NSW 2782 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Wentworth Falls

A median age of 50 sits a full 10 years above the national figure, and that single number explains much of how Wentworth Falls behaves. This Blue Mountains suburb spreads 6,428 residents across 21.04 km2 at just 305.6 people per km2, with 95.7% of dwellings separate houses and apartments almost absent at 0.9%. Household income lands in the 48.0th percentile nationally, yet university qualifications reach 43.3%, which is 13.2 points above national, a mismatch between credentials and pay typical of a tree-change retiree and downshifter market. SEIFA reads decile 8 on education and occupation but decile 7 on income resources, and the median house price of $933,500 has climbed 10% in a single year.

Wentworth Falls urban fabric map

Population

6,428

Median Age

50.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,528/wk

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

57

Median House

$934K

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

21.04 km²· 305.6 people/km²· Family income $1,978/wk

Buyers face a detached-house market with almost no alternatives: 95.7% of dwellings are separate houses and only 0.9% are apartments, so the $933,500 median is effectively the entry point rather than a blend of stock types. Prices rose 10% from $900,000 in 2024 to $990,000 in 2025, faster than household incomes that sit in the 48.0th percentile nationally. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.5% and four-plus bedroom homes follow at 38.1%, reflecting family-sized stock on large Blue Mountains blocks. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,080, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.4%, just above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 47.9% outnumber mortgage holders at 34.4%, because much of the housing is held by older, debt-free residents rather than recent purchasers.

For Buyers

Buyers face a detached-house market with almost no alternatives: 95.7% of dwellings are separate houses and only 0.9% are apartments, so the $933,500 median is effectively the entry point rather than a blend of stock types. Prices rose 10% from $900,000 in 2024 to $990,000 in 2025, faster than household incomes that sit in the 48.0th percentile nationally. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.5% and four-plus bedroom homes follow at 38.1%, reflecting family-sized stock on large Blue Mountains blocks. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,080, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.4%, just above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 47.9% outnumber mortgage holders at 34.4%, because much of the housing is held by older, debt-free residents rather than recent purchasers.

For Investors

The renter pool is shallow here, with only 17.7% of dwellings rented against 47.9% owned outright, so tenant supply is far thinner than in metropolitan markets. Weekly rent of $430 against the $933,500 median implies a gross yield near 2.4%, low and weighed down further by a 12.5% vacancy rate that signals soft rental demand. The growth case is also modest: forecasts show 0.43% annual population growth, roughly 28 people a year, driven almost entirely by net overseas migration of 50 a year while internal migration removes 2. Development activity ran to 55 applications in 12 months, mostly dwelling alterations and the occasional subdivision rather than new rental supply. With rent growth of 43.3% over the decade, the case rests more on long-run capital growth than on yield or volume.

Development Activity

Total DAs

345

Last 12 Months

57

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+32.6%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
56
Garage / Carport / Shed
11
Subdivision
11
New Dwelling
7
Change of Use
3
Commercial / Industrial
3
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
3
Swimming Pool / Spa
2

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

Blue Mountains Grammar School

ICSEA 1140 Combined Independent

K-12 · 512 students

Kindlehill School

ICSEA 1077 Combined Independent

K-12 · 114 students

Wentworth Falls Public School

ICSEA 1074 Primary Government

K-6 · 370 students

Demographics

The median age of 50 runs 10 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is firmly aging: the senior share rose 6.8 points while the working-age share fell 5.3 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents sit at 21.3%, which is 0.3 points below national, so this is a notably Anglo-leaning population led by English (2,832), Irish (1,093) and Scottish (896) ancestry. University qualifications reach 43.3%, which is 13.2 points above national, pointing to an educated retiree and professional base. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, consistent with the couples-without-children profile that makes up 35.6% of families. Buddhism (116 residents) is the most notable non-Christian religion behind Christianity (2,533).

Age Distribution

0-14
16.7%
15-24
8.4%
25-44
18.1%
45-64
27.5%
65+
29.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
2.0%
2 bed
12.4%
3 bed
47.5%
4+ bed
38.1%

Dwelling Structure

95.7%

Houses

3.3%

Townhouse

0.9%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 47.9% Mortgage 34.4% Rent 17.7%

Tenure skews heavily toward outright ownership: 47.9% own outright, 34.4% carry a mortgage and just 17.7% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free wealth rather than a churn of recent buyers, which fits the median age of 50. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 95.7%, with apartments at 0.9% and semi-detached at 3.3%, so there is little diversity to soften prices. Three-bedroom homes account for 47.5% and four-plus bedroom homes 38.1%, leaving smaller dwellings scarce. The median house price rose from $900,000 to $990,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 10% one-year move. Mortgage-to-income at 31.4% sits above the stress threshold while rent-to-income at 28.1% stays just below it, a gap that reflects how purchase costs outpace incomes in the 48.0th percentile.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,080

