NSW 2173 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Wattle Grove

Half of all dwellings in Wattle Grove have 4 or more bedrooms, yet only 15.8% of families are couples without children. That mismatch points to a suburb purpose-built for growing families who can afford a $1,250,000 median house price. Household incomes sit in the 92nd percentile nationally, 5 years younger than the national median age at 35, and 97.4% of housing stock is detached, making it one of south-west Sydney's most homogeneous residential pockets. University attainment runs 10 percentage points above the national average, feeding a workforce tilted toward healthcare (15.5%) and public administration (14.7%).

Wattle Grove urban fabric map

Population

8,886

Median Age

35.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,459/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

20

Median House

$1.2M

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

2.59 km²· 3,429.4 people/km²· Family income $2,632/wk

At a $1,250,000 median, Wattle Grove sits well above western Sydney's typical price band, but mortgage stress remains contained at 20.7% of household income because family incomes average $2,632 per week. Prices rose 12.3% from $1,180,000 in 2024 to $1,325,000 in 2025. The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached (97.4%), with 50.4% of homes offering 4+ bedrooms, so buyers looking for apartments or townhouses will find almost nothing here. St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College (ICSEA 1132) provides a higher-performing school option than the state average.

For Buyers

At a $1,250,000 median, Wattle Grove sits well above western Sydney's typical price band, but mortgage stress remains contained at 20.7% of household income because family incomes average $2,632 per week. Prices rose 12.3% from $1,180,000 in 2024 to $1,325,000 in 2025. The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached (97.4%), with 50.4% of homes offering 4+ bedrooms, so buyers looking for apartments or townhouses will find almost nothing here. St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College (ICSEA 1132) provides a higher-performing school option than the state average.

For Investors

A 2.6% vacancy rate signals tight rental supply, and weekly rent of $500 covers mortgage payments comfortably at current interest rates. With 29.8% of residents renting and 21 development applications lodged in the past 12 months (including secondary dwellings and extensions), there is moderate infill activity. However, 83.6% of residents stayed at the same address over the past year, which ranks well above the national average for residential stability. The low turnover limits rental stock churn but supports consistent tenant retention.

Development Activity

Total DAs

157

Last 12 Months

20

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

-39.4%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
15
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
13
Demolition
10
New Dwelling
6
Swimming Pool / Spa
4
Subdivision
3
Other
1
Deck / Pergola / Patio
1

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

St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College

ICSEA 1132 Combined Independent

K-12 · 896 students

Wattle Grove Public School

ICSEA 1035 Primary Government

K-6 · 427 students

Demographics

Wattle Grove's population of 8,886 skews 5 years younger than the national median. Some 30.9% were born overseas, roughly 9 percentage points above the national average, with English ancestry leading (2,184) followed by Indian (579) and Irish (624). Arabic is the most spoken non-English language (282 speakers), with Mandarin (82) and Hindi (67) following. The 40.1% university attainment rate exceeds the national benchmark by 10 points, and the average household of 3.1 people is 0.6 above the national figure, consistent with the family-oriented housing stock.

Age Distribution

0-14
22.9%
15-24
12.9%
25-44
28.8%
45-64
26.2%
65+
9.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.3%
2 bed
1.2%
3 bed
48.1%
4+ bed
50.4%

Dwelling Structure

97.4%

Houses

2.3%

Townhouse

0.2%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 26.6% Mortgage 43.6% Rent 29.8%

Prices climbed from $1,180,000 in 2024 to $1,325,000 in 2025, a 12.3% gain. The ownership split runs 26.6% outright, 43.6% mortgaged, and 29.8% renting. Three-bedroom homes (48.1%) and four-plus bedroom homes (50.4%) dominate, while apartments account for just 0.2%. Mortgage repayments average $2,200/month, consuming 20.7% of household income, which is below the 30% stress threshold. This low stress ratio exists because household weekly income of $2,459 places Wattle Grove in the top decile nationally.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,200

Rent / wk

$500

HH Size

3.1

Personal Income / wk

$1,010

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

2.6%

Unoccupied

74

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.3%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.7%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Arabic
282
Mandarin
82
Hindi
67
Greek
66
Canton
63
Malayalam
56

