Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff
Statistical Area - sa2

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff's population was 12,113 as of November 2025. This showed an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 11,957 people, a rise of 156 individuals (1.3%). This growth is inferred from ABS estimates: June 2024's population was 12,081, with 73 new addresses validated since the Census date. The population density was 749 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 1.3% growth since census is within 2.7 percentage points of its SA3 area (4%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.4% of recent population gains.

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. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 917 persons based on latest population numbers, recording a total gain of 7.3% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff when compared nationally

Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff has seen approximately 55 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 278 homes. In FY26 so far, 16 approvals have been recorded. The average number of new residents per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 is 0.8, indicating that supply meets or exceeds demand while supporting potential population growth above projections. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $613,000, demonstrating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $9.2 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to other areas. When measured against Rest of NSW, Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and places among the 69th percentile nationally. New development consists of 53.0% standalone homes and 47.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points. This reflects a considerable change from the current housing mix of 82.0% houses, addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

With around 193 people per dwelling approval, Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff shows characteristics of a low density area. Population forecasts indicate that the area will gain 885 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified five projects likely affecting the region: Electrify 2515 Community Pilot, Thirroul Plaza Redevelopment, McCauley Lodge Redevelopment, and More Trains More Services Stage Two - Mortdale to Kiama Capital Works. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.1% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 0.8% over the past year.

In June 2025, there were 6,481 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 1.6% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was 63.0%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical, with the latter having an employment share 2.2 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 0.8%, labour force grew by 0.7%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff's local growth estimated at approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years based on industry-specific projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff has a very high national income level according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers is $60,768 and the average income stands at $92,208. This compares to figures for Rest of NSW which are $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% from financial year 2022 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $68,431 (median) and $103,835 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff, between the 80th and 89th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 28.1% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (3,403 residents), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 29.9% in the same category. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 41.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. Housing accounts for 13.7% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 89th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff, as per the latest Census evaluation, 81.6% of dwellings were houses, with 18.4% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 58.9% houses and 41.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in the area was at 43.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.1% and rented ones at 18.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,189. The median weekly rent figure was $550, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,600 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.4% of all households, including 38.9% couples with children, 30.8% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.6%, with lone person households at 19.0% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff is notably high, with 44.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 25.2% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 18.9%. Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.2% in primary, 8.4% in secondary, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education. The area's five schools have a combined enrollment of 977 students. Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1115). All five schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 8.1, below the regional average of 15.0, indicating some students may attend schools outside the area.

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

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff has 87 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 26 different routes, enabling 1,655 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically residing 262 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 236 trips daily across all routes, which translates to about 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis shows strong health performance across Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff with low prevalence of common conditions among both young and old age groups. Private health cover rate is high at approximately 67% (8,127 people), compared to 56.6% across Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.0%) and mental health issues (6.8%), with 72.1% reporting no medical ailments, higher than Rest of NSW's 68.6%.

The area has 20.3% residents aged 65 and over (2,454 people), higher than the 17.7% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff, as of data from April-June 2016, had a population with 82.9% born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 94.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 44.0%. Judaism, however, showed an overrepresentation of 0.3%, compared to 0.1% in Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (29.5%), Australian (25.3%), and Irish (11.3%). Notable divergences included Welsh at 1.0% (vs regional 0.8%), Scottish at 9.5% (vs 7.7%), and Macedonian at 0.4% (vs regional 1.5%).

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff is 43, matching the Rest of NSW figure and exceeding the national average of 38. The area's age profile shows a prominent 45-54 year-old group at 14.2%, while the 25-34 cohort is smaller at 9.3% compared to Rest of NSW. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.7% to 12.0%, and the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 4.9% to 6.1%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 15.0% to 13.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff's age structure. The 75 to 84 group is expected to grow by 58%, reaching 1,161 from 734. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 56% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.