Kiama Downs - Minnamurra
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra's population is 5,961 as of Aug 2025. This reflects a decrease from its 2021 Census count of 6,063 people, a change inferred from the ABS estimated resident population of 5,959 in June 2024 and additional validated addresses since then. The population density is 821 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.6% of recent population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered areas, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas until 2041. Future population growth is anticipated at lower quartile regional Australia levels, with an expected increase of 179 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, representing a total increase of 3.0% over the 17 years.

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

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra has averaged approximately 16 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals around 80 homes approved since July 2017. As of February 2022, three approvals have been recorded in FY-26.

Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas. The average construction cost value for new properties is $647,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. Compared to the rest of NSW, Kiama Downs - Minnamurra has significantly less development activity, 70.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, development activity is also below average, suggesting possible planning constraints. New development consists of 71.0% detached houses and 29.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

This shows a shift from the current housing mix, which is 92.0% 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 462 people, indicating its quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead, Kiama Downs - Minnamurra is projected to grow by approximately 177 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 3 projects that may impact this region. Notable projects include Bombo Precinct, Akuna Street Mixed-Use Development, Shoalhaven Street Precinct, and Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Transport Plan Infrastructure. The following details those most relevant:.

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

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The labour market in Kiama Downs - Minnamurra shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.0% and it experienced an employment growth of 1.4% over the past year, ending June 2025.

As of this date, 3059 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.7%, which is below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation stands at 59.0%, comparable to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction sectors. Notably, employment in education & training is particularly high, with a share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.6% versus the regional average of 5.3%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data comparisons between working population and resident population. In the preceding year, employment increased by 1.4%, while labour force grew by 0.7%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1% with labour force growth of 0.3%, resulting in an increase in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. Statewide, NSW experienced employment contraction of 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs) as of Sep-25, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, and national employment growth is 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 project national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kiama Downs - Minnamurra's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows Kiama Downs - Minnamurra has high incomes. The median is $52,631 and the average is $76,721. In comparison, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. By March 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $58,210 and average income $84,853, based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data indicates incomes in Kiama Downs - Minnamurra are around the 65th percentile nationally. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket includes 31.6% of residents (1,883 people), similar to metropolitan regions where 29.9% fall into this bracket. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Kiama Downs - Minnamurra, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.5% houses and 8.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 79.0% houses and 21.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kiama Downs - Minnamurra stood at 48.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.5% and rented ones at 13.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in the area was $490, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $430. Nationally, Kiama Downs - Minnamurra's median monthly mortgage repayment was significantly higher at $2,300 than the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rent was substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 81.7 percent of all households, including 37.5 percent couples with children, 34.9 percent couples without children, and 8.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.3 percent, with lone person households at 17.1 percent and group households comprising 1.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Kiama Downs - Minnamurra is notably high, with 30.8% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications, compared to 19.9% in the broader SA3 area and 21.3% in the Rest of NSW. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15 years and over holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 13.2% while certificates make up 27.1%. Educational participation is high in the area, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.0% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education. Minnamurra Public School serves Kiama Downs - Minnamurra, enrolling 464 students as of the latest data. The school has an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1077, indicating above-average socio-educational conditions. As of now, there is one school in Kiama Downs - Minnamurra that focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary educational options available in nearby areas. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 7.8 compared to 14.3, suggesting some students may attend schools outside of the area.

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

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra has 89 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus services. There are 15 individual routes operating in total, providing 1,586 weekly passenger trips collectively.

The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 103 meters. Service frequency averages 226 trips per day across all routes, which equals approximately 17 weekly trips per stop.

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra's health metrics closely match national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts at a standard level.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 58% of the total population (3,445 people), compared to 52.7% across Rest of NSW. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.3 and 7.9% of residents respectively. 68.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.2% across Rest of NSW. The area has 26.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,556 people), which is higher than the 20.9% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Kiama Downs-Minnamurra showed low cultural diversity: 87.1% were Australian-born, 92.6% were citizens, and 96.0% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion (53.8%), slightly lower than Rest of NSW's 57.3%. Top ancestry groups were English (32.1%), Australian (29.1%), and Scottish (10.0%).

Some ethnic groups had notable differences: Macedonian was overrepresented at 0.4% (regional average 1.9%), Irish at 9.8% (7.6%), Maltese at 0.6% (1.3%).

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Kiama Downs - Minnamurra has a median age of 44 years, similar to Rest of NSW's 43 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Kiama Downs - Minnamurra has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (15.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.3%). This 65-74 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 10.7% to 13.1%, while the 75-84 age group has grown from 5.7% to 8.0%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has declined from 14.4% to 11.5% and the 25-34 age group has dropped from 8.5% to 6.3%. By 2041, Kiama Downs - Minnamurra's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 31%, reaching 627 people from the current 478. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 55-64 age groups are expected to experience population declines.