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 is around 17,124 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,026 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,098 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 16,419 in June 2024 and an additional 707 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 171 persons per square kilometer. North Nowra - Bomaderry's growth rate of 6.4% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (3.4%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 64.5% 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 by this data, 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 latest population numbers, the area is expected to grow by 1,884 persons to 2041, an increase of 6.8% in total 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, from FY2021 to FY2025595 homes were approved, and as of FY2026140 have been approved so far. This supply is meeting or exceeding demand, with an average of 0.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

The average value for new dwellings developed is $415,000, aligning with regional patterns. In FY2026, there have been $50.6 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to the rest of NSW, North Nowra - Bomaderry has similar development levels per person, maintaining market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. Recent construction comprises 47.0% detached houses and 53.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift from the current housing mix of 86.0% houses. This trend towards denser development provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

North Nowra - Bomaderry reflects a developing area with around 80 people per approval. Future projections indicate that by 2041, North Nowra - Bomaderry is expected to add 1,166 residents. 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 can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 19 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include the Bomaderry High School Upgrade, Landcom's Bomaderry Build-to-Rent Apartments, SCaRP - Bomaderry Sporting Complex Redevelopment, and The Yards, Bomaderry. Below is a list detailing those projects likely to be 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 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. Employment growth in the area over the past year was estimated at 3.1%.

The unemployment rate is 1.4% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, while workforce participation is broadly similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and public administration & safety. Public administration & safety shows strong specialization with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.7% versus the regional average of 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparison.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.1%, labour force grew by 2.6%, resulting in a unemployment fall of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, labour force grow by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth at 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, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows North Nowra - Bomaderry's median income was $47,169 and average income was $57,766. This is below the national averages of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average) for Rest of NSW. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $53,117 (median) and $65,050 (average), based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data indicates North Nowra - Bomaderry's incomes rank between the 24th and 25th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income distribution shows that 30.0% of the population (5,137 individuals) fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 25th percentile. 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

In North Nowra - Bomaderry, as per the latest Census evaluation, 86.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 13.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in North Nowra - Bomaderry stood at 40.2%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 31.7% and rented properties accounting for 28.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average, while the median weekly rent figure was $346, slightly lower than Non-Metro NSW's $350. Nationally, North Nowra - Bomaderry's median monthly mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $346 versus 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% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 12.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute 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 has lower university qualification rates at 20.3%, compared to NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 42.3% of residents aged 15+, including advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (30.6%). Educational participation is high at 27.1%, with 10.0% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 2.8% in tertiary education.

North Nowra has eight schools educating approximately 3,296 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 961). The area functions as an education hub with 19.2 school places per 100 residents, 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. These are a mix of train and bus stops. There are 56 individual routes serving these stops, providing a total of 3,484 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 145 meters to the nearest stop. The service frequency is 497 trips per day across all routes, which equals 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 significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data. Both younger and older age groups show high prevalence rates for common health conditions.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49%, covering around 8,373 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.0%) and mental health issues (10.1%). About 60.8% of residents claim to be free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 59.4%. Approximately 23.1%, or 3,964 people, are aged 65 and over, lower than the Rest of NSW's 27.8%. Health outcomes among seniors align with those of the general population.

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 August 2016, had low cultural diversity with 85.4% born in Australia, 90.4% citizens, and 94.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated at 52.1%, slightly lower than Rest of NSW's 52.6%. Top ancestral groups were English (32.1%), Australian (30.4%), Irish (8.2%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal (4.7%) and Welsh (0.6%) were equally represented compared to regional averages, while Hungarian was slightly higher at 0.3% vs 0.2%.

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

North Nowra - Bomaderry has a median age of 43, which is equal to that of Rest of NSW and higher than the national average of 38. The age profile shows that individuals aged 25-34 are prominent at 12.3%, while those aged 55-64 comprise 11.8% of the population, smaller than in Rest of NSW. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.5% to 11.5%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 13.4% to 11.8%, and the 65 to 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 to 34 group is projected to grow by 25%, reaching 2,646 from 2,111. Conversely, population declines are forecast for the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 age cohorts.