Kiama

Kiama lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Kiama's population was around 9,042 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 256 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,786 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,038 in June 2025 and an additional 205 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 652 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Kiama's growth rate was 1.5% annually, outpacing its SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 67.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections were used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Kiama is forecasted to increase its population by 2,026 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 22.4% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Kiama when compared nationally

Kiama averaged approximately 64 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. A total of 321 homes were approved during this period, with an additional 39 approved so far in FY26. On average, 1.9 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand and stable market conditions.

The average construction value of new properties was $324,000. This financial year has seen $3.3 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting limited focus on commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Kiama exhibits 16.0% lower construction activity per person and ranks at the 47th percentile nationally, implying somewhat restricted buyer options while enhancing demand for established dwellings.

Recent construction consists of 59.0% detached houses and 41.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of medium-density alternatives across various price brackets. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 369 people, reflecting Kiama's quiet development environment. Future projections estimate Kiama will add 2,022 residents by 2041, with building activity keeping pace with growth projections despite potential increased competition among buyers as the population expands.

Kiama has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Nine projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include Akuna Street Mixed-Use Development, South Kiama Urban Release Area, Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Transport Plan 2041, and Shoalhaven Street Precinct. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Kiama ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Kiama's workforce is highly educated with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.6% as of December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 0.6% over the previous year. In comparison to Regional NSW's unemployment rate of 3.9%, Kiama's rate was 1.4% lower.

Workforce participation in Kiama was 55.8%, slightly below Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, 31.9% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training had an employment concentration 1.4 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 1.0% versus the regional average of 5.3%.

Local employment opportunities appeared limited based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 0.6%, labour force rose by 0.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points in Kiama. Conversely, Regional NSW saw employment contract by 1.2%, labour force fall by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Kiama's employment mix suggests local employment could grow by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest data for financial year 2023 shows Kiama SA2 had a median income of $50,497 and an average income of $72,189. These figures are above the national averages. Regional NSW, meanwhile, had a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32%, current estimates for Kiama suggest a median income of approximately $55,708 and an average income of $79,639 by March 2026. Census data indicates that incomes in Kiama rank modestly, between the 40th and 48th percentiles. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominates with 29.8% of residents, reflecting regional patterns. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 41st percentile. Kiama's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Kiama displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Kiama's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 58.8% houses and 41.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kiama stood at 49.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.0% and rented ones at 23.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, exceeding Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Kiama was recorded at $480, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Kiama's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kiama has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.5% of all households, including 24.4% couples with children, 37.3% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.5%, with lone person households at 27.4% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Kiama shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Kiama's residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion with university qualifications (34.4%) compared to the broader SA3 area (19.9%) and Rest of NSW (21.3%). Bachelor degrees are most common (22.2%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 37.8% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.9%) and certificates (23.9%). Educational participation is high, with 25.6% currently enrolled in formal education, comprising primary education (8.9%), secondary education (6.3%), and tertiary education (4.1%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 6.3% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Kiama has 86 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 27 individual routes, collectively facilitating 3,749 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 155 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commuters travel outward; car remains dominant at 90%, while 6% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 31.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 535 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 43 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Kiama is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Kiama exhibits superior health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but nears the national average for older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 55% (~4,964 people) have private health cover, higher than Regional NSW's 51.9%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and asthma (6.9%), with 64.5% reporting no medical ailments, compared to Regional NSW's 63.3%. Under-65 residents show better health outcomes. Kiama has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 32.9% (2,977 people), compared to Regional NSW's 23.4%. Senior health outcomes are above average but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Kiama's population showed low cultural diversity, with 81.0% born in Australia and 90.8% being citizens. English was the primary language spoken at home by 93.9%. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 55.2%, slightly lower than Regional NSW's 55.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.0%), Australian (26.3%), and Irish (11.2%). Notably, Welsh (0.8%) and Scottish (9.0%) populations exceeded regional averages of 0.5% and 8.0%, respectively. Maltese representation was also higher at 0.9%.

Kiama ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Kiama's median age is 51 years, which is significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 and considerably older than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Regional NSW, Kiama has an over-representation of the 65-74 cohort at 16.7% locally, while the 15-24 year-olds are under-represented at 8.9%. The local concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 10.5% to 12.2% of Kiama's population, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 15.0% to 12.8%. By 2041, Kiama is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 75 to 84 group growing by 28% (304 people) to reach 1,407 from 1,102. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort grows by a modest 9% (73 people).