Wagga Wagga

Wagga Wagga 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 1 November 2025, the estimated population of Wagga Wagga is around 7,095 people. This figure reflects a decrease from the census count in 2021, which reported a population of 7,198. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and their analysis of the ABS resident population data from June 2024, which stood at 7,046 people for Wagga Wagga. This decrease represents a change of approximately 103 individuals (1.4%) since the 2021 Census. The population density in Wagga Wagga is estimated to be around 804 persons per square kilometer, comparable with averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch.

The primary driver for population growth in Wagga Wagga has been overseas migration, contributing approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch's projections for the suburb are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia estimates released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year for SA2 areas covered by this data. For areas not covered by these projections, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year. Future demographic trends suggest lower quartile growth for regional areas nationally. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Wagga Wagga is expected to grow by approximately 321 persons by the year 2041, reflecting an increase of around 3.9% in total over this 17-year period.

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

Wagga Wagga has had approximately 32 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 163 homes were approved, with an additional 15 in FY-26 so far. The average construction cost value for new properties is $451,000.

This year has seen $68.4 million in commercial approvals. Wagga Wagga's construction rates are similar to the Rest of NSW on a per person basis, indicating market stability inline with regional patterns. Detached houses make up 56.0% of new development, while townhouses or apartments account for 44.0%.

The population density is around 232 people per dwelling approval, characteristic of a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Wagga Wagga is projected to grow by 277 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Wagga Wagga has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones include the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital Emergency Department Expansion, Bunnings Wagga Wagga Relocation, 7-Eleven Wagga Wagga Service Station, and Wagga Wagga Arts & Culture Quarter. 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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Employment performance in Wagga Wagga has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Wagga Wagga has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.8% as of the past year's data aggregation by AreaSearch.

This rate is 2.2% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is at 60.9%, slightly above the Rest of NSW average of 56.4%. As of June 2025, 3,729 residents are employed. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Notably, health care & social assistance has a high employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 2.2% employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio at the Census was 0.9, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. In the 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 6.9% while labour force grew by 8.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.7 percentage points. This contrasts with the Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.1%, labour force expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in Sep-22, project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wagga Wagga's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.7% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Wagga Wagga had a median taxpayer income of $55,303 and an average of $67,459 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was higher than the national average for that period. Rest of NSW's median income was $49,459 with an average income of $62,998 during the same time. By September 2025, estimates suggest Wagga Wagga's median income would be approximately $62,277 and average income around $75,966, based on a 12.61% growth in Wage Price Index since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data shows personal income ranked at the 52nd percentile ($819 weekly) and household income at the 24th percentile for Wagga Wagga residents. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominated with 30.1% of residents (2,135 people). Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 83.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 24th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

Wagga Wagga displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Wagga Wagga, as evaluated at the latest Census (2016), comprised 53.9% houses and 46.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 88.4% houses and 11.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wagga Wagga was 28.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.2% and rented dwellings at 53.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, higher than Non-Metro NSW's $1,430. Median weekly rent in Wagga Wagga was $295, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Wagga Wagga's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 vs Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 47.7% of all households, including 15.4% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 52.3%, with lone person households at 45.7% and group households making up 6.5%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Wagga Wagga performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Wagga Wagga's educational attainment is notably high, with 30.5% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications, compared to the SA4 region's 18.7% and the SA3 area's 20.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 32.6% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (23.1%). Educational participation is high, with 26.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes tertiary education (7.8%), primary education (6.5%), and secondary education (5.0%). Wagga Wagga's five schools have a combined enrollment of 859 students, serving typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1037). The area has three primary and two secondary schools, with school places per 100 residents (12.1) falling below the regional average (15.3), indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas. Note that for schools showing 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to their parent campus.

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

The analysis of public transport in Wagga Wagga shows that there are 58 active transport stops currently operating. These include a mix of train and bus services. The total number of individual routes servicing these stops is 101.

Together, they provide a weekly passenger trip count of 1,485. The accessibility of transport in the city is rated as good, with residents typically located within 200 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 212 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Wagga Wagga faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Approximately 54% (~3803 people) have private health cover, compared to 51.4% across the Rest of NSW.

Mental health issues affect 10.8% of residents, while arthritis impacts 9.2%. About 62.8% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.5% in the Rest of NSW. The area has 20.2% (1433 people) aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Wagga Wagga records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wagga Wagga's cultural diversity aligns with its wider region, with 82.5% citizens, 82.5% born in Australia, and 85.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 56.5%. However, 'Other' religions are more prevalent at 3.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 1.5%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (29.0%), Australian (25.7%), and Irish (11.8%). Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 8.6% versus the regional average of 8.0%. German ancestry stands at 4.0%, slightly higher than the region's 3.9%. Australian Aboriginal ancestry is underrepresented at 2.8%, compared to the region's 4.5%.

Wagga Wagga's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Wagga Wagga is 37 years, which is lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 years make up 21.8% of the population, while those aged 5-14 years comprise 6.8%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the median age has decreased by 1.2 years to 37 years, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. During this period, the percentage of the population aged 25-34 increased from 19.0% to 21.8%, while those aged 0-4 grew from 4.8% to 6.0%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 55-64 decreased from 11.8% to 10.0%, and the 45-54 age group dropped from 9.8% to 8.3%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Wagga Wagga. Notably, the 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 22% (an increase of 343 people), reaching a total of 1,890 from the current 1,546. In contrast, the 75-84 and 15-24 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.