West Albury

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

The population of West Albury was estimated at 3,872 people according to the Census conducted in May 2021. By May 2026, this number had decreased by 122 people, resulting in an estimated population of around 3,750. This decrease reflects a change from the resident population of 3,747, as estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, and an additional 12 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is approximately 693 persons per square kilometer, which aligns with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in West Albury during recent periods.

AreaSearch has adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate that West Albury is expected to increase by just below the median of regional areas across the nation, with an anticipated growth of 360 persons by 2041. This reflects a total increase of approximately 9.5% over the 16-year period.

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

West Albury has seen minimal residential development activity with an average of 2 dwelling approvals annually over the past five years (13 approvals total). This low level reflects its rural nature, where housing development is typically driven by specific local needs rather than broader market demand. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of NSW and national averages, West Albury has much lower development activity. New building activity consists of 50% standalone homes and 50% attached dwellings, indicating a shift towards higher-density living to provide more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift is notable given the area's current housing composition of 79% houses. The estimated population per dwelling approval in West Albury is 1256 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 357 residents by 2041 (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Population forecasts indicate West Albury will gain 357 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

West Albury has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Seven projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include Riverina Highway Sewer West Upgrade, Oddies Creek Splash Park, Albury Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) dated 2018-2030, and Albury Social Housing Redevelopment Projects starting in late 2022.

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

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The labour market performance in West Albury lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

West Albury has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 6.5% as of December 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In December 2025, 1,829 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.6% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in West Albury was 62.6%, slightly above Regional NSW's 60.5%. Census responses showed that only 11.5% of residents worked from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented, with only 1.4% of West Albury's workforce compared to 5.3% in Regional NSW. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on the comparison between Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force decreased by 2.5%, while employment declined by 3.9%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 1.3 percentage points in West Albury. In contrast, Regional NSW saw employment contract by 1.2%, labour force fall by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 indicated that national employment was projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to West Albury's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of West Albury had a lower than average national income level according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $49,163 and the average income stood at $62,195. These figures compared to Regional NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215 respectively. Based on a 10.32% growth in wages since financial year 2023, estimates for March 2026 would be approximately $54,237 (median) and $68,614 (average). Census 2021 income data showed personal income ranked at the 48th percentile ($794 weekly), while household income was at the 25th percentile. The earnings profile indicated that 28.5% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (1,068 individuals). Housing costs were modest with 87.8% of income retained. However, total disposable income ranked at the 30th percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in West Albury, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 79.4% houses and 20.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Albury was at 41.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (27.2%) or rented (31.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area stood at $1,365, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded as $255, compared to Regional NSW's figures of $1,733 and $330 respectively. Nationally, West Albury's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households represent 63.9% of all households, consisting of 22.0% couples with children, 29.2% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.1%, with lone person households at 33.1% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 26.3% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 18.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 35.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 11.1% while certificates make up 24.8%.

Educational participation is high at 27.6%, including 9.5% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

West Albury has 75 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 12 different routes that together offer 234 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 144 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards, and cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 96% of residents. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 11.5% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 33 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately three weekly trips per individual stop.

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

West Albury faces significant health challenges, as per AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 52% of the total population (~1,933 people). Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 10.4 and 10.1% of residents respectively. However, 60.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. West Albury has 27.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,023 people), which is higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

West Albury's cultural diversity was below average, with 89.3% citizens, 86.9% born in Australia, and 93.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion at 56.9%, compared to 55.9% regionally. Top ancestry groups were English (30.2%), Australian (27.5%), and Irish (10.1%).

Notably, German (5.5%) and Hungarian (0.3%) were overrepresented, while Australian Aboriginal was underrepresented at 3.5%.

West Albury hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

West Albury has a median age of 46, which is higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and significantly higher than Australia's national norm of 38. The percentage of people aged 85 and over in West Albury is 5.3%, compared to Regional NSW, while the 45-54 cohort is less prevalent at 9.0%. Post-Census data from 2021 shows that the 25-34 age group has grown from 10.6% to 12.1%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 8.7% to 9.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 10.3% to 9.0%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 14.4% to 13.1%. By 2041, West Albury is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition, with the 85+ group growing by 62% (122 people), reaching 321 from 198. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.