Warialda

Warialda 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 November 2025, Warialda's population is estimated at around 1,558 people. This reflects an increase of 78 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,480. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 1,542 residents following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 19 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1.3 persons per square kilometer. Warialda's growth rate of 5.3% since the 2021 Census exceeded that of its SA3 area (2.9%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 82.0% 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. 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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to increase by 194 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 8.2% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Warialda had minimal residential development with 2 dwelling approvals annually over the five-year period ending in 2019, totalling 14 dwellings. This low activity is typical of rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction activity by local demand and infrastructure capacity. Yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably based on individual projects.

Warialda had much lower development activity compared to Rest of NSW and nationally. Recent building activity consisted entirely of detached houses, maintaining the area's rural nature with emphasis on space. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 993 people in the area as of 2019, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Warialda is projected to add 128 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Warialda has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

No changes can significantly impact an area's performance like modifications to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 0 projects that could potentially affect this area. Notable projects include Inland Rail - North Star to NSW-Queensland Border, Inland Rail - Narrabri to North Star - Phase One, Queensland Regional Road Network Safety Improvements, and Queensland New South Wales Interconnector. The following list outlines those most likely to be relevant.

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

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.

AreaSearch analysis places Warialda well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Warialda has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs. Key sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

As of June 2025682 residents are employed. The unemployment rate is 2.0%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.0% over the past year. This rate is 1.6% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation in Warialda lags at 47.0%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%.

The area shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 3.6 times the regional level. However, accommodation & food services have limited presence, at 4.2% compared to the regional 7.8%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 4.0%, while labour force grew by 3.0%, resulting in a 0.9 percentage point drop in unemployment. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1% and a labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Warialda's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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, Warialda had a median taxpayer income of $37,459 and an average income of $43,534. These figures are lower than the national averages of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average). By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%, estimated incomes would be approximately $42,183 (median) and $49,024 (average). The 2021 Census shows that Warialda's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 2nd and 4th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 31.4% of residents earn between $400 and $799 weekly, differing from the regional norm where the $1,500 to $2,999 bracket is most prevalent at 29.9%. The concentration of 41.9% in sub-$800 weekly brackets suggests economic challenges for a significant portion of the community. Despite modest housing costs allowing retention of 88.9% of income, total disposable income ranks at just the 5th percentile nationally.

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

Warialda's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 96.0% houses and 4.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 93.0% houses and 6.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Warialda was 53.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.3% and rented ones at 22.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,000, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,100. Median weekly rent in Warialda was $230, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $240. Nationally, Warialda's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,000 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 62.8 percent of all households, including 20.9 percent couples with children, 30.1 percent couples without children, and 10.5 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.2 percent, with lone person households at 34.1 percent and group households comprising 3.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.2%, substantially below NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.4%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 37.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.5%) and certificates (29.0%). Educational participation is high at 26.6%, comprising 12.3% in primary, 8.0% in secondary, and 1.5% in tertiary education.

Warialda's three schools have a combined enrollment of 423 students, serving distinct age groups with two primary and one secondary school. The area functions as an educational hub with 27.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.1.

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

The analysis shows that Warialda has 72 operational public transport stops. These include both train and bus services. The town is served by 13 different routes in total.

Collectively, these routes facilitate 120 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 211 meters to the nearest stop. On average, there are 17 daily trips across all routes, which translates to about one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Warialda faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 44% of its total population (~689 people) has private health cover, compared to 46.9% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.0%) and asthma (9.3%), while 57.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 61.0% in Rest of NSW.

Warialda has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 30.2% (470 people), compared to 27.4% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Warialda placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Warialda had a cultural diversity level below average, with 92.6% citizens, 95.5% born in Australia, and 98.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 69.8%, compared to 64.8% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (38.8%), English (32.8%), and Scottish (8.4%).

Notably, Hungarian representation was higher than regional average at 0.4%, while Australian Aboriginal was lower at 5.6%. Maori representation was also lower at 0.5%.

Warialda ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Warialda's median age is 51 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and older than the Australian median of 38. The 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented in Warialda at 15.4%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 7.4%. This concentration of the 65-74 cohort is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 0-4 age group grew from 4.7% to 5.3%, while the 45-54 cohort declined from 11.8% to 10.7%. By 2041, Warialda's population is expected to shift notably in age composition. The 85+ group will grow by 68 people, reaching 102 from 60, leading the demographic shift. Those aged 65 and above are projected to comprise 75% of this growth. Conversely, both the 35-44 and 15-24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.