Wagin

Wagin has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

The population of Wagin is estimated at around 1,531 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 83 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,448. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 1,501 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6.1 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Wagin has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.1%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 51.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and utilising growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Anticipating future population dynamics, the suburb is expected to expand by 88 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 4.8% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Wagin experienced around 4 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Between FY21 and FY25, approximately 23 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved in FY26 so far.

This indicates solid demand supporting property values, with new homes built at an average expected construction cost value of $381,000. Compared to the Rest of WA, Wagin had moderately higher new home approvals, being 11.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. However, this activity is below national averages, suggesting possible planning constraints. Recent development has been entirely standalone homes, preserving Wagin's low density nature with around 302 people per dwelling approval.

Looking ahead, AreaSearch estimates Wagin will grow by 74 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.

Wagin has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 0 projects impacting this region. Notable projects are Regional Road Infrastructure Upgrades, Ambrosia Wind Farm, South West Interconnected System Transformation, and Western Australia Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements.

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

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While Wagin retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.9%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Wagin has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, diverse sector representation, and an unemployment rate of 3.9% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in September 2025. There are 709 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 0.7% higher than Rest of WA's 3.3%. Workforce participation is lower at 58.5%, compared to Rest of WA's 67.2%.

Census responses indicate 6.4% of residents work from home. Dominant employment sectors are agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has a high share at 1.8 times the regional level, while mining is lower at 3.2% compared to the regional average of 11.7%. Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by the working population vs resident population count.

Between September 2024 and 2025, labour force decreased by 4.9%, employment declined by 3.3%, causing unemployment to fall by 1.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of WA had employment growth of 1.4% and labour force growth of 1.2%, with a 0.2 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Wagin's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.0% over ten years.

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

The suburb of Wagin had a median taxpayer income of $42,923 and an average income of $53,191 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average, with Rest of WA having a median income of $59,973 and an average income of $74,392 during the same period. By September 2025, current estimates suggest the median income in Wagin would be approximately $47,052 and the average would be around $58,308, based on a 9.62% growth since financial year 2023 as per the Wage Price Index. In the 2021 Census, incomes in Wagin fell between the 6th and 14th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The largest income segment in Wagin comprised 29.6% of residents earning $400 - $799 weekly, unlike regional trends where 31.1% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 89.4% income retention, total disposable income in Wagin ranks at just the 11th percentile nationally.

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

In Wagin, as per the latest Census, 92.8% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 7.2% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Non-Metro WA's 88.5% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wagin stood at 44.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.9% and rented ones at 24.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $932, below Non-Metro WA's average of $1,560. Median weekly rent in Wagin was $195, compared to Non-Metro WA's $265. Nationally, Wagin's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 60.2% of all households, including 15.6% couples with children, 32.4% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 39.8%, with lone person households at 37.7% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.1%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This indicates a need for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 10.4%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.4%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 33.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (6.1%) and certificates (27.4%).

Educational participation is high, with 25.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 0.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wagin has one active public transport stop, serving a mix of bus routes. This stop is covered by three different routes that together offer 18 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in the area is limited, with residents typically living 929 meters away from the nearest transport stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars are the primary mode of transport, used by 89% of residents, while 7% walk. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 6.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages two trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 18 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Wagin 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 48% of the total population (~739 people), compared to 56.4% across Rest of WA and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (12.6%) and mental health issues (8.2%), while 59.0% of residents report no medical ailments, lower than the 69.3% in Rest of WA. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 28.1%, compared to 19.2% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors present notable challenges, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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

Wagin showed lower cultural diversity, with 80.4% citizens, 80.3% born in Australia, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion at 46.4%. The 'Other' category was overrepresented at 1.0%, compared to 0.7% regionally.

Top ancestry groups were English (35.4%), Australian (31.9%), and Scottish (6.8%). Maori, New Zealand, and Dutch groups showed notable representation: Maori at 2.3% (vs regional 1.0%), New Zealand at 1.6% (vs 0.9%), and Dutch at 1.8% (vs 1.5%).

Wagin ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Wagin's median age at 50 years is significantly higher than Rest of WA's average of 40 and exceeds the national average of 38 by a substantial margin. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 make up 16.5%, while those aged 45-54 constitute only 8.7%. This concentration of those aged 65-74 is notably higher than the national figure of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, a rejuvenation trend is evident as the median age has fallen from 51 to 50 years. Key changes include growth in the 25-34 age group from 9.9% to 12.9%, and an increase in the 15-24 cohort from 7.9% to 9.2%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 17.2% to 14.7%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 10.7% to 8.7%. By 2041, Wagin's age composition is projected to shift noticeably. The 25-34 cohort is expected to grow steadily, increasing by 54 people (28%) from 197 to 252. Meanwhile, the 75-84 and 65-74 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.