Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff

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 12,118 as of Feb 2026. This shows an increase of 161 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,957. The change was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 12,081 in June 2024 and an additional 79 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 749 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.4% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, 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. Future demographic trends indicate a population increase just below Australia's regional median, with the area expected to grow by 917 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 7.3% over 17 years.

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 over the past five financial years, totalling 278 homes. As of FY-26, 20 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.8 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction value of new homes was $613,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment.

This financial year has seen $9.2 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Rest of NSW, Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff shows around 75% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 69th percentile nationally. New developments consist of 53.0% standalone homes and 47.0% attached dwellings, offering options across different price points. This is a shift from the current housing mix, which is 82.0% houses.

With around 193 people per dwelling approval, it indicates a low-density area. Population forecasts estimate an increase of 880 residents by 2041, with current construction levels expected to meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth exceeding current forecasts.

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

AreaSearch has identified six projects that could impact the area, with key ones being 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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Employment conditions in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 2.4% as of September 2025. Employment stability was maintained over the past year.

There were 6,545 residents employed in September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 1.4% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was higher at 68.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. Census responses indicated that 49.1% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment were health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

The area had a high specialization in professional & technical services, employing 2.2 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 0.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 0.2%, labour force also rose by 0.2%, and unemployment remained unchanged. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw a 0.5% employment decline, 0.1% labour force decline, and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall 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 employment could increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simplified 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

The Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff SA2 has a high national income level according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers is $62,438 and the average income stands at $93,811, compared to Rest of NSW's figures of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $67,970 (median) and $102,123 (average) as of September 2025. Census data from 2021 shows Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 80th and 88th percentiles. The largest income bracket comprises 28.1% earning $1,500-$2,999 weekly (3,405 residents), consistent with surrounding regions at 29.9%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 41.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 13.7% of income, while strong earnings rank residents within 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). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff stood at 43.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.1% and rented dwellings at 18.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was $550, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,600 versus 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 21.6%, with lone person households at 19.0% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

Thirroul-Austinmer-Coalcliff has a notably high educational attainment, with 44.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications as of the latest data point. This figure is significantly higher than the broader benchmarks of 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 25.2% in SA4 region. The area's educational advantage is evident across various levels of tertiary education, with bachelor degrees leading at 26.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.6%, and graduate diplomas at 4.6%. Vocational credentials are also prominently featured, with 29.7% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (18.9%).

Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest data point. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff has 113 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 28 individual routes, together providing 1,370 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 261 meters to the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with most commuters traveling outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 88%, while 4% walk. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 49.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 195 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 12 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff demonstrates excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment (released on 15th March 2022). Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population of 8,179 people, compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were arthritis (8.0%) and mental health issues (6.8%), while 72.1% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 20.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,529 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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 had a cultural diversity below average, with 82.9% of its population born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 94.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 44.0%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were English (29.5%), Australian (25.3%), and Irish (11.3%). Welsh was notably overrepresented at 1.0%, Scottish at 9.5%, and Macedonian at 0.4%.

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff's median age exceeds the national pattern

Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff has a median age of 43, matching Rest of NSW's figure and exceeding Australia's national average of 38 years. The area's age profile shows that the 45-54 year-olds make up 13.7%, while those aged 25-34 comprise only 9.3%. Comparing data from the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.9% to 6.5%, and the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 10.7% to 12.0%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 15.0% to 13.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff's age structure. The 75 to 84 year-olds are expected to grow by 48%, reaching 1,161 people from the current figure of 786. Notably, those aged 65 and above will account for 51% of total population growth in the area. Conversely, the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age groups are projected to decrease in population size.