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 is 12,102 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 11,957 people. The growth of 145 people (1.2%) since the census is inferred from ABS estimates. As of June 2024, the estimated resident population was 12,081, with an additional 69 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 748 persons per square kilometer. The area's growth rate of 1.2% since the census is comparable to other locations assessed by AreaSearch.

Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the area. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilised. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest population numbers, Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff is expected to grow by 917 persons to reach a total of 2041, recording a gain of 7.4% 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 home approvals annually. Development approval data, produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totals 278 approvals across the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, with six recorded so far in FY-26. On average, 0.8 new residents per year arrive per new home over these five years, indicating that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand. The average dwelling value stands at $923,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

This financial year has seen $9.2 million in commercial approvals, signifying balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff shows around 75% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 69th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 53.0% standalone homes and 47.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options to cater to diverse price brackets. This shift contrasts with the area's existing housing, currently 82.0% houses, indicating decreasing developable sites and evolving lifestyles.

The location has approximately 193 people per dwelling approval, reflecting a low density market. Population forecasts project Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff to gain 896 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts and creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area, significantly influencing its performance. These key projects include 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.

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 professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate in June 2025 was 2.1%, lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.8%. There were 6,481 residents employed as of June 2025, with a workforce participation rate of 63.0%, higher than the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services, which had an employment share 2.2 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 0.5% employment compared to 5.3% regionally.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. In the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.8%, labour force grew by 0.7%, and unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, with unemployment rising 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff's employment mix suggests local growth could be approximately 7.0%% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff had a median taxpayer income of $60,768 and an average of $92,208. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to $49,459 and $62,998 for Rest of NSW respectively. As of March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $67,209 (median) and $101,982 (average), based on a 10.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 80th and 89th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 28.1% of residents (3,400 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, similar to metropolitan regions at 29.9%. Notably, 41.1% of residents earn above $3,000/week, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing accounts for 13.7% of income, with residents ranking in the 89th percentile for disposable income. 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

The dwelling structure in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.6% houses and 18.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 58.9% houses and 41.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff stood 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 in the area 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, while 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 comprise 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 account for 21.6%, made up of lone person households at 19.0% and group households at 2.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, higher 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 exceeds broader benchmarks, 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 as of 2021 data. 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 (10.8%) and certificates (18.9%). Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest census data.

This includes 10.2% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education. Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff's 5 schools had a combined enrollment of 977 students as of the 2020 school census. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1115). All five schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents stood at 8.1 as of the latest data, lower than the regional average of 15.0, suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby regions.

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

Transport analysis shows 87 active transport stops within Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff area. These include both train and bus services. There are 26 individual routes operating, together providing 1,655 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 262 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 236 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 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 Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff had low prevalence of common conditions across young and elderly residents. Private health cover was high at approximately 67%, compared to 56.6% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. Common medical conditions included arthritis (8%) and mental health issues (6.8%), with 72.1% reporting no ailments, higher than the rest of NSW's 68.6%.

The area had 20.3% residents aged 65+, compared to Rest of NSW's 17.7%. Health outcomes among seniors were strong, outperforming general population 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, surveyed in 2016, had a cultural diversity index of 17.1%. 82.9% were born in Australia, 92.7% were citizens, and 94.0% spoke English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion (44.0%).

Judaism was overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to 0.1% regionally. In ancestry, English (29.5%) and Australian (25.3%) were the largest groups, followed by Irish (11.3%). Welsh (1.0%), Scottish (9.5%), and Macedonian (0.4%) were notably overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8%, 7.7%, and 1.5% respectively.

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

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff has a median age of 43, which is equal to the Rest of NSW figure and higher than the national average of 38 years. The area's age profile shows that those aged 45-54 make up 14.2%, while those aged 25-34 constitute only 9.3%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.7% to 12.0%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has risen from 4.9% to 6.1%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 15.0% to 13.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff's age structure. The 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 58%, reaching 1,161 people from 733. 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 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.