Wodonga
Border-city affordability defines Wodonga more than rapid growth: the median house price is $523,000, while household income sits at the 35.4th percentile, below the national middle. Compared with Albury across the Murray, Wodonga has a strongly detached housing base, with 86.5% separate houses and only 1.3% apartments. The trade-off is visible in the risk profile: 38.4% of homes are rented and the crime rate is 147.6 per 1,000, so value-seeking buyers should weigh price against amenity and safety block by block.
Population
20,259
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,364/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$523K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers get space at a lower entry price than many Victorian regional centres, with a $523,000 median house price in Apr-Jun 2024. Prices are 6.4% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $559,000, which gives buyers more leverage than at the recent top. The suburb suits families because 86.5% of dwellings are separate houses, 47.0% have 3 bedrooms and 33.0% have 4-plus bedrooms. Mortgage costs sit at 23.5% of income, below a common stress threshold, but the 35.4 household income percentile keeps borrowing capacity constrained.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get space at a lower entry price than many Victorian regional centres, with a $523,000 median house price in Apr-Jun 2024. Prices are 6.4% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $559,000, which gives buyers more leverage than at the recent top. The suburb suits families because 86.5% of dwellings are separate houses, 47.0% have 3 bedrooms and 33.0% have 4-plus bedrooms. Mortgage costs sit at 23.5% of income, below a common stress threshold, but the 35.4 household income percentile keeps borrowing capacity constrained.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed rental story. Demand has a base because 38.4% of households rent, but the $280 weekly median rent and 7.3% vacancy rate point to lower income and higher leasing risk than a tight market. Recent activity is modest, with 12 development applications over 12 months, including 13-lot and 8-lot subdivision proposals, so new supply is present but not heavy. Rent growth of 31.8% over the shift period supports the income case, while the high vacancy means pricing and property condition matter.
Development Activity
Total DAs
107
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+220.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wodonga iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Catholic College Wodonga
7-12 · 1229 students
St Augustine's School
Prep-6 · 318 students
St Monica's School
Prep-6 · 511 students
Wodonga Primary School
Prep-6 · 869 students
Wodonga Senior Secondary College
7-12 · 1348 students
Demographics
Wodonga has 20,259 residents and a median age of 39, which is 1.0 year below the national benchmark but still consistent with an aging trajectory. The population is less overseas-born than average, at 14.6%, which is 7.0 percentage points below national, and university attainment is 22.5%, 7.6 points below national. English ancestry is the largest group at 7,847 people, followed by Irish at 2,399 and Scottish at 2,089. Smaller language groups include Nepali 97 and Punjabi 65, reflecting limited but visible migration change.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.5%
Houses
12.0%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is detached-dominant and still relatively affordable on a long view. The median house price rose from $282,500 in 2013 to $523,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, an 85.1% gain and 4.5% CAGR over 14 years, but it remains below the $559,000 peak. Tenure is balanced for a regional centre: 30.9% own outright, 30.6% have a mortgage and 38.4% rent. The price-to-household-income ratio is about 7.4 times, and the mix of 47.0% 3-bedroom and 33.0% 4-plus bedroom homes explains the family orientation compared with denser inner-city markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,387
Rent / wk
$280
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$758
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
645
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.2%
Couples, no children
15,370
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is anchored by services and public-sector linked work. Healthcare employs 1,459 people or 23.7%, well above any other listed industry, followed by Education at 706, Public Admin at 652, Construction at 622 and Manufacturing at 580. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,681, but Community and Personal Service workers at 1,349 and Labourers at 1,095 show a broad middle-income base. Unemployment is 5.4% and participation is 56.1%. All 4 SEIFA measures sit in decile 2, below average, so job access does not fully translate into advantage.
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
62.9%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
56.1%
Employed
8,703
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.5%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
14.6%
Dwellings
8,153
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-based, with 89.8% driving to work, only 0.4% using public transport and 3.5% walking or cycling. Families have 8 local schools, with ICSEA scores from 932 to 1054; Catholic College Wodonga leads at 1054 with 1,229 students, followed by St Augustine's School at 1041 and St Monica's School at 1040, while Government options cover primary, middle and senior years. Safety is the main livability watchpoint, with 2,991 offences and 147.6 per 1,000 residents. IRSAD decile 2 is below average, reinforcing the need to compare pockets carefully.
Drive
89.8%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.45%/yr
(+69 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is slow rather than speculative. The trend forecast adds 0.45% a year, or about 69 people annually, with the medium path moving from 15,686 in 2026 to 16,029 in 2031. Migration is not a simple magnet story: overseas migration is the primary driver at +68 people a year, while internal migration averages -86. The age mix is shifting because seniors rose 8.3 percentage points and the young share fell 4.0 points. Gentrification is rated 0, stage Not gentrifying, below markets where renewal is already pushing prices quickly.
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
2,991
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
147.6
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 Wodonga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wodonga a good suburb to live in?
Wodonga can suit buyers wanting space and services at a lower price point, with a $523,000 median house price, 8 local schools and 86.5% separate houses. The main cautions are the 147.6 offences per 1,000 crime rate and heavy car reliance.
What is the median house price in Wodonga?
The median house price in Wodonga is $523,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 6.4% below the recent $559,000 peak in Oct-Dec 2023, but still 85.1% higher than the $282,500 level recorded in 2013.
What schools are in Wodonga?
Wodonga has 8 listed schools. Higher ICSEA options include Catholic College Wodonga at 1054, St Augustine's School at 1041 and St Monica's School at 1040, alongside Government schools including Wodonga Primary and Wodonga Senior Secondary College.
Is Wodonga safe?
Wodonga records 2,991 offences, equal to 147.6 per 1,000 residents. The largest category is property and deception offences with 1,391 incidents, followed by 761 justice procedure offences and 502 crimes against the person.
Is Wodonga good for property investment?
Wodonga has investor appeal through its 38.4% renter share and $280 weekly median rent, but the 7.3% vacancy rate is a clear caution. With 12 development applications in 12 months, investors should focus on well-presented homes in stronger streets.
How is Wodonga's population changing?
Wodonga's forecast growth is modest at 0.45% a year, or around 69 people annually. The medium path reaches 16,029 by 2031, with overseas migration adding 68 people a year while internal migration is negative at -86.
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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