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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
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Sales Activity
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Population
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends
Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Albion Park - Macquarie Pass's population is around 27,077 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 8,051 people (42.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,026 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,698 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 1,200 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 360 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Albion Park - Macquarie Pass's 42.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of NSW (5.9%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 78.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and overseas migration, were positive factors.
AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of national regional areas, is predicted over the period, with the area expected to expand by 12,880 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 31.4% in total over the 17 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
The level of residential development activity in Albion Park - Macquarie Pass was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass has recorded around 372 residential properties granted approval per year, totalling 1,864 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26236 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of 3.5 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand is significantly outpacing supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $265,000 —below the regional average —suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. Also, $1.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.
Compared to the rest of NSW, Albion Park - Macquarie Pass has 126.0% more development activity (per person), creating greater choice for buyers, though development activity has moderated in recent periods. This is substantially higher than nationally, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of 60.0% standalone homes and 40.0% attached dwellings, showing 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 represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 88.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 72 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.
Looking ahead, Albion Park - Macquarie Pass is expected to grow by 8,501 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally
Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 26 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Tripoli Way Extension, Mount Terry Estate, Albion Park Rail Residential Development - Riverside Estate, and the Con O'Keefe and Russell Street Precinct Master Plan, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Calderwood Village
Calderwood Village is a $50 million neighbourhood shopping centre and community hub developed by Revelop within the Stockland Calderwood Valley masterplanned community. The 10,000 square metre centre features a full-line Woolworths supermarket, BWS, Priceline Pharmacy, Young Academics childcare, Anytime Fitness, a swim school, and medical facilities. The development includes over 280 parking spaces with EV charging stations and a significant rooftop solar array. Following a change in builders to iProjects (formerly Rebuild Projects) in late 2024, the project is tracking for completion in March 2026.
Con O'Keefe and Russell Street Precinct Master Plan
A comprehensive master plan adopted by Shellharbour City Council in May 2024 to revitalize Con O'Keefe Park and Russell Street Precinct in Albion Park. The project includes library extension, new amenities building, community garden relocation, improved sports facilities with lighting, upgraded playgrounds, skate plaza, fitness stations, enhanced landscaping and accessibility improvements. The master plan will be delivered in stages over multiple years to serve the growing community needs.
Tripoli Way Extension
Construction of the final stage of the Tripoli Way Extension to create an uninterrupted travel route connecting Terry Street in the east to the Illawarra Highway at Broughton Avenue in the west, bypassing the Albion Park town centre. The project includes widening to four lanes to Calderwood Road and two lanes to Tongarra Road at Tullimbar. This will reduce traffic congestion on the Illawarra Highway/Tongarra Road and improve connectivity to growing communities like Tullimbar and Calderwood Valley. Early electrical works began February 2025. The full scope, including the Terry Street intersection upgrade, is now funded as part of a $74 million project.
Albion Park Rail Residential Development - Riverside Estate
Large residential development featuring 850 new homes across multiple stages. The development includes parks, walking trails along Macquarie Rivulet, and community facilities to support sustainable suburban growth.
Albion Park Rail Innovation Hub
Proposed innovation and technology hub to attract startups and established tech companies to the Illawarra region. The development includes co-working spaces, research facilities, and connections to University of Wollongong programs.
Albion Park Rail Industrial Estate Development
Development of a new industrial estate to support manufacturing and logistics operations in the Illawarra region. The project includes modern warehouse facilities, office space, and improved freight access via the nearby M1 Motorway.
Mount Terry Estate
A 70-lot residential estate offering 4 and 5-bedroom house and land packages situated between creek reserves and mountain backdrops. The estate features natural character with peaceful surroundings while remaining connected to South Coast amenities including local shops, sporting facilities, and educational precincts. Ready-built packages available with completion expected in early 2026.
Albion Park Rail Water Infrastructure Upgrade
Upgrade of water supply and sewerage infrastructure to support population growth in Albion Park Rail. The project includes new water mains, pump stations, and improved stormwater management systems.
Employment
Employment performance in Albion Park - Macquarie Pass exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass features a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of only 3.3%, and 0.7% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 12,742 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.7% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (74.4% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 22.2% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.
The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area has a particular employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level. In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.4% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.
Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increasing by 0.7% alongside the labour force increasing by 0.7%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. This contrasts with Regional NSW, where employment contracted by 1.2%, the labour force fell by 0.8%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Albion Park - Macquarie Pass. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Albion Park - Macquarie Pass's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch
The Albion Park - Macquarie Pass SA2's income level is in line with national averages according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Albion Park - Macquarie Pass SA2's median income among taxpayers is $58,771 and the average income stands at $68,424, which compares to figures for Regional NSW of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $63,978 (median) and $74,486 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Albion Park - Macquarie Pass cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 39.1% of residents (10,587 people), aligning with the region where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. High housing costs consume 16.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 69th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region
Dwelling structure within Albion Park - Macquarie Pass, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 87.5% houses and 12.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Albion Park - Macquarie Pass was lagging that of Regional NSW, at 28.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (53.1%) or rented (18.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional NSW average at $2,167, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $480, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Albion Park - Macquarie Pass's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households dominate at 83.9% of all households, comprising 42.2% couples with children, 28.3% couples without children, and 12.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 16.1%, with lone person households at 14.6% and group households comprising 1.6% of the total. The median household size of 2.9 people is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Educational attainment in Albion Park - Macquarie Pass aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics
The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (16.5%) substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 11.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 46.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (34.8%).
Educational participation is notably high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Public transport analysis reveals 140 active transport stops operating within Albion Park - Macquarie Pass, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 51 individual routes, collectively providing 746 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 179 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 96%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 22.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).
Service frequency averages 106 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in Albion Park - Macquarie Pass is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover slightly exceeds the average SA2 area at approximately 53% of the total population (~14,432 people).
The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.3% and 8.4% of residents, respectively, while 69.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 12.4% of residents aged 65 and over (3,349 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 87.0% of its population born in Australia, 93.0% being citizens, and 93.2% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Albion Park - Macquarie Pass is Christianity, which makes up 56.8% of the population. This compares to 55.9% across Regional NSW.
In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Albion Park - Macquarie Pass are Australian, comprising 30.2% of the population, English, comprising 29.7% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 6.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Spanish is notably overrepresented at 1.1% of Albion Park - Macquarie Pass (vs 0.3% regionally), Maltese at 1.5% (vs 0.4%) and Macedonian at 1.1% (vs 0.4%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Albion Park - Macquarie Pass hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide
The 33-year median age in Albion Park - Macquarie Pass is considerably lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 and similarly substantially under the 38-year national average. Compared to the Regional NSW average, the 25 - 34 cohort is notably over-represented (16.3% locally), while 65 - 74 year-olds are under-represented (7.6%). Post-2021 Census data shows the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 13.4% to 16.4% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 10.9% to 9.1% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 12.3% to 11.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Albion Park - Macquarie Pass. Leading the demographic shift, the 35 to 44 group will grow by 45% (2,017 people), reaching 6,472 from 4,454.