Port Kembla - Warrawong
Statistical Area - sa2

Port Kembla - Warrawong has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Port Kembla-Warrawong's population is 9,769 as of Aug. 2025, an increase of 29 people since the 2021 Census which reported 9,740 people. This change is inferred from ABS' June 2024 estimate of 9,745 and 29 new addresses validated post-Census. The population density is 1,401 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.5% to recent population gains in the area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for uncovered areas released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas until 2041. By 2041, the area is expected to increase by 14 persons based on current population numbers, resulting in a decrease of 0.1% over 17 years.

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

Port Kembla - Warrawong has experienced approximately 28 dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25144 homes were approved, with 4 more in FY-26 as of present. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost value for new properties is $425,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY-26, there have been $13.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady investment activity. Comparing Port Kembla - Warrawong to the Rest of NSW, it shows significantly reduced construction levels (54.0% below average per person), which generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. This activity is also below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. New development consists predominantly of standalone homes (81.0%) and attached dwellings (19.0%), maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes.

With around 527 people per approval, Port Kembla - Warrawong indicates a mature market. Given stable or declining population projections, housing demand pressures are expected to remain reduced, benefiting potential buyers.

Port Kembla - Warrawong has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Area infrastructure significantly impacts local performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects likely affecting the area. Notable projects are Southern Suburbs Community Centre and Library, Warrawong Plaza Redevelopment, Warrawong Community Health Centre, Salvation Army Housing - Warrawong Group Home. 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.

Employment conditions in Port Kembla - Warrawong face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Port Kembla-Warrawong has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, prominent essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 16.6% as of June 2025, and stable employment over the past year compared to the Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

The area specializes in administrative & support roles with an employment share 1.6 times higher than the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.5% of local workers compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. There are 0.8 workers per resident, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.1%, labour force rose by 0.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points.

In contrast, Rest of NSW saw a 0.1% drop in employment, a 0.3% increase in labour force, and a 0.4% rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Port Kembla-Warrawong's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Port Kembla - Warrawong was $48,519, lower than the national average of $63,716. Average income stood at $59,785 compared to Rest of NSW's $63,574. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $54,637 and $67,324 respectively, based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data indicates incomes in Port Kembla - Warrawong fall between the 7th and 8th percentiles nationally for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution shows 27.1% of residents earn $400-$799 annually. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 80.5% of income remaining after housing costs.

Port Kembla - Warrawong is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Port Kembla-Warrawong, as per the latest Census, consisted of 71.6% houses and 28.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 85.5% houses and 14.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Port Kembla-Warrawong was 36.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.6% and rented ones at 41.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,820, lower than Non-Metro NSW's $2,000 average. The median weekly rent figure was $300, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $365. Nationally, Port Kembla-Warrawong's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,820 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Port Kembla - Warrawong features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 63.4% of all households, including 23.9% couples with children, 21.6% couples without children, and 16.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.6%, with lone person households at 33.7% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

Port Kembla - Warrawong faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 15.0%, substantially lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 35.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.7% and certificates at 26.5%. Educational participation is high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.8% in primary, 7.6% in secondary, and 3.4% in tertiary education.

There are seven schools operating within Port Kembla - Warrawong, educating approximately 1,905 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 960) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with five primary and two secondary schools serving distinct age groups. The area functions as an education hub with 19.5 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 12.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Port Kembla - Warrawong has 95 active public transport stops. These are served by buses operating along 36 routes. The total weekly passenger trips provided is 1,054.

Residents' average proximity to the nearest stop is 146 meters. Daily service frequency averages 150 trips across all routes, equating to about 11 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Port Kembla - Warrawong is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Port Kembla-Warrawong faces significant health challenges, as indicated by health data. Both younger and older age groups have a high prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is relatively low, with approximately 50% (~4,835 people) compared to the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 10.3 and 10.0% of residents respectively. However, 62.8% of residents claim to have no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW figure at 63.9%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 20.4% (1,989 people) compared to 19.0% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly similar to those faced by the general population.

Port Kembla - Warrawong was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Port Kembla-Warrawong has a higher cultural diversity than most nearby areas, with 30.5% of its residents born overseas and 31.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Port Kembla-Warrawong, accounting for 61.5% of the population, compared to 58.1% across the rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (20.8%), English (20.6%), and Other (11.4%).

Notably, Macedonian (10.2%) Spanish (1.2%), and Serbian (1.0%) ethnicities are more represented in Port Kembla-Warrawong compared to regional averages of 3.8%, 0.9%, and 0.8% respectively.

Port Kembla - Warrawong hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Port Kembla-Warrawong's median age is 42 years, comparable with Rest of NSW's average of 43 but higher than Australia's average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 25-34 are prominent at 14.0%, while those aged 65-74 make up a smaller proportion at 10.0% compared to Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and the present, the 0-4 age group has increased from 6.0% to 7.5% of the population, while the 25-34 cohort has risen from 12.9% to 14.0%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 11.8% to 10.9%. By 2041, forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Port Kembla-Warrawong. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 13%, adding 173 residents to reach a total of 1,545. In contrast, population declines are forecasted for the 85+ and 5-14 age groups.