North Nowra - Bomaderry
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in North Nowra - Bomaderry reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

North Nowra - Bomaderry's population was 16,098 as of August 2021. By August 2025, the population is around 17,124, reflecting an increase of 1,026 people (6.4%) since the 2021 Census. This growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 16,419 in June 2024 and 707 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 171 persons per square kilometer. North Nowra - Bomaderry's growth rate exceeded both its SA4 region (3.4%) and SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed around 64.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate an increase just below the median of non-metropolitan areas nationally. Based on latest numbers, the area is expected to grow by 1,884 persons to 2041, with a total increase of 6.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions North Nowra - Bomaderry among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

North Nowra - Bomaderry has averaged approximately 119 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, with a total of 595 homes approved between FY21 and FY25. As of FY26140 dwellings have been approved so far. The average rate of new residents per year per dwelling constructed during this period is 0.4.

This suggests that supply meets or exceeds demand, offering greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections. The average construction value of new dwellings in the area is $415,000, consistent with regional patterns. In FY26, there have been commercial approvals valued at $50.6 million, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to the rest of NSW, North Nowra - Bomaderry has similar development levels per person, preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. Recent construction comprises 47% detached houses and 53% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend toward denser development that provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This represents a significant change from the current housing mix of 86% houses. North Nowra - Bomaderry reflects a developing area with around 80 people per approval. Future projections estimate an increase of 1,166 residents by 2041. 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.

North Nowra - Bomaderry has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 19 such projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable among these are the Bomaderry High School Upgrade, Landcom's Bomaderry Build-to-Rent Apartments project, SCaRP - Bomaderry Sporting Complex Redevelopment, and The Yards, Bomaderry development. The following list details those projects considered most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places North Nowra - Bomaderry well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

North Nowra - Bomaderry has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 2.2% as of June 2025. This is 1.4% below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

The area experienced employment growth of 3.1% over the past year, while the labour force increased by 2.6%, leading to a decrease in unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. The area shows strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. However, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.7% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

The leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, retail trade, and public administration & safety. As of June 2025, 7,220 residents are in work. Workforce participation is broadly similar to Rest of NSW's rate of 56.4%. Employment levels increased by 3.1% during the year to June 2025. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, employment growth was 0.26% and the unemployment rate was 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Nowra - Bomaderry's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows that median income in North Nowra - Bomaderry is $47,169 and average income stands at $57,766. In comparison, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year ending June 2022 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $52,169 (median) and $63,889 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, North Nowra - Bomaderry's household, family and personal incomes all fall between the 24th and 25th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 30.0% of the population (5,137 individuals) have incomes ranging from $1,500 to $2,999. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 25th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

North Nowra - Bomaderry is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in North Nowra - Bomaderry, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.4% houses and 13.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings. The home ownership level in North Nowra - Bomaderry was at 40.2%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (31.7%) or rented (28.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $346, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $350. Nationally, North Nowra - Bomaderry's median mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

North Nowra - Bomaderry has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.4% of all households, including 25.6% that are couples with children, 30.2% that are couples without children, and 12.6% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.6%, with lone person households at 27.7% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Educational outcomes in North Nowra - Bomaderry fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 20.3%, substantially lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (30.6%). Educational participation is high at 27.1%, comprising primary (10.0%), secondary (7.5%), and tertiary education (2.8%).

North Nowra has a robust school network with 8 institutions educating approximately 3,296 students. The area's ICSEA score is 961, indicating typical Australian school conditions. There are 4 primary, 2 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. As an education hub, North Nowra offers 19.2 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 12.8, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

North Nowra - Bomaderry has 259 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 56 individual routes facilitating 3,484 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent with residents typically located 145 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, service frequency across all routes stands at 497 trips per day, translating to approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in North Nowra - Bomaderry is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

North Nowra - Bomaderry faces substantial health challenges, as indicated by health data. Both younger and older age cohorts have notable prevalence of common health conditions.

Approximately 49% (~8,373 people) of the total population has private health cover, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.0%) and mental health issues (10.1%). Around 60.8% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 59.4% in Rest of NSW. About 23.1% (3,964 people) of residents are aged 65 and over, lower than the 27.8% in Rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes present challenges broadly inline with the general population's health profile.

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

North Nowra-Bomaderry, surveyed in June 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 85.4% Australian-born residents, 90.4% being citizens, and 94.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated North Nowra-Bomaderry's religion landscape, accounting for 52.1%, slightly lower than the regional average of 52.6%. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.1%), Australian (30.4%), and Irish (8.2%).

Noteworthy differences included a higher proportion of Australian Aboriginal residents at 4.7% compared to 4.4% regionally, similar Welsh representation at 0.6%, and higher Hungarian representation at 0.3% versus 0.2%.

North Nowra - Bomaderry hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

North Nowra - Bomaderry has a median age of 43, matching Rest of NSW's figure and exceeding Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile reveals that individuals aged 25-34 are notably prominent at 12.3%, while the 55-64 group is relatively smaller at 11.8% compared to Rest of NSW. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 10.5% to 11.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 13.4% to 11.8%, and the 65-74 group has dropped from 13.3% to 12.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in North Nowra - Bomaderry's age structure. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 25%, adding 534 people and reaching a total of 2,646 from its current figure of 2,111. Conversely, population declines are forecast for both the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts.