Unanderra - Mount Kembla

Unanderra - Mount Kembla has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Unanderra - Mount Kembla's population was approximately 15,584 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 304 people from the 2021 Census count of 15,280 individuals. The ABS estimated resident population for June 2024 was 15,525, with an additional 125 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 619 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth in the area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 using a 2021 base year are applied. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are used for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area's population is projected to decrease by 232 persons overall. However, the 25-34 age cohort is expected to grow by 296 individuals during this period.

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

Unanderra - Mount Kembla has seen approximately 36 new homes approved annually. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, a total of 183 homes were approved, with 7 more approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline over recent years, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $502,000. This financial year, $46.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the rest of NSW, Unanderra - Mount Kembla records significantly lower building activity, 62.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes, with activity also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 48.0% detached houses and 52.0% townhouses or apartments, focusing on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a considerable shift from the current housing mix, which is currently 89.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The estimated population per dwelling approval in the area is 726 people, indicating its quiet, low activity development environment.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Unanderra - Mount Kembla should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Unanderra - Mount Kembla has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 33 projects likely affecting the area. Notable ones include Stockland Forest Reach - Huntley, Western Suburbs Preschool Kitchen Upgrade, Farmborough Road Large Lot Subdivision, and Waples Road Residential Subdivision. 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Unanderra - Mount Kembla faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Unanderra-Mount Kembla has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 5.3% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.6%.

As of June 2025, 7,560 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.6% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Education & training has a particularly strong specialization with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.2% of Unanderra-Mount Kembla's workforce compared to 5.3% in Rest of NSW. The worker-to-resident ratio at the Census was 0.7, indicating a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 0.6%, while labour force grew by 0.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.1 percentage points in Unanderra-Mount Kembla. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, the labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Unanderra-Mount Kembla's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The median taxpayer income in Unanderra - Mount Kembla SA2 was $56,566 and the average was $71,170 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is higher than national averages of $49,459 median income and $62,998 average income in Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2022 to September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $63,699 median and $80,145 average. Census data indicates household income ranks at the 60th percentile ($1,920 weekly) and personal income at the 41st percentile. The largest income segment is 31.3% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (4,877 residents). After housing expenses, 86.0% of income remains for other expenses. Unanderra - Mount Kembla SA2's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Unanderra - Mount Kembla is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Unanderra - Mount Kembla, as per the latest Census, 89.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 10.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 85.5% houses and 14.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Unanderra - Mount Kembla stood at 37.8%, similar to Non-Metro NSW, with mortgaged properties at 38.1% and rented dwellings at 24.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,080, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in the area was $355, slightly lower than Non-Metro NSW's figure of $365. Nationally, Unanderra - Mount Kembla's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,080 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $355 versus the national figure of $375.

Unanderra - Mount Kembla features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 77.7% of all households, including 37.7% couples with children, 27.3% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 22.3%, with lone person households at 20.4% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

Unanderra - Mount Kembla performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 25.6%, surpassing the SA3 area average of 16.9%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, held by 37.9% of residents aged 15+, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (26.8%).

Educational participation is high at 28.2%, with 9.1% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 4.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 173 active transport stops operating in Unanderra - Mount Kembla area. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 55 individual routes servicing these stops, providing a total of 2,050 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 157 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 292 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 11 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Unanderra - Mount Kembla is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Unanderra-Mount Kembla faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (~8,571 people), compared to 51.4% across Rest of NSW.

Mental health issues impact 8.8% of residents, while arthritis impacts 8.7%. A total of 65.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.9% across Rest of NSW. The area has 19.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,962 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Unanderra - Mount Kembla records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Unanderra-Mount Kembla, surveyed in the year 2016, had a cultural diversity index above average with 20.4% of its population born overseas and 15.7% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 60.2%, compared to 58.1% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestral groups were Australian (26.3%), English (25.2%), and Other (7.3%).

Notably, Macedonian (3.6%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 3.8%. Similarly, Serbian (1.1%) and Croatian (1.4%) groups had higher representations than the regional averages of 0.8% each.

Unanderra - Mount Kembla's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Unanderra - Mount Kembla is 40 years, which is slightly below Rest of NSW's average of 43 but above Australia's median of 38. The percentage of people aged 15-24 in Unanderra - Mount Kembla is notably higher at 13.8% compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 65-74 are under-represented at 10.3%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 12.0% to 13.2%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 12.7% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has declined from 13.5% to 12.1%. Population forecasts for Unanderra - Mount Kembla indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to expand notably, increasing by 238 people (13%) from 1,778 to 2,017. Meanwhile, the 45-54 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.