Walcha

Walcha has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Walcha's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 3,177 people. This figure represents an increase of 33 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,144 people. This growth can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,140 in June 2024 and an additional 16 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 0.50 persons per square kilometer. Walcha's 1.0% growth rate since the census is within 2.3 percentage points of the SA3 area's 3.3%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this population growth.

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 are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, the area's population is expected to decline by 164 persons by 2041, while the 5 to 14 age group is projected to expand by 65 people.

The level of residential development activity in Walcha is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Walcha has averaged approximately eight new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 41 homes. As of FY26 so far, one approval has been recorded. The population has declined in recent years, indicating that new supply may have kept pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $366,000.

In the current financial year, there have been $1.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Walcha has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 30th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. This level is below average nationally, suggesting possible planning constraints and reflecting the area's maturity. New building activity shows 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Walcha's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 718 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. With the population expected to remain stable or decline, Walcha should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Walcha has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified 13 projects that could impact the area's performance. Key projects include Skye Ridge Wind Farm, Walcha Drought Security Project, Sewerage Network Upgrade, Winterbourne Wind Farm, and Thunderbolt Energy Hub (Thunderbolt Wind Farm). The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Walcha performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Walcha has a skilled labor force with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 1.2% in June 2025, lower than the Rest of NSW's 3.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.5%. As of June 2025, 1,820 residents were employed, with workforce participation at 56.4%, matching the Rest of NSW average. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs 7.9 times the regional average, while health care & social assistance employs 9.3% of local workers, below the Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 4.5%, and labor force grew by 3.9%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.1% and a labor force growth of 0.3%, with a rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest Walcha's employment mix may grow by approximately 4.8% over five years and 10.9% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Walcha's median income among taxpayers was $43,135 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $54,430 during the same period. These figures are lower than those of Rest of NSW, which had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $48,574 (median) and $61,294 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Walcha fall between the 14th and 25th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 28.6% of the community earns between $1,500 - 2,999, which aligns with metropolitan regions where this cohort also represents approximately 30%. Housing costs are modest, with 91.4% of income retained. However, total disposable income ranks at just the 22nd percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

In Walcha, as per the latest Census evaluation, 95.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 4.2% being other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's figures of 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Walcha stood at 53.1%, with mortgaged properties at 25.1% and rented ones at 21.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,056, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,408. The median weekly rent in Walcha was $200, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Walcha's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,056 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Walcha features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.6% of all households, including 22.9% couples with children, 38.7% couples without children, and 5.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 31.4%, with lone person households at 30.2% and group households making up 1.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Walcha faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 16.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (30.6%). Educational participation is high at 27.2%, comprising primary education (10.9%), secondary education (7.8%), and tertiary education (2.7%).

Walcha's five schools have a combined enrollment of 373 students, with four being primary schools and one a K-12 school. The area has 11.7 school places per 100 residents, below the regional average of 15.7. Some students may attend schools in neighboring areas due to varied educational conditions across Walcha.

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

Walcha has 244 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus services. There are 22 routes in total, providing 872 weekly passenger trips combined.

The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 143 meters. On average, there are 124 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly three trips per week per individual stop.

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

Walcha faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 47%, covering around 1,499 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.0% of residents) and asthma (7.9%), while 63.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 65.5% in Rest of NSW. Walcha has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 30.5%, or 969 people, compared to the 20.2% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, exceeding those of the general population.

The latest Census data sees Walcha placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Walcha, surveyed between June 2016 and August 2017, had a culturally homogeneous population: 88.6% were citizens, 93.9% were born in Australia, and 98.0% spoke English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 69.6%, compared to 55.0% regionally. Ancestry wise, Australian (34.3%) and English (31.4%) were predominant, higher than regional averages of 29.0% and 28.4% respectively.

Scottish ancestry was also notable at 9.7%. Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: New Zealanders were overrepresented at 1.0%, Australian Aboriginals were lower at 4.6% (vs 5.7%), while Irish ancestry was slightly higher at 9.4%.

Walcha ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Walcha has a median age of 49, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and well above Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the cohort aged 65-74 is notably over-represented in Walcha at 16.1%, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 8.0%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 0 to 4 age group has grown from 5.5% to 6.9%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 8.5% to 9.5%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 15.6% to 13.7%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 11.9% to 10.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Walcha's age structure. The 5 to 14 age cohort is projected to experience strong growth, expanding by 62 people (18%) from 354 to 417. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 25 to 34 cohorts.