Wagga Wagga Surrounds
Statistical Area - sa2

Wagga Wagga Surrounds lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Aug 2025, Wagga Wagga Surrounds' population is approximately 19,224, showing an increase of 1,436 people (8.1%) since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 17,788. This growth is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 18,576 as of June 2024 and an additional 593 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 2.1 persons per square kilometer. Wagga Wagga Surrounds' growth rate of 8.1% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (3.3%) and SA4 region, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 55.7% to overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

These projections forecast significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Wagga Wagga Surrounds expected to increase by 6,261 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 29.2% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Wagga Wagga Surrounds was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Wagga Wagga Surrounds has received approximately 181 dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21 and FY25908 homes were approved, with an additional 31 approved in FY26 to date. Each new dwelling built over the past five financial years has attracted an average of 2.2 new residents.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $451,000. This year, $35.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Wagga Wagga Surrounds has seen a 109.0% increase in building activity per capita. New building activity comprises 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% medium and high-density housing.

With around 144 people per dwelling approval, the area exhibits growth characteristics. Population forecasts suggest Wagga Wagga Surrounds will gain 5,613 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply is expected to meet demand, potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Wagga Wagga Surrounds has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 71 projects likely influencing the region. Notable initiatives include Riverina Water Security Project - Pipeline Extension, Inland Rail from Albury to Illabo, Glenfield Road Corridor Upgrade, and Tolland Renewal Project. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

The exceptional employment performance in Wagga Wagga Surrounds places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Wagga Wagga Surrounds has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.0% in June 2021 and the employment growth over the past year was estimated at 8.0%.

As of June 2025, 9,801 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.7% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Wagga Wagga Surrounds was 65.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The leading employment industries among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and health care & social assistance. Agriculture, forestry & fishing showed strong specialization with an employment share of 3.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance had lower representation at 13.4% compared to the regional average of 16.9%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 8.0%, labour force grew by 8.8%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1% and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wagga Wagga Surrounds' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows that median income in Wagga Wagga Surrounds is $52,494 and average income is $61,741. This is lower than Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 12.61% from financial year ending June 2022 to September 2025, estimated median income in Wagga Wagga Surrounds would be approximately $59,113 and average income would be around $69,527 by that date. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Wagga Wagga Surrounds cluster around the 55th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that 35.9% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually (6,901 individuals), which is similar to metropolitan regions where this cohort represents 29.9%. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 88.7% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power in the area. The SEIFA income ranking places Wagga Wagga Surrounds in the 5th decile.

Wagga Wagga Surrounds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Wagga Wagga Surrounds, as per the latest Census, 96.7% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 3.2% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW where 88.4% were houses and 11.7% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Wagga Wagga Surrounds stood at 38.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.3% and rented ones at 19.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,490, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in Wagga Wagga Surrounds was $280, the same as Non-Metro NSW. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,490 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Wagga Wagga Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.7% of all households, including 34.7% couples with children, 31.2% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Wagga Wagga Surrounds fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has university qualification rates of 20.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (31.0%).

Educational participation is high at 32.7%, including 12.2% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education. Sixteen schools serve 1,170 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 956) offering balanced educational opportunities. The area has 13 primary and 3 K-12 schools. However, local school capacity is limited at 6.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.3, leading many families to travel for schooling.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis indicates 681 active transport stops within Wagga Wagga Surrounds, including a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 120 individual routes, collectively offering 1,238 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 251 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 176 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Wagga Wagga Surrounds are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Wagga Wagga Surrounds shows below-average health indicators.

Common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population, which is around 9,727 people. The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 9.6 and 8.4% of residents respectively. About 68.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.5% in Rest of NSW. The area has 16.3% of residents aged 65 and over (3,131 people), lower than the 19.6% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

Wagga Wagga Surrounds is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Wagga Wagga Surrounds had a cultural diversity below average, with 90.3% of its population being citizens, 92.6% born in Australia, and 95.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 65.3%. This compares to 64.3% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.8%), English (30.3%), and Irish (9.9%). Notably, Scottish representation was higher at 8.8%, German at 4.3%, and Australian Aboriginal lower at 3.6%.

Wagga Wagga Surrounds's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Wagga Wagga Surrounds is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 5-14 age group constitutes 14.8% of the population, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 75-84 cohort makes up 4.9%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 12.5% to 13.8%, and the 35 to 44 cohort has risen from 11.7% to 12.7%. Conversely, the 15 to 24 age group has decreased from 14.3% to 13.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Wagga Wagga Surrounds, with the 25 to 34 age group projected to grow by 48%, adding 1,270 people and reaching a total of 3,918 from its current figure of 2,647.