Nowra

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

Nowra's population is around 24,287 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,703 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,584 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,650 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 555 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 238 persons per square kilometer. Nowra's growth rate of 7.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (4.6%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 36.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. By 2041, exceptional growth is predicted based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, with the area expected to increase by 10,884 persons, reflecting a gain of 42.2% in total over the 17 years.

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

Nowra has granted around 130 residential approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, it approved 653 homes, with an additional 28 approved so far in FY-26. Over these five years, approximately 2.9 people moved to the area per new home constructed.

This suggests solid demand supporting property values. New homes are being built at an average cost of $224,000, under regional levels, offering more accessible housing choices for buyers. In FY-26 alone, $65.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Rest of NSW, Nowra has 16.0% less new development per person but ranks among the 49th percentile nationally, suggesting somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established dwellings.

Recent construction comprises 62.0% detached dwellings and 38.0% attached dwellings, expanding medium-density housing options. This marks a significant shift from existing patterns, which are currently 86.0% houses, indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs. Nowra has approximately 330 people per dwelling approval, leaving room for growth. Future projections estimate an increase of 10,247 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Nowra 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 21 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment, Nowra East Public School Upgrade, Evergreen Rise Estate, and New Primary School and Public Preschool in Worrigee. The following list details 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.

Nowra shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Nowra's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs, with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.1% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.2% over the past year. In Nowra, 9,672 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.2% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Nowra was lower at 53.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, only 8.1% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Public administration & safety had notably high concentration with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented with only 1.2% of Nowra's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The ratio of 0.8 workers per resident indicated a higher level of local employment opportunities than usual. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 2.2% while labour force rose by 3.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. Meanwhile, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Nowra's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Nowra SA2 has incomes below the national average. The median income is $50,085 and the average income is $59,951. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where the median income is $52,390 and the average income is $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Nowra are approximately $54,523 (median) and $65,263 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Nowra all fall between the 20th and 80th percentiles nationally. Looking at income distribution, 30.2% of locals (7,334 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, similar to the broader area where 29.9% fall into this category. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 80.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 17th percentile nationally.

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

In Nowra, as per the latest Census evaluation, 86.3% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 13.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Nowra stood at 30.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.1% and rented ones at 39.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average. The median weekly rent was $330, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Nowra's median monthly mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were significantly below the national average of $375.

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

Family households constitute 68.3% of all households, including 26.5% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 15.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.7%, with lone person households at 28.3% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 15.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 10.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 10.4% and certificates make up 34.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.3% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Analysis of public transport in Nowra indicates 332 active transport stops operating within the area. These comprise a mix of train and bus services, with 64 individual routes collectively providing 1,536 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 146 meters from their nearest transport stop. Most residents commute outward due to Nowra's primarily residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 93%, with an average vehicle ownership of 1.4 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census data, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions, only 8.1% of residents work from home.

Service frequency averages 219 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Nowra is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Nowra faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Several health conditions impact both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is low at approximately 49% of Nowra's total population (around 11,876 people), compared to 51.9% in the rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 11.8% and 10.1% of residents respectively. However, 60.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in the rest of NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with higher chronic condition rates. The area has 16.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,097 people), lower than the 23.0% in the rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings.

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

Nowra's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.5% of its population being citizens, 86.6% born in Australia, and 92.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Nowra, making up 50.9% of the population. The most notable overrepresentation was seen in the 'Other' category, comprising 0.9% of Nowra's population compared to 0.8% across the rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups in Nowra are Australian (31.8%), English (29.3%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.7%). There were also notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Maltese at 0.6% compared to 0.4% regionally, Lebanese at 0.2%, and Filipino at 0.9% compared to 0.6%.

Nowra's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Nowra is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 16.4% of Nowra's population compared to the Rest of NSW figure, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 8.7%. According to data from the post-2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 14.8% to 16.4%, and the 35-44 cohort has risen from 12.1% to 13.5%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has decreased from 9.6% to 8.7%. Population forecasts for Nowra indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 54%, adding 2,134 people and reaching a total of 6,113 from the current figure of 3,978.