Wauchope

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

Wauchope's population is around 13,756 as of February 2026. This reflects a growth from 12,796 people recorded in the 2021 Census, an increase of 960 people (7.5%). The estimated resident population was 13,464 in June 2024, with an additional 353 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this growth. This results in a density ratio of 70 persons per square kilometer. Wauchope's growth rate exceeded that of Rest of NSW (5.9%) and its SA4 region since the 2021 census, indicating it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 75.7% to overall population gains recently, with natural growth and overseas migration also being positive factors.

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 where data is not available, 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. Future trends forecast a significant population increase in the top quartile of national regional areas, with Wauchope expected to grow by 3,975 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 26.8% over these 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Wauchope among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Wauchope granted approval for approximately 85 residential properties annually. From FY-21 to FY-25429 homes were approved, with an additional 21 approved in FY-26. On average, 2.9 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years.

New homes had an average construction cost of $320,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $17.2 million. Compared to Rest of NSW, Wauchope has 15.0% less new development per person and ranks at the 58th percentile nationally for new development activity.

The area's housing mix is 78.0% standalone homes and 22.0% townhouses or apartments. There are approximately 259 people per dwelling approval, indicating potential room for growth. By 2041, Wauchope is projected to gain 3,683 residents. If current development rates persist, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Wauchope has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 27thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified 14 projects that could impact the area. Key ones include Beechwood Road Upgrade Stage 6 including Steels Bridge Wauchope, The Sanctuary Port Macquarie, Thrumster Business Park, and Sovereign Place Town Centre. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, Wauchope has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Wauchope has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Key sectors include essential services, with an unemployment rate of 3.5%. Employment stability was maintained over the past year.

As of September 2025, 6,456 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.2%, 0.3% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.8%. Workforce participation is at 61.5%, matching Rest of NSW's figure. Census data shows that 10.8% of residents work from home. Major industries are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Construction employs 1.3 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.4%. Local employment opportunities appear limited as working population is lower than resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Wauchope's labour force increased by 0.5%, but employment declined by the same percentage, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw a 0.5% employment contraction, a 0.1% labour force decrease, and a 0.4 percentage point unemployment increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wauchope's industry mix suggests local employment could grow by the same rates over the respective periods, assuming constant population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The median income among taxpayers in Wauchope SA2 was $46,739 in financial year 2023, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $55,722 during this period. In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215 in the same year. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Wauchope SA2 would be approximately $50,880 (median) and $60,659 (average) as of September 2025. From the Census conducted on 10 August 2021, household incomes in Wauchope fell between the 19th and 24th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that 30.7% of residents (4,223 people) earned within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, aligning with the regional trend where this cohort also represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Wauchope SA2, with only 83.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 24th percentile nationally.

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

Wauchope's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.3% houses and 8.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wauchope was at 41.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.9% and rented ones at 23.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. Median weekly rent was $360, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Wauchope's median mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also less at $360 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 75.3% of all households, including 28.9% couples with children, 31.4% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.7%, with lone person households at 22.3% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 14.1%, 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 common at 10.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 45.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (34.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wauchope has 131 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 80 routes providing 726 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good with residents typically located 315 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, with car being the dominant mode at 96%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, only 10.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 103 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Wauchope is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Wauchope faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~6,520 people), compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (10.2%) and mental health issues (9.8%). 61.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 22.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,034 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

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

Wauchope, as per the 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity level below average, with 91.5% of its population born in Australia, 93.1% being citizens, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 57.3% of Wauchope's population, compared to 55.9% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.3%), English (32.9%), and Irish (7.8%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginals were overrepresented at 5.6%, Maltese at 0.5%, and Maori at 0.4%.

Wauchope's median age exceeds the national pattern

Wauchope's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of NSW's average of 43, but considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 5-14 years are particularly prominent at 13.3%, while the 65-74 group is comparatively smaller at 11.6% compared to Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and present, the population of those aged 15-24 has grown from 11.3% to 12.3%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 10.5% to 11.5%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.5% to 11.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Wauchope. The 25-34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 37%, adding 564 residents to reach 2,078. Meanwhile, the 15-24 cohort grows by a modest 8% (137 people).