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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
The median house price in Estella is $715k, with units at $648k. House values have moved 6.9% a year compounded over five years.
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Estella has an estimated 2,792 residents, up from 2,541 at the 2021 Census — a change of 251 people, or 9.9%. Growth has averaged 1.8% a year over five years. That puts 1,403 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
As of Aug 2026, the suburb of Estella has an estimated population of approximately 2,792, established via AreaSearch evaluation of wider ABS updates and post-Census validated addresses. Compared to the 2021 Census count of 2,541 people, this represents an addition of 251 people (9.9%). The calculation builds upon a resident population of 2,733 derived from the ABS ERP release in June 2025 alongside 13 validated new addresses recorded since the Census. With 1,403 persons per square kilometer, population density in the suburb of Estella sits higher than national benchmarks tracked by AreaSearch.
Furthermore, the suburb of Estella outpaced both the SA3 area and the SA4 region (2.4%) with its 9.9% gain since the 2021 census, establishing its status as a regional growth frontrunner. While overseas migration, natural increase, and other growth components remained positive, interstate arrivals served as the primary growth engine, contributing about 36.0% of recent population additions. SA2 demographic modelling by AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections published in 2024 (using 2022 as a base), supplemented by 2022 NSW State Government SA2 projections (based in 2021) where coverage gaps exist. In the suburb of Estella, age-specific growth rates from these combined series are projected across 2032 to 2041. Over the 16 years through to 2041, aggregated SA2 projections anticipate an expansion of 1,608 persons, corresponding to a total increase of 55.5%. This robust trajectory places the suburb of Estella in the top 10 percent of regional Australian locations for projected expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Building approvals in Estella remain minimal, registering fewer than 1 approvals annually on average and accumulating 3 over the preceding five-year span. Such constrained property development reflects rural market conditions oriented toward bespoke local requirements rather than speculative volume. Given the scant number of approvals, yearly percentage shifts and comparative metrics are subject to substantial volatility from individual projects. Construction levels in Estella trail both national benchmarks and Rest of NSW by a wide margin. In terms of new residential planning, approvals are split between 60.0% detached houses and 40.0% medium and high-density housing, expanding attainable medium-density choices across varied budgets alongside traditional family properties.
This signals an ongoing shift from the existing fabric of 82.0% houses, prompted by diminishing supply of buildable land and evolving demand for diverse, cost-effective formats. With roughly 287 people per approval, Estella exhibits the hallmarks of a transforming property market.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Estella
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks one current infrastructure or development project inside Estella. A further 38 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $10.3 billion. 8 are already under construction and 11 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans transport & logistics, residential development and sports & recreation. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Strategic planning initiatives, public works, and major developments exert substantial influence over regional economic trajectory. AreaSearch has highlighted 3 major projects with significant potential local impacts. Principal undertakings include Northern Growth Area Sewer Upgrades, Boorooma Neighbourhood Shopping Centre, Mount Austin Manor Houses - Social Housing, and Charles Sturt University Innovation Campus Expansion, as itemised in the following overview.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Northern Growth Area Sewer Upgrades
Major $21.23 million sewer infrastructure upgrades to provide capacity for housing growth in northern growth area and industrial growth in Bomen Special Activation Precinct. Part of $70.8 million infrastructure package to support 14,500 homes.
Boorooma Neighbourhood Shopping Centre
A newly completed neighborhood shopping precinct in Wagga Wagga's northern growth corridor. The center is anchored by a Coles supermarket and Liquorland, which opened in December 2025. The broader precinct features a 24-hour McDonald's restaurant (opened January 2026), a Subway (opened July 2025), a service station, and specialty retail including Chemist Warehouse and Domino's. The development serves as a primary hub for the expanding Boorooma and Estella suburbs.
Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre - Performing Arts Masterplan
Comprehensive redevelopment and expansion of the Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre within the Wollundry Lagoon cultural precinct. The masterplan includes an expanded auditorium, modernised back-of-house facilities, new rehearsal and multi-use performance spaces, improved accessibility, and activated public foyer areas. Led by Wagga Wagga City Council, the project aims to cater to growing regional arts demand and major touring productions.
Wagga Wagga Base Hospital Emergency Department Expansion
Expansion and modernization of emergency department facilities including additional treatment bays, upgraded imaging services, improved patient flow areas and enhanced trauma facilities.