Rent / wk

$430

HH Size

2.3

Personal Income / wk

$740

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

12.5%

Unoccupied

369

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

28.1%

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

31.4% stressed

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

German
22
Canton
14
Greek
11

Ancestry

English
2,832
Irish
1,093
Scottish
896
Other
613
Ancestry NS
357
German
307

Household Composition

35.6%

Couples, no children

4,936

Total families

Economy & Employment

The local workforce concentrates in human-services sectors rather than corporate ones: Healthcare leads at 19.2% (386 workers), Education follows at 17.4% (349) and Professional/Tech at 10.1% (203), with Public Admin at 9.9% and Construction at 6.4%. By occupation, Professionals (838) and Managers (358) form the top tier, consistent with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment reads 4.8% and the full-time employment rate is 55.5%. Participation is low at 44.4%, well below the educated profile would suggest, because the aging population leaves 2,370 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes grew 12.7% over the decade. The IER economic-resources score sits at decile 7 against the decile 8 IEO, because retirees with high education but modest current income depress aggregate household resource measures.

Unemployment

2.5%

Labour Force

3,033

Unemployed

77

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

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

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

Full-time

55.5%

Part-time

39.7%

Participation

44.4%

Employed

2,265

Occupations

Professionals 838
Managers 358
Community/Personal 314
Clerical/Admin 307
Sales 201
Labourers 153
Machinery/Drivers 81

Top Industries

Healthcare 19.2%
Education 17.4%
Professional/Tech 10.1%
Public Admin 9.9%
Construction 6.4%

University

43.3%

Postgraduate

14.6%

Born Overseas

21.3%

Dwellings

2,573

Transport to Work

This is a car-dependent suburb by design: 89.0% of residents drive to work while only 2.7% use public transport and 3.0% walk or cycle, far below the public-transport reliance of denser areas, a function of the 305.6 people per km2 spread across 21.04 km2. The suburb scores decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 7 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, comfortably in the upper half nationally though not at the top tier. Volunteering runs high at 20.3%, well above the national rate, consistent with an established, community-rooted population. Only 6.5% of residents (397 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 50. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Blue Mountains towns, a practical trade-off for the low-density setting.

Drive

89.0%

Public Transport

2.7%

Walk / Cycle

3.0%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+0.43%/yr

(+28 people/yr)

Established

Growth is slow and steady rather than expansionary: annual population growth registers 0.43%, about 28 people a year, and the 10-year change is 8.3%, classifying Wentworth Falls as an established suburb. The population has risen gradually from 6,387 in 2023 to 6,503 in 2025, and medium forecasts lift it to 6,671 by 2031, a contained trajectory. Net overseas migration of 50 a year is the primary driver, lightly offset by internal outflow of 2. The aging shift is the defining feature, with the senior share up 6.8 points and the working-age share down 5.3 points over the decade. The gentrification stage reads early signs at a score of 40, supported by rent growth of 43.3%, though it remains well below a transforming market.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+50

Net Internal / yr

-2

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

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

How Wentworth Falls compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 9%
Household Income
Bottom 48%
Rent Level
Top 11%
Apartments
Bottom 19%
Renters
Bottom 42%
Uni Educated
Top 14%
Public Transport
Bottom 43%
Born Overseas
Top 27%
Density
Top 22%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wentworth Falls a good suburb to live in?

Wentworth Falls scores decile 8 on the SEIFA education and occupation index and decile 7 for relative disadvantage, both in the upper half nationally. University qualifications reach 43.3%, 13.2 points above national, and volunteering runs at 20.3%. The main trade-offs are 89.0% car dependence and a median age of 50.

What is the median house price in Wentworth Falls?

The median house price is $933,500, having risen 10% from $900,000 in 2024 to $990,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $430 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,080, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.4%, just above the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in Wentworth Falls?

No schools are recorded inside the Wentworth Falls boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Blue Mountains towns. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 43.3%, which is 13.2 points above the national figure.

Is Wentworth Falls safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Wentworth Falls in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, in the upper half nationally, and only 6.5% of its residents (397 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.

Is Wentworth Falls good for property investment?

Rent of $430 a week against the $933,500 median gives a gross yield near 2.4%, low, and the 12.5% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand. With only 17.7% of dwellings rented and 0.43% annual population growth, returns depend on long-run capital growth rather than yield.

How is Wentworth Falls's population changing?

Population growth is 0.43% annually, about 28 people a year, with an 8.3% rise over 10 years from 6,387 in 2023 to 6,503 in 2025. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.8 points and the working-age share down 5.3 points over the decade.

How much development is happening in Wentworth Falls?

There were 55 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are alterations or additions to existing dwellings, with the occasional subdivision, rather than new supply, consistent with an established, slow-growth suburb at 0.43% annual population growth.

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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