Wangaratta
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Wangaratta are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Wangaratta's population was around 20,589 as of August 2025. This showed an increase of 707 people, a 3.6% rise from the 2021 Census figure of 19,882. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,156 in June 2024 and an additional 430 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 357 persons per square kilometer. Wangaratta's growth exceeded that of its SA3 area by 0.2%, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 92.3% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch used ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 were employed with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Wangaratta is forecast to increase by 5,225 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 22.9% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Wangaratta when compared nationally

Wangaratta has granted approximately 140 residential property approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY21 and FY25, around 700 dwellings were approved, with 13 approvals recorded so far in FY26. On average, 0.6 new residents per year have been arriving per new home over the past five financial years.

This pace of new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more buying options and facilitating population growth that may surpass current projections. The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings is $456,000. In FY26, there have been $100.4 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong local business investment.

Compared to the rest of Victoria, Wangaratta has slightly more development activity, with 12.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand, although building activity has slowed recently. Recent construction consists of 76.0% detached houses and 24.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. The population density is approximately 186 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Future projections suggest Wangaratta will add 4,705 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, but buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

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

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 13 projects likely impacting the region. Key initiatives include Health Precinct Structure Plan, Wangaratta Landmark Retail Development Site, Wangaratta CBD Urban Design Framework, and Wangaratta High School Upgrade. The following list details those expected to be most relevant:.

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

Employment drivers in Wangaratta are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Wangaratta's workforce comprises skilled individuals, with prominent representation in essential services sectors. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate stands at 6.2%, indicating relative employment stability over the past year compared to the rest of Victoria (Rest of Vic.).

In June 2025, 9,346 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate 2.4% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Notably, health care & social assistance employs 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.2% of local workers, below Rest of Vic.'s 7.5%. Local employment opportunities exist, but many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.4%, while employment declined by 0.3%, resulting in a 1.6 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Rest of Vic. experienced an employment decline of 0.9% and a labour force decline of 0.4%, with a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wangaratta's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

Wangaratta's median taxpayer income in financial year 2022 was $47,809, with an average of $56,829. This is lower than the national average and contrasts with Rest of Vic.'s median income of $48,741 and average income of $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $52,642 (median) and $62,574 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Wangaratta's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 16th and 30th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 29.3% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (6,032 residents). After housing costs, 86.2% of income remains, ranking at the 19th percentile nationally.

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

Wangaratta's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 85.8% houses and 14.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wangaratta was at 39.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.7% and rented ones at 29.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,300, aligning with Non-Metro Vic.'s average, while the median weekly rent figure was $260 compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $250. Nationally, Wangaratta's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 63.0% of all households, including 22.9% that are couples with children, 27.1% that are couples without children, and 12.3% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 37.0%, with lone person households at 34.5% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.3.

Wangaratta shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area has educational challenges with university qualification rates at 19.8%, significantly lower than the VIC average of 33.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.3%, followed by graduate diplomas (3.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (3.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (27.2%).

Educational participation is high at 27.0%, including 9.9% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education. Thirteen schools serve 4,486 students while Wangaratta has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 990) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes seven primary, three secondary, and three K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 21.8 places per 100 residents versus the regional average of 14.9, indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments please refer to parent campus.

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

Wangaratta has 120 active public transport stops. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 36 individual routes operating in total.

They collectively provide 1,164 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 249 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 166 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 9 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Wangaratta faces significant health challenges, as indicated by data showing high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Only approximately 48% of Wangaratta's total population (~9,944 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (10.5%) and mental health issues (10.2%), while 59.5% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of Vic.'s 60.4%. Wangaratta has a higher proportion of younger residents; 24.1% are aged 65 or over (4,966 people), compared to Rest of Vic.'s 25.7%. Health outcomes among seniors in Wangaratta present challenges similar to those seen in the general population.

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

Wangaratta, as of the 2016 Census, had a population that was predominantly Australian-born and English-speaking, with 90.7% being citizens, 89.6% born in Australia, and 93.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 52.9% of Wangaratta's population, slightly higher than the regional average of 52.0%. The top three ancestry groups were English (31.5%), Australian (29.1%), and Irish (10.6%).

Notably, Italian ancestry was overrepresented in Wangaratta at 5.3%, compared to 3.9% regionally, while Scottish ancestry was slightly underrepresented at 8.6% versus 9.3%. Hungarian ancestry, however, was marginally more prevalent in Wangaratta at 0.3% compared to the regional average of 0.2%.

Wangaratta hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Wangaratta's median age is 44 years, comparable to the Rest of Vic.'s 43 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Vic., Wangaratta has a higher proportion of 25-34 year-olds at 12.6%, but fewer 55-64 year-olds at 11.8%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 25-34 age group has increased from 11.5% to 12.6% of Wangaratta's population. Conversely, the 5-14 age cohort has decreased from 12.0% to 11.0%. By 2041, Wangaratta's age composition is projected to change significantly. The 25-34 group is expected to grow by 49%, adding 1,271 people and reaching a total of 3,864 from the current 2,592. The 15-24 age group is projected to have modest growth, with an increase of just 1 resident.