Wagga Wagga - West
Statistical Area - sa2

Wagga Wagga - West is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Wagga Wagga - West's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was around 11,921 by Aug 2025. This figure shows a decrease of 41 people, or 0.3%, from the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 11,962. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 11,842 in June 2024 and an additional 106 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 217 persons per square kilometer, offering significant space per person and potential for further development. Overseas migration drove recent population growth, contributing approximately 81.5% of overall gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate lower quartile growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with the area expected to expand by 483 persons by 2041 based on latest numbers, representing a total increase of 2.5% over 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Wagga Wagga - West according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Wagga Wagga - West has recorded approximately 45 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 227 homes approved over the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 12 so far in FY-26. The population has declined recently, indicating that new supply has likely been keeping pace with demand, offering good choice for buyers. New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $451,000.

Additionally, $68.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Wagga Wagga - West has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 58th percentile nationally based on areas assessed. New development consists of 56.0% standalone homes and 44.0% medium and high-density housing, offering choices across price ranges from spacious family homes to more compact options.

With around 288 people per dwelling approval, Wagga Wagga - West shows characteristics of a low density area. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 297 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Wagga Wagga - West has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 35thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 47 projects that could affect the region. Notable initiatives include Tolland Renewal Project, Wagga Wagga Arts & Culture Quarter, Bunnings Wagga Wagga Relocation, and 7-Eleven Wagga Wagga Service Station. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Employment performance in Wagga Wagga - West has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Wagga Wagga - West has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 6.8% in June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 6.6% over the past year.

As of this date, 5738 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 3.1% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 58.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Public administration & safety had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employed just 2.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The area functioned as an employment hub with 1.4 workers for every resident. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment levels increased by 6.6%, while the labour force increased by 8.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.9 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1% with a labour force growth of 0.3% and an unemployment rate increase of 0.4 percentage points. State-level data for NSW up to Sep-25 showed employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wagga Wagga - West's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.4%% over five years and 13.6% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Wagga Wagga - West had a median income among taxpayers of $51,049 and an average of $62,270. Both figures are lower than the national averages. Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Wagga Wagga - West would be approximately $56,460 (median) and $68,871 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data indicates household incomes in the area are at the 19th percentile while personal incomes are at the 40th percentile. The most common income bracket is $1,500 - $2,999, with 28.8% of residents (3,433 people) falling within this range. This is consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region where 29.9% of residents are in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 20th percentile.

Wagga Wagga - West displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Wagga Wagga - West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consists of 64.3% houses and 35.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW has 88.4% houses and 11.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wagga Wagga - West stands at 27.0%, with mortgages accounting for 21.5% and rentals making up 51.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1,302, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in the area is $270, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Wagga Wagga - West's mortgage repayments are significantly lower at $1,302 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Wagga Wagga - West features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 54.1% of all households, including 17.6% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 45.9%, with lone person households at 40.6% and group households making up 5.2%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

Wagga Wagga - West has 24.0% of residents aged 15+ with university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are held by 34.8% of residents, including advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (26.4%). Current educational participation is high at 28.1%, with 8.6% in primary, 6.2% in secondary, and 6.0% in tertiary education.

There are 9 schools in Wagga Wagga - West educating approximately 1,460 students. These schools operate under typical Australian conditions (ICSEA: 977) with balanced educational opportunities. The school mix includes 6 primary, 2 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School places per 100 residents (12.2) are below the regional average (15.3), indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Wagga Wagga - West has 116 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 116 individual routes, offering 1,570 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have good accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 210 meters to the nearest one.

The service frequency is 224 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Wagga Wagga - West is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Wagga Wagga - West faces substantial health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51%, slightly lower than the average SA2 area (~6,091 people). Mental health issues affect 11.1% of residents, while asthma impacts 10.0%. Around 61.8% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.5% in Rest of NSW. The area has 18.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,148 people), lower than the 19.6% in Rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes present challenges generally aligned with the overall population's health profile.

Wagga Wagga - West ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wagga Wagga-West had a cultural diversity score below average, with 84.9% of its population being Australian citizens and 86.5% born in Australia. A total of 89.3% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 57.4% of the population.

Notably, the 'Other' category made up 2.4%, higher than the Rest of NSW's 1.5%. In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (29.1%), Australian (28.3%), and Irish (10.4%). There were notable differences in representation for certain ethnicities: Australian Aboriginal at 6.3% compared to the regional average of 4.5%, German at 3.5% versus 3.9%, and Sri Lankan at 0.2% against a regional rate of 0.1%.

Wagga Wagga - West's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Wagga Wagga - West has a median age of 35 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and slightly younger than the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Wagga Wagga - West at 19.8%, compared to 14.5% nationally and 16.7% in the Rest of NSW. Conversely, the 65-74 age group is under-represented at 9.0%. According to the 2021 Census, younger residents have shifted the median age down by 1.2 years since the last census. The 25-34 age group has grown from 16.8% to 19.8%, while the 0-4 cohort increased from 5.9% to 7.2%. However, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 11.4% to 9.7%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 10.3% to 8.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Wagga Wagga - West's age profile will evolve significantly. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 21%, adding 487 residents to reach a total of 2,843. Conversely, the 5-14 and 75-84 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.