According to 2021 census figures, both India and Iraq have become the respective second and third largest country of births among Wagga residents, having overtaken England which held second place in the 2016 census.

Residents with both parents born overseas also grew by 34 per cent to 9595.

Wagga's Yazidi community, who are originally from Kurdistan in northern Iraq, experienced substantial growth since 2016, with their native language Kurmanji now being the second most spoken language in the LGA.

Wagga Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain said almost 2000 Yazidi people had been settled in the region over the past five years.

She said Wagga had greatly benefitted since the Multicultural Council began settling refugees in the region under the federal government's Humanitarian Settlement Services Program in 2005.

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"Our community has since become more diverse and that means we have more understanding and tolerance for different cultures and religions," Ms Crain said.

"I think it's wonderful to have them all here. They contribute greatly to our community."

Wagga mayor Dallas Tout said the LGA's position as a welcoming area for refugees and migrants had been several years in the making.

"Refugee and skilled migrant intake started here way back in the 70s," Cr Tout said.

"The growth and the diversity of Wagga and the region has been going on for that long. It's not a surprise to see it continue."

He also said maintaining a welcoming atmosphere was key to Wagga's diversity.

"It's not just diversity that makes Wagga a great place but the inclusion that comes with it," Cr Tout explained.

"Without inclusion and the acceptance of that diversity it's just not a community that wraps around people."

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