Charles Sturt University Innovation Campus Expansion
Major campus expansion including new research facilities, technology incubator spaces, student accommodation, upgraded laboratories, collaborative learning areas, and innovation hub. Designed to support agricultural technology research, entrepreneurship programs, and regional industry partnerships. Features advanced laboratories, collaborative spaces, startup incubators and industry partnership facilities to support agricultural technology and veterinary science research.
Wagga Wagga Cultural Precinct Upgrade
Revitalisation and master planning of the Wagga Wagga cultural precinct integrating the Civic Centre, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, National Art Glass Collection, and Civic Theatre. The project aims to improve public domain linkages, accessibility, cultural programming capacity, and exhibition spaces.
7-Eleven Wagga Wagga Service Station
The first 7-Eleven in Wagga Wagga, featuring a 24-hour convenience store, fuel station, and amenities, replacing existing buildings at the site.
Bolton Park Master Plan Redevelopment
City of Wagga Wagga master plan redevelopment of Bolton Park precinct into a regional sports and entertainment hub. The proposed staged development encompasses upgraded sporting facilities, potential indoor stadium expansion, Jim Elphick Tennis Centre upgrades, improved active transport connections, parking, and public open space revitalisation.
1,450 residents of Estella are employed, from a labour force of 1,457. Unemployment sits at 0.5%, with participation at 66.4%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.7% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 2,129, about 76% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labour market in Estella is characterized by high levels of education, substantial representation in core service industries, and an unemployment rate of merely 0.5% per AreaSearch statistical aggregations. Across the area as of March 2026, 1,450 residents are employed. Estella's unemployment rate sits 3.6% lower than Regional NSW's 4.1%, while its participation rate reaches an elevated 66.4% against 60.6% across Regional NSW. Census figures indicated only 9.1% of workers operating from home, an outcome potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Local workforce engagement is heavily oriented towards retail trade, education & training, and health care & social assistance.
Concentration in education & training is especially pronounced, tracking at 1.5 times the regional norm. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for only 3.0% of resident workers, trailing the 5.3% share seen across Regional NSW. Comparing resident worker totals with local working counts suggests the area is largely dormitory and residential, offering constrained on-site employment opportunities. AreaSearch evaluations of ABS and SALM figures over the twelve months to March 2026 indicate the local labour force contracted by 4.8% alongside a 4.5% drop in employment, resulting in a 0.3 percentage point reduction in the unemployment rate. By comparison, Regional NSW recorded a 0.9% drop in employment, a 0.4% decline in the workforce, and a 0.5 percentage point increase in unemployment. National outlooks from Jobs and Skills Australia as of Mar-26 provide additional context on potential workforce trajectories across five- and ten-year horizons. Nationally, employment is projected to rise by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with performance varying widely across sectors. Weighting these industry projections against Estella's sectoral distribution indicates theoretical employment expansion of 6.7% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, representing an illustrative baseline that excludes localized population adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Estella is $1,920 a week (about $100,000 a year), with median personal income at $916 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $61,853 a year against an average of $75,448. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Postcode ATO taxation statistics for financial year 2023 compiled by AreaSearch indicate Estella recorded a median taxpayer income of $61,853 and an average of $75,448, well above the respective Regional NSW figures of $52,390 and $65,215 and sitting high on a national scale. Incorporating the 10.32% Wage Price Index increase observed since financial year 2023 generates updated March 2026 estimates of $68,236 (median) and $83,234 (average). At the 2021 Census, personal, family, and household earnings aligned near the 64th percentile nationwide. Distributionally, 39.0% of earners (1,088 individuals) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly bracket, mirroring the broader region where 29.9% share this band.
