Kogarah
Statistical Area - sa2

Kogarah lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Kogarah's population is around 15,152 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,101 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,051 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,995 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 524 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,825 persons per square kilometer. Kogarah's growth rate of 16.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (5.3%) and the state, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 91.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth is predicted over this period, with Kogarah expected to grow by 7,397 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 47.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Kogarah among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Kogarah has granted approximately 157 residential property approvals annually. Between FY2021 and FY2025789 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY2026. Over these five financial years, the average number of new residents per dwelling was around 2.9 annually, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes during this period was approximately $505,000. In FY2026, there have been $33.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Kogarah has shown 114.0% higher development activity per capita as of recent years. This increased activity offers buyers ample choice but has slowed recently. The current construction trend comprises 6.0% detached houses and 94.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a significant shift from the existing housing pattern of 23.0% houses. This denser development provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. Kogarah has approximately 540 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

By 2041, Kogarah is projected to grow by 7,240 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Kogarah has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 30 projects that may affect the area. Notable projects include Wesley Hospital Kogarah Redevelopment, Kogarah North Urban Design Strategy Implementation, Serenity Gardens Rockdale, and The Rise. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Kogarah performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Kogarah has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.5% over the past year.

As of that date, 9,861 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.4%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was at 62.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. Health care & social assistance has particularly notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, education & training shows lower representation at 5.6% versus the regional average of 8.9%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.9, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.5%, labour force grew by 2.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In Greater Sydney, employment grew by 2.6%, labour force expanded by 2.9%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kogarah's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4% over five years and 15.0% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Kogarah had a median income among taxpayers of $53,633 and an average level of $67,997. This is above the national average of $56,994 and compares to levels of $56,994 and $80,856 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $60,396 (median) and $76,571 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Kogarah cluster around the 65th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals 37.8% of the population (5,727 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 19.1% of income, placing disposable income at the 59th percentile nationally and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Kogarah features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Kogarah, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 22.7% houses and 77.3% other dwellings including semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings. This compares to Sydney metropolitan area's 39.8% houses and 60.3% other dwellings. Home ownership level in Kogarah was at 22.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented dwellings at 47.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,251 as of 2016, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,383. Median weekly rent figure stood at $464, compared to Sydney metro's $480. Nationally, Kogarah's median monthly mortgage repayment is significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863 recorded in 2016, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375 for the same year.

Kogarah features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 67.4% of all households, including 31.1% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.6%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 5.9%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Kogarah is notably higher than broader averages. 46.4% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 30.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.2% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 12.8% and certificates at 12.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.4% in primary education, 8.2% in tertiary education, and 5.5% pursuing secondary education. There are 8 schools operating within Kogarah, educating approximately 3,510 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1060). The educational mix includes 2 primary, 4 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. Kogarah functions as an education hub with 23.2 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 11.4, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Kogarah has 42 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 24 different routes that facilitate a total of 4,411 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents on average located 134 meters from the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 630 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 105 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kogarah's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Kogarah's health outcomes show excellent results, notably for younger age groups with low prevalence of common conditions.

Approximately 53% (~8,091 people) have private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (5.0%) and asthma (4.6%), while 80.0% report no medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 77.5%. Kogarah has 12.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,947 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 16.4%. Despite this, seniors' health outcomes require more attention than the broader population.

Kogarah is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Kogarah, as per the 2016 Census, has a population where 65.0% speak languages other than English at home and 59.8% were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Kogarah with 46.4%. Hinduism is notably higher at 16.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 6.6%.

In terms of ancestry, 'Other' is highest at 26.4%, followed by Chinese (14.4%) and English (9.7%). Greek (7.0%), Filipino (4.7%), and Spanish (1.1%) are also notable due to their higher representation compared to regional averages.

Kogarah's population is younger than the national pattern

Kogarah's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 22.2% of Kogarah's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.5%. The 5-14 age group constitutes 8.9% of Kogarah's population. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.6% to 12.4%, while the 85+ cohort has decreased from 3.5% to 2.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Kogarah, with the 45-54 age group projected to rise substantially by 70%, from 1,668 people to 2,837.