Walgett

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of the suburb of Walgett is around 1,880 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 56 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,824 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 1,879 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional two validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.30 persons per square kilometer. Walgett's growth rate of 3.1% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (1.3%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 70.0% 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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. According to this methodology, projections indicate a decline in overall population over this period, with the area's population expected to reduce by 523 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group projected to grow by 14 people.

The level of residential development activity in Walgett is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Walgett had six dwelling approvals over the five-year period from 2015 to 2019, averaging one annually. This low development activity reflects Walgett's rural nature, where housing needs drive development rather than broad market demand. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Walgett has lower development levels compared to the Rest of NSW and national averages. With stable or declining population forecasts, Walgett may experience less housing pressure, benefiting buyers.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Walgett may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Walgett has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified 0 projects that could impact the area's performance. Key projects include Inland Rail from Narromine to Narrabri, Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium Water Resource Plan, Castlereagh Country Regional Drought Resilience Plan, and Newell Highway Upgrade.

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Walgett recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Walgett has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 4.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025870 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.5% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation stands at 63.7%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. Census responses indicate that only 11.8% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and education & training. Walgett shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 4.2 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, construction has limited presence with 4.0% employment compared to 9.7% regionally. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 4.3% while employment decreased by 3.8%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide insight into potential future demand within Walgett. These projections suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Walgett's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.0% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Walgett suburb's income level is above national average according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Median income among taxpayers in Walgett suburb is $61,884 and average income stands at $74,191, compared to Regional NSW's figures of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated median income as of March 2026 is approximately $68,270 and average income is $81,848. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Walgett rank modestly between 38th and 53rd percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 31.2% of residents (586 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, mirroring broader area's 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable with 91.4% retained. Disposable income is below average at 47th percentile and Walgett suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Walgett's dwelling structures in 2016 comprised 92.1% houses and 7.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Walgett's home ownership was 29.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.7% and rented at 47.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Walgett was $970, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Walgett was $175, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Walgett's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863 and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 69.1% of all households, including 20.9% couples with children, 29.1% couples without children, and 15.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 30.9%, with lone person households at 28.1% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

Walgett's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 23.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 32.2% in NSW. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 46.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (14.6%) and certificates (31.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 50.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 22.2% in primary, 13.0% in secondary, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Walgett has 71 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 10 routes providing 114 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is excellent with residents on average 169 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuters travel outward, with cars being the primary mode at 81%, while 17% walk. Each dwelling owns an average of 1.6 vehicles. According to the 2021 Census, only 11.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 16 trips per day, resulting in approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Walgett faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~1,057 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and diabetes, impacting 8.3 and 6.5% of residents respectively, while 71.6% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (291 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Walgett is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Walgett's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 61.0% of its population being citizens, 93.5% born in Australia, and 93.7% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Walgett is Christianity, comprising 60.6% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (28.0%), Australian Aboriginal (26.0%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 4.6%, and English (21.1%), notably lower than the regional average of 30.5%.

Additionally, certain ethnic groups show notable variations: Welsh is overrepresented at 0.7% in Walgett compared to 0.5% regionally, French remains similar at 0.4%, while Irish shows a slight underrepresentation at 7.9% versus 8.8% regionally.

Walgett's population is younger than the national pattern

Walgett's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below Regional NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the regional average, Walgett has a notably over-represented 0-4 cohort at 9.2%, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 4.5%. Post the 2021 Census, the 0-4 age group grew from 7.8% to 9.2%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 3.3% to 4.5%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 12.2% to 10.3%. By 2041, Walgett's age profile is projected to evolve significantly. The 85+ cohort shows the strongest growth at 55%, adding 11 residents to reach 32. Residents aged 65 and older represent 100% of anticipated population growth, while declines are projected for the 75-84 and 0-4 cohorts.