Households retain 85.7% of earnings following housing costs, positioning the suburb within the 6th decile on the SEIFA income scale.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Estella had 893 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 83% detached houses and 5% apartments. 37% are owned with a mortgage, 34% rented and 28% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $380 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,667 a month. Rent absorbs 19.8% of household income here and mortgage repayments 20.0%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Residential stock at the most recent Census comprised 82.5% houses and 17.5% other dwellings (apartments, semi-detached properties, and 'other' dwellings), aligning closely with the 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings recorded across Regional NSW. Outright home ownership reached 28.4%, trailing Regional NSW, with 37.3% of homes mortgaged and 34.3% tenanted. Typical housing costs include a median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,667 and median weekly rent of $380, compared against Regional NSW figures of $1,733 and $330. Nationally, local mortgage obligations sit below the $1,863 Australian baseline, whereas rental rates track higher than the national $375 benchmark.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Estella counted 893 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 981 today, averaging 2.6 people each. 33% are couples with children, against 25% couples without children. 24% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.8 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute 69.5% of households, consisting of 33.0% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 30.5%, comprising lone person households at 23.8% and group households at 6.7%. The typical household size stands at 2.6 people, exceeding the 2.4 average recorded across Regional NSW.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
30.8% of adults in Estella hold a university qualification, including 20.9% with a bachelor degree and 6.7% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 99% of areas nationally. A further 25.4% hold a vocational qualification. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Qualifications among Estella residents aged 15+ significantly exceed regional standards, with 30.8% holding tertiary university degrees compared to 20.4% in the SA3 area and 18.7% in the SA4 region, creating a strong foundation for professional industries. Attainment is led by Bachelor degrees at 20.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.7% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Technical education is likewise prevalent, with vocational credentials held by 35.1% of the cohort aged 15+, divided between certificates (25.4%) and advanced diplomas (9.7%). A significant 37.1% of the population is actively participating in formal study.
This student cohort comprises 10.8% enrolled in primary education, 9.9% undertaking tertiary education, and 8.8% attending secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Estella reaches 18 stops on 14 routes, timetabled for about 220 services a week. The typical home sits about 150 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 1.5 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transit across Estella comprises 18 bus stops spanning 14 routes that together generate 222 weekly passenger trips. Transit access is rated as excellent, with the average distance to a boarding point measuring 147 meters. Given the suburb's residential focus, outward travel is standard, with private vehicles serving as the principal mode at 96% and vehicle ownership averaging 1.5 per dwelling. In addition, 9.1% of the workforce worked from home at the 2021 Census, a figure subject to COVID-19 influences. Public transport operations provide an average frequency of 31 trips per day across the network, translating to roughly 12 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
69.7% of residents in Estella report no long-term health condition. 6.3% need daily assistance with core activities, and 56.7% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 7.7 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Chronic conditions and mortality patterns reviewed by AreaSearch reveal measurable health challenges in Estella, with ailments present across older and younger demographics alike. Approximately 57% of the total population (~1,583 people) holds private health cover, a rate substantially higher than the 51.9% benchmark in Regional NSW. Asthma and arthritis represent the primary health conditions, diagnosed in 9.1 and 7.5% of residents respectively, while 69.7% of the community reported having no long-term medical conditions compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age cohorts display low rates of chronic illness and strong general health.
Residents aged 65 and over comprise 20.8% of the populace (580 people), below the Regional NSW proportion of 23.3%, with senior health metrics exhibiting specific challenges while aligning broadly with nationwide rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Estella is largely Australian-born, at 84.6% of residents, with 13.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (29.8%) and Australian (28.4%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Estella tracks below broader benchmarks, with Australian-born residents making up 84.6% of the population, citizens accounting for 86.1%, and 86.6% speaking solely English at home. Christianity constitutes the leading religious affiliation at 58.5%, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. English (29.8%), Australian (28.4%), and Irish (9.3%) represent the three most common parental ancestries reported in Estella. Other demographic backgrounds show distinct local variance, including Samoan representation at 0.4% (against 0.1% regionally), Scottish at 8.6% (against 8.0%), and Indian at 2.5% (against 0.6%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Estella is 34, younger than 82% of areas nationally. 27.3% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Estella maintains a youthful demographic balance. Updated August 2026 figures show 27.9% of the population in the young to middle aged bracket (25 - 44), compared with 23.5% across Regional NSW, whereas middle aged and young retiree groups (45 - 64) comprise only 18.1% compared to 23.8% regionally. As at August 2026, the estimated median age is 34, holding steady from the 2021 Census and sitting 9 years lower than the Regional NSW median of 43 at that Census. Since then, children and young adults (0 - 24) have adjusted from 34.6% to 33.3%.
Simultaneously, the 25 to 34 age bracket declined from 15.8% to 13.6% while 35 to 44 expanded from 11.7% to 14.3%, indicating cohort maturation without full replacement by younger arrivals. Looking ahead to 2041, the largest numerical gain is anticipated among young to middle aged adults, projected to expand by 541 residents (69%) to reach 1,320.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Estella
8 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 8 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 3 sections | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2025 about a year ago all 1 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jul 2025. | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 13 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (2,541 at the 2021 Census → 2,792 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL11447). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.