The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released figures from the 2011 Census, providing insight into Wagga Wagga’s direction and current housing climate.

Riverina residents are continuing to embrace the Australian dream of owning their own home, with more people owning a home than 5 years ago.  However, the current financial climate means that dream is becoming harder to reach, with more people still paying a mortgage than there were at the last census, with a noticeable drop in outright ownership rates.

The region continues to enjoy strong growth, and it is estimated that Wagga’s population will reach over 80,000 by 2030. Driving this growth will be the current largest age group – people in the  5-14 year old age range. Our next largest age group is the 25-34 year old demographic.

While statistics don’t tell us much about quality of life, some figures do reveal the warm heart of Wagga, with residents ranked higher than the state average when it came to undertaking volunteer work. 21 percent of Wagga residents volunteer their time to a community group or organisation, while the NSW average is much lower at 17.8 per cent.