Wollongong - East

Wollongong - East lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Wollongong - East's population is around 18,281 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,261 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,020 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,274 from the ABS as of June 2025 and an additional 774 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,323 persons per square kilometer. Wollongong - East's growth rate of 14.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.7%) and the Rest of NSW. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 92.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends predict exceptional growth, placing Wollongong - East in the top 10 percent of Australia's non-metropolitan areas. The area is expected to expand by 12,738 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 69.6% over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Wollongong - East was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Wollongong - East has seen approximately 320 new homes approved annually. Between the financial years FY-21 and FY-25, a total of 1,603 homes were approved, with an additional 304 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, 1.3 new residents have arrived per new home over the past five financial years.

This suggests balanced supply and demand dynamics, with new dwellings developed at an average cost of $353,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totaled $126.5 million, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to the rest of NSW, Wollongong - East has 227% more development activity per person. New development consists predominantly of townhouses or apartments (99%), with detached dwellings making up only 1%. This trend caters to affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 78 people per dwelling approval, Wollongong - East exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts estimate that Wollongong - East will gain approximately 12,731 residents by 2041. Development activity is keeping pace with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers can be expected as the population expands.

Wollongong - East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 38 projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include Wollongong to Coniston Rail Infrastructure Upgrade, The Globe Wollongong, Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone, and Atchison & Kenny. Below is a list detailing 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 analysis reveals Wollongong - East recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Wollongong - East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 6.3% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.3%.

There were 10,427 residents employed by December 2025, with an unemployment rate of 6.3%, which was 2.4% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was 65.3%, slightly above Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, 35.4% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food sectors.

The area specializes in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 0.1% compared to Regional NSW's average of 5.3%. There are 1.4 workers per resident, indicating that the area hosts more jobs than residents and attracts workers from surrounding regions. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.3%, while labour force grew by 0.7%, causing a 0.5 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wollongong - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Wollongong - East SA2 has a very high national income level according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Wollongong - East is $57,652, with an average income of $74,708. These figures compare to Regional NSW's median and average incomes of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on a 10.32% growth in wages since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $63,602 (median) and $82,418 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 65th percentile ($892 weekly), while household income sits at the 40th percentile. The largest income segment comprises 33.2% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (6,069 residents), similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 36th percentile. Wollongong - East's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Wollongong - East features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Wollongong - East's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, showed 8.5% houses and 91.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Regional NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wollongong - East stood at 25.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.0% and rented ones at 56.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,987, exceeding Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Wollongong - East was $410, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Wollongong - East's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Wollongong - East features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 49.7% of all households, including 11.0% couples with children, 31.0% couples without children, and 6.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 50.3%, with lone person households at 39.4% and group households comprising 10.9%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Wollongong - East exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Wollongong - East is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 41.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 25.2% in the SA4 region. University graduates make up 26.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.0%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.0% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications.

Advanced diplomas account for 10.4% and certificates make up 19.6%. Educational participation is high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.4% in tertiary education, 3.6% in primary education, and 3.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Wollongong - East has 99 active public transport stops, served by 79 routes offering 6,269 weekly passenger trips. These stops are a mix of train and bus services. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 115 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car is the dominant mode of transport at 75%, while 14% walk. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.8, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 35.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 895 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 63 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Wollongong - East is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population across older, at risk cohorts

Wollongong East shows better health outcomes, according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low among its general population.

Private health cover is high at approximately 56%, compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW (~10,255 people). Common medical conditions include mental health issues (10.0%) and arthritis (8.5%). 67.6% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Regional NSW's 63.3%. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. The area has 19.3% of residents aged 65 and over (3,531 people), lower than Regional NSW's 23.4%. Nationally, the area ranks lower for this age group.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Wollongong - East was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wollongong-East has a higher cultural diversity compared to most local markets, with 30.8% of its population born overseas and 24.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Wollongong-East, accounting for 45.8% of people. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented, comprising 4.1% compared to 0.8% across Regional NSW.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (24.5%), Australian (19.9%), and Other (11.7%). Notably, Macedonian (1.8%) Serbian (0.8%), and Spanish (0.8%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.4%, 0.2%, and 0.3% respectively.

Wollongong - East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Wollongong-East has a median age of 35 years, which is notably lower than the Regional NSW average of 43 and slightly younger than Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 28.1% of Wollongong-East's population, significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 20.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 3.6%, compared to Regional NSW's average of 7.7%. Following the Census conducted on August 10, 2021, Wollongong-East's median age decreased by 1.4 years to 35 due to an increase in younger residents. The 25-34 age group grew from 24.1% to 28.1%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 10.8% to 12.0%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 age group declined from 12.0% to 10.4% and the 45-54 group dropped from 9.7% to 8.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Wollongong-East's age profile, with the 25-34 cohort expected to grow by 80%, adding 4,097 residents to reach a total of 9,233.