West Wodonga

An assessment of population growth drivers in West Wodonga reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

West Wodonga's population is approximately 15,782 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 386 people, equating to a 2.5% rise since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 15,396. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,650 in June 2024 and an additional 100 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 102 persons per square kilometer. West Wodonga's growth rate since the census places it within 1.7 percentage points of its SA3 area (4.2%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 54.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the area.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate an above median growth in non-metropolitan areas nationally. West Wodonga is expected to grow by 3,318 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 20.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees West Wodonga recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

West Wodonga has received around 72 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 364 homes. As of FY-26, 24 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.9 new residents settle annually for each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests that supply meets or exceeds demand, offering more buyer choices while supporting potential population growth.

The average construction cost per dwelling is $304,000. In FY-26, West Wodonga has seen $12.9 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate commercial development activity. Comparatively, West Wodonga shows approximately 68% of the construction activity per person when compared to the Rest of Vic., and it ranks among the 47th percentile nationally for areas assessed.

This results in relatively constrained buyer choice, supporting interest in existing dwellings. New developments comprise 91.0% standalone homes and 9.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving West Wodonga's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The area has an estimated 350 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, West Wodonga is projected to add 3,186 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and driving price growth.

West Wodonga has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 21 such projects that could potentially impact the area. Notable among these are the Wodonga Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion, Mars Wodonga Solar Thermal Plant, Belvoir Village Motel Expansion - Additional 20 Motel Units, and Hydrogen Park Murray Valley (HyP Murray Valley). The following list provides details on those projects likely to be most 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.

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

West Wodonga has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well represented. The unemployment rate in September 2025 was 6.1%.

As of this date, 7,596 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.3% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 60.9%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing showed particularly strong specialization with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing had lower representation at 1.3% versus the regional average of 7.5%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data analysis. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, labour force decreased by 1.6% and employment declined by 3.7%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 2.0 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of Vic., where employment contracted by 0.7%, labour force fell by 0.6%, and unemployment rose marginally. State-level data up to 25-Nov-25 showed VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to West Wodonga's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this was a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

West Wodonga SA2's income level is lower than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Its median income among taxpayers is $51,396 and average income stands at $58,580. This compares to Rest of Vic.'s figures of $48,741 and $60,693 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $57,646 (median) and $65,703 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in West Wodonga, between the 34th and 41st percentiles. Distribution data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 34.2% of the community (5,397 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.3% in the same category. After housing, 85.6% of income remains for other expenses.

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

The dwelling structure in West Wodonga, as per the latest Census, consisted of 88.7% houses and 11.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 91.6% houses and 8.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Wodonga stood at 30.5%, with the rest either mortgaged (36.3%) or rented (33.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,387, below Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,473 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was $290, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $280 and the national figure of $375.

West Wodonga has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 69.2% of all households, consisting of 27.3% couples with children, 27.1% couples without children, and 13.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 30.8%, with lone person households at 28.4% and group households making up 2.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of Vic.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 15.9%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.0%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.7%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.2%). Vocational credentials are held by 41.6% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 30.3%. Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.8% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Analysis of West Wodonga's public transport shows 68 active stops operating within the area, all of which are bus services. These stops are served by 20 individual routes that collectively facilitate 396 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in the area is rated as good, with residents typically located 226 meters from their nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 56 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

West Wodonga faces substantial health challenges. Common health conditions are prevalent across younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% (around 7,748 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues impact 11.4% of residents, while asthma affects 9.9%. About 61.4% claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.1% in Rest of Vic.. The area has 19.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,008 people), lower than the 20.7% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

West Wodonga's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.3% of its population being citizens, 89.8% born in Australia, and 94.7% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in West Wodonga is Christianity, comprising 50.1% of the population, compared to 48.2% across Rest of Vic. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (31.6%), English (30.3%), and Irish (8.4%).

Notably, German ancestry is overrepresented at 5.3%, compared to 4.8% regionally, Dutch at 1.5% (vs 1.6%), and Hungarian at 0.3% (vs 0.2%).

West Wodonga's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in West Wodonga is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 but closely aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Vic., West Wodonga has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (13.5%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (6.1%). According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 increased from 12.5% to 13.5%, while the proportion of those aged 5-14 decreased from 13.9% to 12.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in West Wodonga's age structure. Notably, the 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 58%, reaching 2,990 people from 1,890. Conversely, the 15-24 and 55-64 age groups are projected to experience population declines.