Wodonga
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Wodonga's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 14,990, showing a decrease of 92 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 15,082. This decline is inferred from the ABS estimated resident population of 14,894 as of June 2024 and an additional 74 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at 494 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space per person and potential for further development. Overseas migration was the primary driver of recent population growth, contributing approximately 58.3% of overall gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For uncovered areas, it employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts suggest a significant population increase in top quartile regional areas, with Wodonga expected to grow by 3,720 persons by 2041, marking a 24.1% total increase over these 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Wodonga, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Wodonga has averaged approximately 38 new dwelling approvals annually. The ABS produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 191 dwellings approved over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. As of now, there have been 19 approvals in FY26. Given population decline in the area, new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good buyer choice, while new properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $451,000.

This financial year has seen $4.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited focus on commercial development. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Wodonga records significantly lower building activity, 64.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity shows 62.0% detached dwellings and 38.0% attached dwellings, indicating an expanding range of medium-density options, creating a mix of opportunities across price brackets from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. This marks a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 83.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The estimated population per dwelling approval in the area is 607 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment.

Looking ahead, Wodonga is expected to grow by 3,611 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Wodonga has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 27 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include The Quarter - Mixed Use Development, Brockley Street Bridge Replacement, Junction Place Urban Renewal - Birchmore Development, and Mann Central Shopping Complex Stage 2. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Wodonga face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Wodonga has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs well represented. Essential services sectors are prominent, and the unemployment rate is 9.2%.

As of June 2025, 6835 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 5.4%, higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is at 57.4%, similar to Rest of Vic. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing has a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing have limited presence with 1.2% employment compared to 7.5% regionally. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.8, indicating above-average local employment opportunities. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.5%, while employment declined by 1.1%, leading to a 2.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data to Sep-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, varying significantly between industries. Applying these projections to Wodonga's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1%% over five years and 13.1% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Wodonga's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $51,163. The average income stood at $58,293 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of Vic.'s median and average incomes of $48,741 and $60,693 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, estimated median income in March 2025 is approximately $56,336. The estimated average income for the same period is around $64,186. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 32nd percentile ($717 weekly), and household income sits at the 14th percentile. In Wodonga, 28.9% of locals (4,332 people) have incomes in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 30.3% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 16th percentile.

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

Wodonga's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 82.9% houses and 17.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wodonga stood at 31.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.0% and rented ones at 41.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,589. Median weekly rent in Wodonga was $260, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $307. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents stood at $375.

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

Family households constitute 60.5% of all households, including 20.0% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 14.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 39.5%, with lone person households at 36.3% and group households making up 3.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of Vic average of 2.4.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates at 16.9% compared to the VIC average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (30.7%). Educational participation is high at 28.1%, including 9.9% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 2.8% in tertiary education.

Nine schools operate in Wodonga, educating approximately 5,817 students with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 974). The educational mix includes four primary, two secondary, and three K-12 schools. The area functions as an education hub with 38.8 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 17.6, attracting students from surrounding communities. 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

Wodonga has 123 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 46 individual routes that collectively facilitate 1,022 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 195 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at 146 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 8 weekly trips per stop.

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

Critical health challenges are evident in Wodonga, where various health conditions impact both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 49% (~7,330 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues affect 12.2% of residents, while arthritis impacts 9.8%. About 59.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.1% in the rest of Victoria. In Wodonga, 20.7% (~3,098 people) are aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

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

Wodonga, as per the census in June 2016, had a population with 88.6% being citizens, 86.3% born in Australia, and 91.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 48.6%. Hinduism, however, was overrepresented at 1.5%, compared to the Rest of Vic's 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (30.1%), English (29.5%), and Irish (8.9%). Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 5.3% in Wodonga versus 4.8% regionally, Serbian at 0.4% vs 0.2%, and Croatian at 0.6% vs 0.4%.

Wodonga's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Wodonga is 40 years, which is slightly below Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 but above the Australian median of 38. Compared to Rest of Vic., the 25-34 age cohort makes up 15.5% of Wodonga's population, higher than the regional average, while the 65-74 age group constitutes 11.1%, lower than the regional average. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 13.5% to 15.5%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age cohort has decreased from 11.9% to 10.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant growth for Wodonga's 25 to 34 age group, with an increase of 1,354 people (58%) from 2,320 to 3,675. The 15 to 24 age group is projected to grow by 2%, adding 30 residents.