working-age share has been stable over the decade with no net change, while the senior share rose 2.9 points and the young share fell 1.9 points, pointing to a gradual aging underway.

The housing market here is essentially synonymous with the separate house: 99.3% of all dwellings fit that category, a concentration higher than most NSW suburbs. Tenure splits show 29.2% owning outright, 50.3% on a mortgage and 20.5% renting, meaning the majority of residents are still paying off their homes. The dominant bedroom type is three bedrooms at 61.1%, followed by four-plus at 20.6% and two-bedroom at 17.7%, confirming a family-oriented stock. Prices moved from $780,500 in 2024 to $791,250 in 2025, a 1.4% rise, far below the national average rate of house price growth over the same period. The vacancy rate of 7.0% is elevated compared to the national benchmark of around 2-3%, signalling limited rental demand relative to available stock. Mortgage-to-income at 26.6% and rent-to-income at 24.5% both sit below stress thresholds.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Construction dominates the local industry mix at 18.8% of workers (65 people), followed by Healthcare at 17.7% (61) and Education at 10.4% (36), with Public Administration at 8.7% and Manufacturing at 8.4% rounding out the top five. By occupation, Machinery and Drivers leads with 91 workers, and Labourers follow at 85, together accounting for roughly one in three employed residents. The unemployment rate is 4.6%, above the national rate of around 3.5% at the time of measurement, and the participation rate of 55.1% is below national norms, leaving 310 residents not in the labour force. Personal weekly income averages $866, and real income grew 21.2% over the decade. The SEIFA IEO score of 933 places the suburb at decile 3, well below average on education and occupation measures, while the IRSD decile of 7 suggests moderate relative advantage on deprivation metrics.

Transport to Work

Transport reliance on cars is extreme: 90.9% of residents drive, compared to a national average closer to 65%, and public transport usage is just 1.7%, reflecting the suburb's location outside dense transit corridors. Walking and cycling accounts for 3.0%. No schools are recorded within the Warragamba boundary in this dataset, so families depend on schools in surrounding suburbs. Crime data is not available for this suburb. On the SEIFA IRSAD scale, the suburb sits at decile 7, placing it in the upper half nationally for relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage. Volunteering runs at 10.9% and 6.0% of residents (69 people) require daily assistance. The housing stress indicators are manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 26.6% and rent-to-income at 24.5%, both below the 30% stress threshold that applies nationally.

Population Forecast

Population growth is running at 1.95% annually, adding around 147 residents per year, and the medium forecast projects growth from roughly 7,544 in 2025 to 7,964 by 2031. The primary engine is internal migration at a net 250 residents per year, above what most comparable small NSW suburbs attract. The 10-year population change is 19.1%, concentrated enough to push the gentrification score to 55 and classify the stage as Active. Signals include population up 45% since 2011 and acceleration in the gentrification index from 3% to 41%. Rent grew 32.1% over the period, outpacing real income growth of 21.2%, which means affordability is tightening even though the affordability ratio technically improved from 48.5% in 2011 to 42.9% in 2021. The suburb shows a mixed trajectory overall, with growth momentum present but not at a pace that would rapidly transform its working-class character.

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Warragamba compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions