Werris Creek
With a median age of 50, Werris Creek sits 10 years above the national figure, making it one of the most age-skewed communities in north-western NSW. Only 4.3% of residents were born overseas, compared to a national average of around 21.6%, and household income falls in the bottom 10.2nd percentile nationally. Despite those constraints, the median house price reached $352,500 in 2025, up 7.6% from $327,500 in 2024, driven by a stock of 97.5% detached houses and a relatively low ownership cost of $906 per month in mortgage repayments.
Population
1,478
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$941/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$340K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $352,500 is well below NSW state norms, making entry costs genuinely accessible. Prices moved from $327,500 in 2024 to $352,500 in 2025, a gain of 7.6% in one year. Nearly all dwellings are separate houses at 97.5%, so buyers face very little apartment or semi-detached stock. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 53.3%, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 20.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $906, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes. The outright ownership rate of 50.7% is notably high compared to national ownership patterns, reflecting a mature, long-settled resident base.
For Buyers
The median house price of $352,500 is well below NSW state norms, making entry costs genuinely accessible. Prices moved from $327,500 in 2024 to $352,500 in 2025, a gain of 7.6% in one year. Nearly all dwellings are separate houses at 97.5%, so buyers face very little apartment or semi-detached stock. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 53.3%, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 20.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $906, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes. The outright ownership rate of 50.7% is notably high compared to national ownership patterns, reflecting a mature, long-settled resident base.
For Investors
The rental market here is thin: only 24.6% of dwellings are rented, with weekly rent at $220. Against the $352,500 median, that implies a gross yield around 3.2%, modest but above typical capital-city returns. The vacancy rate of 9.7% is elevated, suggesting rental demand is soft relative to supply. Just 7 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is minimal. The 77.2% of residents who stayed in the same address for five years signals low tenant turnover, which suits long-term landlords but limits rent growth. Investment upside depends on continued price momentum, rather than yield, since the vacancy rate and low-income demographic base limit rent escalation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
63
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+14.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Werris Creek iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Werris Creek Public School
K-6 · 68 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national median, placing Werris Creek firmly in an aging demographic bracket. Only 4.3% of residents were born overseas, which is 17.3 percentage points below the national figure, giving the suburb a strongly Anglo-Celtic character. English ancestry is the most common at 602 residents, followed by Irish (173) and Scottish (141). University qualifications reach just 11.7% of residents, which is 18.4 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the blue-collar and agricultural heritage of the region. Average household size is 2.2, slightly below the national average of 2.5, consistent with more older and retired households than families with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.5%
Houses
0.5%
Townhouse
2.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The ownership profile here is unusually stable: 50.7% of households own their home outright, far above national norms, while just 24.7% carry a mortgage and 24.6% rent. This outright-ownership dominance reflects decades of settled residency rather than speculative churn. The price moved from $327,500 in 2024 to $352,500 in 2025, a 7.6% gain, though the series covers only one year. Separate houses account for 97.5% of all dwellings, with three-bedroom homes the modal type at 53.3%. At $906 per month, mortgage repayments sit at 22.2% of median household income, comfortably below the 30% stress level. Rent-to-income at 23.4% is also below stress threshold, so neither tenure group faces acute housing cost pressure.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$906
Rent / wk
$220
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$498
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
66
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.3%
Couples, no children
1,055
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local employment base at 17.3% of workers (44 people), followed by Transport at 14.5% (37) and Education at 10.2% (26). The transport industry share is high relative to most regional NSW towns, reflecting Werris Creek's historical role as a rail junction. By occupation, Machinery and Drivers is the top category with 94 workers, ahead of Community and Personal Service (76) and Labourers (71). The unemployment rate of 9.9% is well above the national average, and the participation rate of just 40.2% reflects a population where a large share, 602 people, are not in the labour force. Household income sits in the 10.2nd percentile nationally, meaning 9 in 10 Australian households earn more than the typical Werris Creek household.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.7%
Part-time
28.4%
Participation
40.2%
Employed
447
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.7%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
4.3%
Dwellings
607
Transport to Work
Car dependence is pronounced: 85.7% of residents drive to work, which is well above the national average, while only 1.2% use public transport and 10.2% walk or cycle. This reflects the low-density, regional setting across 227.91 km2. Volunteering runs at 18.6%, above many comparable small towns, suggesting a degree of community engagement. About 11.5% of residents, or 156 people, need daily assistance, higher than the national rate, consistent with the older median age of 50. No schools are recorded in the suburb data, so families rely on nearby centres. Rent-to-income at 23.4% and mortgage-to-income at 22.2% both sit below stress thresholds, meaning housing affordability is genuinely comfortable relative to local incomes.
Drive
85.7%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
10.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Werris Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Werris Creek a good suburb to live in?
Werris Creek suits those seeking affordability and stability. The median house price is $352,500 and mortgage repayments average $906 per month, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, below the 30% stress level. The trade-offs are a high unemployment rate of 9.9%, limited public transport with 85.7% car-dependent commuting, and household income in the 10.2nd percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Werris Creek?
The median house price is $352,500, based on 2025 data. Prices rose 7.6% from $327,500 in 2024. Weekly rent averages $220 and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $906, making this one of the more affordable housing markets in regional NSW.
What schools are in Werris Creek?
No schools are recorded inside the Werris Creek suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schooling in nearby centres in the Liverpool Plains area. The local population has a university qualification rate of 11.7%, which is 18.4 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Werris Creek safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Werris Creek in this dataset. As indirect indicators, 11.5% of residents (156 people) need daily assistance, and household income sits in the 10.2nd percentile nationally, factors that can correlate with higher disadvantage. The 77.2% residential stability rate suggests a settled rather than transient community.
Is Werris Creek good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $220 against a $352,500 median implies a gross yield near 3.2%, above typical capital-city benchmarks. However, the vacancy rate of 9.7% is elevated and the unemployment rate of 9.9% limits rental demand. The 7.6% price growth in 2024-2025 is encouraging, but the thin development pipeline of just 7 applications in 12 months means limited new supply rather than active growth pressure.
How is Werris Creek's population changing?
Werris Creek has a population of 1,478 with a median age of 50, which is 10 years above the national median. The low overseas-born share of 4.3%, which is 17.3 percentage points below national, and the high outright ownership rate of 50.7% suggest a long-settled, aging community with limited in-migration. Residential turnover at 22.8% is moderate, with 77.2% of residents staying at the same address.
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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