Ancestry

English
2,184
Other
1,805
Irish
624
Indian
579
Scottish
557
Chinese
445

Household Composition

15.8%

Couples, no children

8,112

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare (15.5%), public administration (14.7%), and education (12.2%) together employ over 42% of working residents, creating a public-sector-heavy employment base. Professionals make up the largest occupational group (1,135), followed by clerical and admin workers (795). The 4.5% unemployment rate sits below the national average, while the 71.5% full-time employment rate runs higher than the typical benchmark. Participation at 59.2% is moderate, partly because 1,893 residents are not in the labour force, likely reflecting the suburb's family caretaker demographics given high household sizes.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
8
Disadvantage
8
Economic resources
9
Education & occupation
7

Full-time

71.5%

Part-time

24.0%

Participation

59.2%

Employed

3,878

Occupations

Professionals 1,135
Clerical/Admin 795
Managers 580
Community/Personal 548
Sales 334
Machinery/Drivers 293
Labourers 269

Top Industries

Healthcare 15.5%
Public Admin 14.7%
Education 12.2%
Professional/Tech 9.6%
Construction 7.3%

University

40.1%

Postgraduate

10.3%

Born Overseas

30.9%

Dwellings

2,819

Transport to Work

Wattle Grove Public School (ICSEA 1035, 427 students) and St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College (ICSEA 1132, 896 students) both score above the national ICSEA average of 1000. Public transport usage is low at 3.4%, with 87.3% driving to work, which reflects the car-dependent layout typical of south-west Sydney suburbs. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 8 places Wattle Grove in the top 30% nationally for combined advantage and disadvantage, while the IER decile of 9 indicates very low economic resource deprivation. Volunteering sits at 12.4%, below the national rate.

Drive

87.3%

Public Transport

3.4%

Walk / Cycle

3.0%

Work from Home

N/A

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

How Wattle Grove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 6%
Household Income
Top 8%
Rent Level
Top 6%
Apartments
Bottom 1%
Renters
Top 29%
Uni Educated
Top 18%
Public Transport
Top 48%
Born Overseas
Top 13%
Density
Top 2%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wattle Grove a good suburb to live in?

Wattle Grove ranks in the 8th SEIFA IRSAD decile nationally, with household incomes in the 92nd percentile. Mortgage stress is low at 20.7% of income, and both local schools score above the national ICSEA average of 1000. The trade-off is heavy car dependence, with only 3.4% using public transport.

What is the median house price in Wattle Grove?

The median house price is $1,325,000 as of 2025, up 12.3% from $1,180,000 in 2024. This places Wattle Grove well above western Sydney's typical price range, driven by the suburb's high proportion of 4+ bedroom detached homes (50.4% of stock).

What schools are in Wattle Grove?

Wattle Grove has 2 schools: Wattle Grove Public School (Government primary, ICSEA 1035, 427 students) and St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College (Independent combined, ICSEA 1132, 896 students). Both score above the national ICSEA benchmark of 1000.

Is Wattle Grove safe?

No suburb-level crime data is available for Wattle Grove in the current dataset. The SEIFA IER decile of 9 (top 20% nationally for economic resources) and high home ownership rate of 70.2% (combined outright and mortgage) are typically correlated with lower crime rates in comparable NSW suburbs.

Is Wattle Grove good for property investment?

The 2.6% vacancy rate is below the balanced market threshold of 3%, suggesting demand outpaces supply. Weekly rent of $500 and 12.3% annual price growth make the yield and capital gain profile attractive. However, the high $1,325,000 entry price limits the buyer pool compared to more affordable western Sydney alternatives.

How is Wattle Grove's population changing?

With 30.9% born overseas (9 points above the national average) and 21 development applications in 12 months, Wattle Grove is seeing gradual densification through secondary dwellings rather than rapid population growth. The 83.6% residential stability rate is higher than most Sydney suburbs.

What languages are spoken in Wattle Grove?

Arabic is the most common non-English language with 282 speakers, followed by Mandarin (82), Hindi (67), Greek (66), and Cantonese (63). About 30.9% of residents were born overseas, 9 percentage points above the national average.

What recent development is happening in Wattle Grove?

There were 21 development applications in the past 12 months, including secondary dwellings, dwelling extensions, and balcony additions. Most were Complying Development Certificates, indicating straightforward residential alterations rather than large-scale projects.

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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