Wangi Wangi - Rathmines
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Wangi Wangi - Rathmines reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines' population, as of August 2025, is approximately 9,642. This figure represents an increase of 175 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,467. The population estimate for June 2024 was 9,632 according to ABS data, with an additional 38 validated new addresses added since the Census date contributing to this increase. The population density is around 732 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages observed across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 52.9% of overall population growth during recent periods, with natural and interstate migration also contributing positively.

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 utilized, 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. Based on current demographic trends, the area is expected to grow by 69 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of approximately 0.6% over the 17-year period.

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

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has seen approximately 29 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 145 homes approved over the past five financial years (FY-20 to FY-25), and an additional 5 approved in FY-26. On average, each dwelling built has gained 2.4 new residents annually over these years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $679,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $11.9 million, indicating moderate commercial development levels. Compared to Rest of NSW, Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has significantly less development activity, 73.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. The area also falls below national averages in terms of development activity, suggesting maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity comprises 95.0% standalone homes and 5.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes.

With an estimated 467 people per dwelling approval, the area has a quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Wangi Wangi - Rathmines will gain 59 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. Key projects include Wangi Power Station Redevelopment, Rathmines Park Transformation, 114-120 Cary Street Mixed Use Development, and Swansea Channel Permanent Dredging Solution.

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

AreaSearch assessment positions Wangi Wangi - Rathmines ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has a skilled workforce with 4,710 residents employed as of June 2025. Its unemployment rate is 2.7%, showing an employment growth of 1.9% over the past year.

This rate is 0.9% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. The workforce participation in Wangi Wangi - Rathmines is 54.1%, slightly below the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training, with notable concentration in construction at 1.4 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence, with only 0.4% employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data comparison. Over a 12-month period, employment increased by 1.9%, labour force grew by 2.5%, and unemployment rose by 0.6 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, the labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project an expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wangi Wangi - Rathmines's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5%% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has a median taxpayer income of $47,287 and an average income of $65,785 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is slightly above the national average for that year. In contrast, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates for Wangi Wangi - Rathmines would be approximately $52,299 (median) and $72,758 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Wangi Wangi - Rathmines rank modestly, between the 35th and 39th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The predominant income cohort spans 30.4% of locals (2,931 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the surrounding region where 29.9% fall within this bracket. After housing costs, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Wangi Wangi - Rathmines, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, consisted of 93.3% houses and 6.7% other dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 89.7% houses and 10.2% other dwellings during the same period. Home ownership in Wangi Wangi - Rathmines stood at 45.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.9% and rented dwellings at 16.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,888, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,900 recorded in the same Census. Median weekly rent was $370 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $380. Nationally, Wangi Wangi - Rathmines' mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863 as of August 2016, while rents were less than the national figure of $375 during that time.

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 76.9% of all households, including 27.4% couples with children, 37.6% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 23.1%, with lone person households at 21.7% and group households making up 1.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which matches the average for the Rest of NSW.

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 20.2% substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 13.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 44.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (32.4%).

A substantial 24.7% of the population actively pursues formal education, including 8.8% in primary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education. Wangi Wangi - Rathmines's 3 schools have combined enrollment reaching 656 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 984) with balanced educational opportunities. The 3 schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 6.8, falling below the regional average of 12.3, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has 100 operational public transport stops. These are served by buses on 35 different routes, offering a total of 309 weekly passenger trips. The area has excellent transport accessibility, with residents typically located 182 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, services run 44 times daily across all routes, equating to approximately three weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older residents.

Private health cover stands at approximately 52%, covering about 5,052 individuals, slightly above the average SA2 area rate. The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (11.7%) and mental health concerns (9.1%). In contrast, 60.6% of residents report no medical ailments, comparable to Rest of NSW's 60.3%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 27.6% (2,666 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 21.9%.

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

Wangi Wangi-Rathmines, surveyed in June 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 88.6% of residents born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 53.0%, similar to the regional average of 54.0%. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.4%), Australian (30.1%), and Scottish (9.2%).

Notably, Welsh (0.9% vs 0.7%), Australian Aboriginal (3.5% vs 4.5%), and Dutch (1.4% vs 1.1%) had varying representations compared to the regional averages.

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has a median age of 48 years, which is older than Rest of NSW's median age of 43 and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38. The age profile shows that the 65-74 year-olds are particularly prominent, making up 15.8% of the population, while the 25-34 age group is smaller at 9.2%. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is higher than the national average of 9.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has grown from 7.9% to 9.3%, while the 55-64 cohort has declined from 15.7% to 13.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Wangi Wangi - Rathmines' age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow steadily, increasing from 882 to 1,085 people (a rise of 202 or 23%). Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 65-74 age groups.