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 is around 9,643 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 176 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,467. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 9,633 in June 2024 and an additional 38 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 732 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 52.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipated demographic trends suggest lower quartile growth of regional areas nationally, with Wangi Wangi - Rathmines expected to expand by 69 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 0.6% in total over the 17 years.

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 24 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25. A total of 123 homes were approved during this period, with an additional 19 approvals in FY-26. On average, each dwelling built resulted in about 2.4 new residents per year over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value of new homes was $414,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. This financial year has seen $11.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Wangi Wangi - Rathmines had significantly less development activity, 71.0% below the regional average per person as of FY-25. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, the area's development activity is also below average, reflecting its maturity and possible planning constraints.

The majority of new building activity in Wangi Wangi - Rathmines consists of standalone homes (95.0%), with a smaller proportion of medium and high-density housing (5.0%). This maintains the area's traditional low density character and appeals to those seeking space for families. As of FY-25, the estimated population per dwelling approval was 467 people. Population forecasts indicate that Wangi Wangi - Rathmines will gain approximately 58 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.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects likely to affect this region. Notable ones are Wangi Shores Retirement Village Stage 3B Block K, Wangi Power Station Redevelopment, Rathmines Park Transformation, and a three-storey apartment building at 1 Kent Place, Wangi Wangi with thirteen residences. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.7% as of June 2025, which is below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.9%. There were 4,710 residents employed while workforce participation was 54.1%, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW average of 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Notably, construction has a high concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with only 0.4% employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population against resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.9%, labour force grew by 2.5%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1% with a labour force growth of 0.3% and an unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Wangi Wangi - Rathmines' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Wangi Wangi - Rathmines' median taxpayer income is $47,287 and average is $65,785 based on latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is slightly above national averages of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average). Using Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since FY2022, estimated incomes as of Sep 2025 are approximately $53,250 (median) and $74,080 (average). Wangi Wangi - Rathmines ranks modestly in household, family, and personal incomes according to the 2021 Census, between the 35th and 39th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 30.4% of locals (2,931 people) earn $1,500 - 2,999, similar to surrounding regions at 29.9%. After housing expenses, 85.3% of income remains for other costs. 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

In Wangi Wangi - Rathmines, as per the latest Census evaluation, 93.3% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 6.7% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 89.7% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wangi Wangi - Rathmines stood at 45.3%, with mortgaged properties at 37.9% and rented ones at 16.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,888, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,900. The median weekly rent in the area was $370, compared to $380 in Non-Metro NSW. Nationally, Wangi Wangi - Rathmines' mortgage repayments were higher at $1,888 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $370 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 aligns with 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 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 the most prevalent at 13.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 44.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (32.4%).

A total of 24.7% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.8% in primary, 6.7% in secondary, and 3.5% in tertiary education. Wangi Wangi - Rathmines has three schools with a combined enrollment of 656 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 984) with balanced educational opportunities. The three schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 6.8, 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

Analysis of Wangi Wangi - Rathmines public transport shows 100 active stops operating in the area. These are served by buses only. There are 35 individual routes providing a total of 309 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically located 182 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 44 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 3 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 people, which is higher than the average SA2 area's rate. The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (11.7%) and mental health concerns (9.1%), while 60.6% of residents report no medical ailments, comparable to Rest of NSW at 60.3%. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, with 27.6% (2,666 people), compared to the 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 had a cultural diversity index below average, with 88.6% of its population born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Wangi Wangi-Rathmines, accounting for 53.0%, compared to 54.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.4%), Australian (30.1%), and Scottish (9.2%).

Notable differences included Welsh being overrepresented at 0.9% (versus 0.7% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 3.5% (versus 4.5%), and Dutch at 1.4% (versus 1.1%).

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 higher than Rest of NSW's median age of 43 and significantly older than Australia's median age of 38. The age profile shows that the 65-74 year-old group comprises 15.8% of the population, making it particularly prominent compared to other age groups. This figure is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 75-84 age group has grown from 7.9% to 9.3%, while the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 15.7% to 13.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Wangi Wangi - Rathmines' age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the 25-34 age group projected to grow steadily, increasing by 202 people (23%) from 882 to 1,085. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 65-74 age groups.