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 20,770 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 888 people, a 4.5% growth since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 19,882. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,128 in June 2024 and an additional 525 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 360 persons per square kilometer. Wangaratta's growth exceeded that of its SA3 area (4.0%), making it a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 92.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch 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 used VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting via weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Wangaratta is forecasted to increase by 5,225 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 21.8% over the 17-year period.

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

Wangaratta granted around 140 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years. This totals approximately 700 homes. In FY26, so far, 48 approvals have been recorded. On average, between FY21 and FY25, 0.6 new residents arrived per new home built.

The average construction value of these dwellings was $308,000. This year has seen $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 five-year period.

Recent construction comprises 76.0% detached houses and 24.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character. There are approximately 186 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Future projections suggest Wangaratta will add 4,524 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with these growth projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 13 projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones are Wangaratta Health Precinct Structure Plan, Wangaratta Landmark Retail Development Site, Wangaratta CBD Urban Design Framework, and Wangaratta High School Upgrade. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Wangaratta has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 6.2% in June 2025, which is 2.4% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is similar to Rest of Vic.'s at 57.4%. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Health care & social assistance employs 1.3 times the regional level in Wangaratta, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.2% of local workers compared to Rest of Vic.'s 7.5%. Over the year ending June 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.4%, but employment declined by 0.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.6 percentage points.

National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May 2025, project a 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.

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

Wangaratta had a median taxpayer income of $47,809 and an average income of $56,829 in financial year 2022. This was lower than the national averages of $51,333 (median) and $63,739 (average). Wangaratta's median income is estimated to be approximately $53,623 as of September 2025, based on a 12.16% increase since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Wangaratta fall between the 16th and 30th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The largest income segment in Wangaratta comprises 29.3% of residents earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. After housing costs, 86.2% of income remains, which ranks 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 dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.8% houses and 14.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 85.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wangaratta stood at 39.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.7% and rented ones at 29.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, aligning with Non-Metro Vic.'s average, while the median weekly rent was $260, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $250. Nationally, Wangaratta's mortgage repayments were lower at $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 constitute 63.0% of all households, including 22.9% couples with children, 27.1% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.0%, with lone person households making up 34.5% and group households comprising 2.5%. 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's university qualification rate is 19.8%, significantly lower than Victoria's 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%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 10.9% and certificates for 27.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education. The area has 13 schools serving 4,486 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 990) and balanced educational opportunities. There are 7 primary, 3 secondary, and 3 K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds residential needs, 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 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 36 distinct routes, collectively facilitating 1,164 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility to these stops is rated good, with residents typically located 249 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 166 trips per day across all routes, equating 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 health data. Both younger and older age groups have high prevalence rates for common health conditions.

Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% (around 10,031 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 10.5% and 10.2% of residents respectively. Conversely, 59.5% of residents report having no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of Vic's 60.4%. Wangaratta has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 24.1% (5,009 people), compared to Rest of Vic's 25.7%. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging but generally align with the overall population's health profile.

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 a specific date, had a cultural diversity index below the average. Its population comprised 90.7% citizens, with 89.6% born in Australia and 93.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 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 at 5.3%, compared to the regional average of 3.9%. Scottish ancestry also showed a higher representation at 8.6% versus 9.3%, and Hungarian ancestry, though small, was slightly more prevalent at 0.3% compared to 0.2% regionally.

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

Wangaratta's median age of 44 years is similar to Rest of Vic.'s 43 and well above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Vic., Wangaratta has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (12.6%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (11.8%). Between the 2016 Census and the 2021 Census, the age group of 25 to 34 grew from 11.5% to 12.6%, while the age group of 5 to 14 declined from 12.0% to 11.0%. By 2041, Wangaratta's population is expected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 48%, adding 1,249 people to reach a total of 3,864 from the current figure of 2,614. Conversely, the 15 to 24 age group is expected to decline by 18 people.