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 18,013 as of February 2026. This figure shows an increase of 1,993 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,020. The growth was inferred from ABS estimated resident population data in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 3,275 persons per square kilometer, placing Wollongong - East in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessment. Wollongong - East's growth of 12.4% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.5%) and Rest of NSW, indicating it is a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.3% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for the years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate exceptional growth, placing Wollongong - East in the top 10 percent of Australian non-metropolitan areas by 2041. The area is expected to grow by 14,482 persons by then, reflecting a total increase of 79.2%.

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 averaged approximately 320 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 1603 homes. As of FY-26270 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.3 new residents are associated with each dwelling constructed annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand in the market with stable conditions. The average construction value for new homes is $353,000.

This financial year has seen $126.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Wollongong - East experiences 235% more construction activity per person, offering ample choice for buyers nationally. Recent development consists of 1% detached dwellings and 99% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living suitable for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 78 people per approval, Wollongong - East is a developing area with an expected population increase of 14258 residents by 2041, potentially leading to increased competition among buyers and stronger price growth if current development rates persist.

Population forecasts indicate Wollongong - East will gain 14,258 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 38 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include the Wollongong to Coniston Rail Infrastructure Upgrade, Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), development at 21 Auburn Street, Wollongong, and Level 33 Crown Street Development. 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.

The labour market performance in Wollongong - East lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Wollongong - East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 6.3% as of September 2025. This rate is 2.4% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Wollongong - East is 66.8%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, 35.4% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food services. The area shows particular strength in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level.

In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.1% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. As at the Census, there are 1.4 workers for every resident in Wollongong - East, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period prior to September 2025, employment increased by 1.4% while labour force grew by 0.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.6 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.5%, labour force fell by 0.1%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Wollongong - East's employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

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

Wollongong - East SA2 has an above average national income level according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers is $57,652 and the average income stands at $74,708. This compares to figures for Rest of NSW which are $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $62,760 (median) and $81,327 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 65th percentile ($892 weekly), while household income sits at the 40th percentile. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 33.2% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (5,980 residents). This is consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 36th percentile. The area'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

The dwelling structure in Wollongong - East, as per the latest Census, consisted of 8.5% houses and 91.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wollongong - East was at 25.8%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (18.0%) or rented (56.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,987, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure for Wollongong - East was recorded at $410, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Wollongong - East's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than 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 account for 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 make up 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 Rest of 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 shows a significant advantage with 41.3% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 25.2% in the SA4 region as of 2021. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.0% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.4% and certificates at 19.6%. Educational participation is notably high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest data available.

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 serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 79 individual routes, facilitating 6,269 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 115 meters to the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward, primarily by car (75%), while 14% walk. On average, there are 0.8 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 35.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, an average of 895 trips is made daily, 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 superior health outcomes, as per AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, particularly in older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover is high, with approximately 56% of the total population (~10,105 people) having it, compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 10.0 and 8.5% of residents respectively. 67.6% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are largely typical. The area has 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (3,289 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW.

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 than 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 dominant religion in Wollongong-East, accounting for 45.8% of people. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented, comprising 4.1% compared to 0.8% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry 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 34, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's national median age of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Wollongong-East at 28.5%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 5-14 are under-represented at 3.7%. This concentration of residents aged 25-34 is well above the national average of 14.4%. Between 2021 and present, younger residents have shifted the median age down by 1.7 years to 34. During this period, the 25-34 age group has grown from 24.1% to 28.5%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 10.8% to 12.1%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort declined from 12.0% to 10.3%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 9.7% to 8.5%. Population forecasts for Wollongong-East indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 90%, reaching 9,754 people from the current figure of 5,135.