Mount Austin

Mount Austin is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, Mount Austin's population is estimated at around 4,206 based on ABS population updates and new addresses validated by AreaSearch. This reflects an increase of 171 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,035. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,157 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,617 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Mount Austin's growth of 4.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (3.5%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 57.99999999999999% 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 by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate a growth of 384 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 9.3% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis shows Mount Austin averaging approximately 8 new dwelling approvals annually, with 44 approved between FY21-FY25 and 1 so far in FY26. This results in an average of 3.9 people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $393,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options.

Commercial approvals this year totalled $148,000, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Mount Austin's building activity is 57.0% below the Rest of NSW average per person, which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This level is also under the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. New development consists of 55.0% detached houses and 45.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 90.0% houses, indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs. Mount Austin reflects a highly mature market with around 600 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, it is projected to grow by 391 residents.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Mount Austin has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

AreaSearch has identified eight projects that could impact the area, with key ones being the Wagga Wagga Special Activation Precinct, Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RiFL) Hub, Gissing Oval Amenities Upgrade, and Wagga Wagga Health Service Redevelopment Stage 3. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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The labour market performance in Mount Austin lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Mount Austin has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 7.3% as of June 2025, and estimated employment growth of 5.7% in the past year. This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

The resident workforce totals 1,792 individuals, with an unemployment rate 3.6% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation lags behind at 50.0%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food, with the latter showing strong specialization at 1.4 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.7% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as seen in the Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 5.7%, while labour force grew by 8.8%, raising the unemployment rate by 2.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Austin's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.2% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released in financial year 2022, Mount Austin had a median taxpayer income of $41,288 and an average income of $50,363. These figures are lower than the national averages of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average), and also lower than those in Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimated median income is approximately $46,494, and average income is around $56,714 as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, Mount Austin's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 8th and 13th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 28.3% of locals (1,190 people) earn between $800 - 1,499, unlike surrounding regions where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Mount Austin faces severe housing affordability pressures, with only 82.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

Mount Austin is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Mount Austin's dwelling structures, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 88.4% houses and 11.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Austin stood at 24.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.7% and rented ones at 47.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,148, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent figure in Mount Austin was $250, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Mount Austin's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Mount Austin features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.7% of all households, including 20.2% couples with children, 20.3% couples without children, and 17.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for 41.3%, with lone person households at 36.8% and group households comprising 4.3%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 8.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 41.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 8.3% and certificates at 32.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.1% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education. Mount Austin Public School serves the local area, with an enrollment of 241 students as of a recent report. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with ICSEA value of 835. Secondary educational options are available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited, with only 5.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.3, indicating many families travel for schooling.

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

Mount Austin has 19 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by a total of 32 different routes, offering 579 weekly passenger trips combined. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 243 meters away from the nearest transport stop.

On average, there are 82 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 30 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Mount Austin is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Mount Austin faces significant health challenges, impacting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 47% (~1,973 people), compared to 51.4% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent conditions are asthma (11.3%) and mental health issues (11.1%).

Conversely, 57.5% report no medical ailments, lower than the 64.5% in Rest of NSW. Mount Austin has 21.5% residents aged 65 and over (904 people), higher than the 19.6% in Rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

Mount Austin ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mount Austin was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 83.1% of its population being citizens, 86.9% born in Australia, and 88.4% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Mount Austin is Christianity, comprising 55.2% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Other religions, which comprises 5.4% of the population compared to 1.5% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups in Mount Austin are Australian at 30.9%, English at 28.8%, and Other at 8.8%. There are also notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal is notably overrepresented at 7.2% compared to 4.5% regionally, Samoan at 0.2% compared to 0.1%, and German at 4.0% compared to 3.9%.

Mount Austin's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Mount Austin is 37 years, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and close to the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 25-34 are prominent, making up 14.6% of the population, while those aged 45-54 comprise only 8.0%. Between 2021 and the present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 13.0% to 14.2%, and the 25 to 34 cohort has risen from 13.5% to 14.6%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 12.9% to 11.8%, and the 45 to 54 age group has fallen from 9.1% to 8.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate substantial shifts in Mount Austin's age structure. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to rise significantly, increasing by 158 people (52%) from 307 to 466. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 52% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 65 to 74 and 5 to 14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.