Wentworth

Development Activity

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

Demographics

The median age of 56 is 16 years above the national figure, reflecting decades of younger residents leaving for larger centres. University qualifications reach 14.2%, which is 15.9 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a workforce concentrated in healthcare, labouring and community service roles rather than knowledge industries. Overseas-born residents at 8.4% sit 13.2 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (577), Scottish (147) and Irish (142) lead, with German heritage (70) adding a small farming-community layer. Average household size is 2.1, just 0.4 below the national figure. Couples without children make up 45.6% of families, the dominant household type in an area where the working-age population has thinned over time.

The tenure profile signals a settled, long-resident population: 52.3% own their homes outright and 24.4% carry mortgages, while only 23.3% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders by more than two to one is rare nationally and reflects the older median age of 56 and low household churn, with 79.1% of residents having stayed at the same address for five years. The stock is detached-dominant at 88.9% separate houses, which is well above the national average. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 45.5%, followed by four-plus bedroom at 21.9% and two-bedroom at 28.6%. The median house price of $340,000 rose 8.4% in one year from $323,000, though with only two data points the trend needs more time to confirm. Rent-to-income at 21% remains below the 30% stress threshold despite the suburb sitting at the 11th income percentile nationally.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Healthcare dominates the local economy at 24.8% of employed residents (78 workers), a share that reflects Wentworth's role as a service centre for a wide surrounding rural area. Education at 12.1% and Public Administration at 10.8% make up the next two layers, reinforcing the pattern of a government and community services base. Agriculture at 8.3% connects to the productive irrigated farmland along the Murray and Darling rivers, and Hospitality at 8.0% captures tourism and river trade. By occupation, Managers lead at 90 workers, followed by Labourers (75) and Professionals (74). The SEIFA scores rank Wentworth at decile 3 on both IRSD and IRSAD, placing it among the more disadvantaged communities nationally. Unemployment sits at 5.7% and the participation rate of 37.1% is significantly below national norms, largely because 619 residents, nearly 40% of the adult population, are outside the labour force due to age or retirement.

Transport to Work

Car dependence is the practical reality in a 1,637 square kilometre area: 80.2% of residents drive to work and the town lacks the density to support frequent public transport. A notable 14.2% walk or cycle, a higher share than many regional towns, which reflects the flat river terrain and compact town core. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 3 places Wentworth in the lower third nationally for relative socio-economic advantage, and 13% of residents (174 people) need daily assistance, a rate consistent with the older age profile. Volunteering runs at 19.8%, well above many urban areas, indicating strong community participation despite limited formal amenity. The SEIFA IER decile of 4 reflects adequate housing and physical infrastructure relative to most rural NSW towns, with housing stress ratios for both renters (21% of income) and mortgage holders (21.3%) remaining below the 30% stress threshold.

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

How Wentworth compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions