West Wodonga
West Wodonga's standout feature is the scale of family housing at an affordable regional price: 88.4% of homes are separate houses and the median house price is $549,000. The suburb has 14,794 residents across 44.09 sq km, with household income at the 44.2 percentile and university attainment 10.6 points below the national rate. Compared with central Wodonga or newer Leneva, it reads as a more detached, residential housing district, but the 93.2 offences per 1,000 crime rate is a key due diligence point.
Population
14,794
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,452/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$549K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers get scale before glamour here. The $549,000 median house price buys into a market where 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 50.5% have 3 bedrooms and 33.9% have 4 or more. The latest price is 2.8% lower than the Jan-Mar 2024 peak, which gives buyers some room after a sharp cycle. Mortgage costs absorb 21.7% of income, so repayments look contained, but the 44.2 household income percentile means buffers are lower than in higher income suburbs.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get scale before glamour here. The $549,000 median house price buys into a market where 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 50.5% have 3 bedrooms and 33.9% have 4 or more. The latest price is 2.8% lower than the Jan-Mar 2024 peak, which gives buyers some room after a sharp cycle. Mortgage costs absorb 21.7% of income, so repayments look contained, but the 44.2 household income percentile means buffers are lower than in higher income suburbs.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed yield and vacancy story. Renting covers 34.0% of households and the median rent is $290 a week, creating a sizeable tenant base compared with an owner only market. The caution is the 5.4% vacancy rate, which can lengthen letting time. Development is measured at 11 applications in 12 months, while migration is split between 68 net overseas arrivals and -86 net internal moves a year, so demand depends more on replacement and service workers than rapid in-migration.
Development Activity
Total DAs
59
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+275.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in West Wodonga iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Victory Lutheran College
Prep-12 · 906 students
Melrose Primary School
Prep-6 · 338 students
Demographics
West Wodonga is more locally rooted and less degree heavy than the national profile. Median age is 39, which is 1.0 year below national, while 19.5% hold university qualifications, 10.6 percentage points below national. Overseas born residents make up 10.4%, also 11.2 points lower than national, so ancestry leans English 6,010, Irish 1,660 and Scottish 1,508. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, fitting the 50.5% share of 3 bedroom homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.4%
Houses
8.0%
Townhouse
3.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is heavily detached and has re-rated over the cycle. The median house price rose from $272,500 in 2013 to $549,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 101.5% lift and 5.1% CAGR over 14 years. It is now 2.8% below the $565,000 Jan-Mar 2024 peak, so momentum has cooled rather than collapsed. Tenure is balanced: 30.1% own outright, 35.9% have a mortgage and 34.0% rent, while apartments are only 3.1% compared with 88.4% separate houses.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,365
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$757
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.4%
Unoccupied
324
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.8%
Couples, no children
11,369
Total families
Economy & Employment
The job base is anchored by public and population services. Healthcare employs 983 people or 22.8%, followed by education at 520, manufacturing at 447, public admin at 447 and construction at 428. Occupations are broad, with 1,068 professionals, 965 community and personal workers and 883 labourers. Unemployment is 4.7% and full-time work is 64.0%. SEIFA is below middle: IEO decile 3, IER decile 4, IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 3, suggesting resources sit slightly higher than education and occupation scores.
Unemployment
6.4%
Labour Force
8,068
Unemployed
518
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.0%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
56.9%
Employed
6,489
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.5%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
10.4%
Dwellings
5,683
Transport to Work
Livability is practical and car based. Public transport commuting is only 0.4%, compared with 91.2% driving and 2.1% walking or cycling, so households need cars for daily routines. Education choice is compact, with 2 schools spanning ICSEA 877 to 1,070: Victory Lutheran College adds an Independent combined option with 906 enrolments, while Melrose Primary is Government with 338. The trade-off is safety perception, as recorded crime is 93.2 offences per 1,000 and IRSAD sits in decile 3.
Drive
91.2%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.45%/yr
(+69 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is expected to stay slow rather than speculative. The trend path adds 0.45% a year, about 69 people, taking the medium population from 15,686 in 2026 to 16,029 in 2031 compared with 15,495 in 2025. Migration is not a simple inflow story: overseas migration is the primary driver at +68 a year, but internal migration averages -86. The age shift matters more, with seniors up 8.3 points and young residents down 4.0 points, while the gentrification score is 0 and stage is Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+68
Net Internal / yr
-86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,379
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
93.2
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How West Wodonga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is West Wodonga a good suburb to live in?
Yes, for households wanting a detached home at a regional price. The suburb has a $549,000 median house price, 88.4% separate houses and mortgage costs at 21.7% of income, but the 93.2 offences per 1,000 crime rate should be checked street by street.
What is the median house price in West Wodonga?
The median house price in West Wodonga is $549,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 2.8% below the Jan-Mar 2024 peak of $565,000, but still 101.5% higher than the 2013 median of $272,500.
What schools are in West Wodonga?
West Wodonga has 2 schools listed locally. Victory Lutheran College is an Independent combined school with ICSEA 1,070 and 906 students, while Melrose Primary School is a Government primary with ICSEA 877 and 338 students.
Is West Wodonga safe?
Safety is mixed. Recorded crime is 1,379 offences, or 93.2 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 700. Buyers should compare individual pockets rather than rely on the suburb average.
Is West Wodonga good for property investment?
It can work for income-focused investors, with 34.0% of households renting and median rent at $290 a week. The main caution is vacancy at 5.4%, plus slow population growth of 0.45% a year, so pricing and tenant demand matter.
How is West Wodonga's population changing?
West Wodonga is growing slowly and aging. The medium forecast rises from 15,686 people in 2026 to 16,029 in 2031, while the trend rate is 0.45% a year. Seniors have risen 8.3 points and the young share is down 4.0 points.
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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