Wollongong - West

Wollongong - West has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Wollongong - West's population was around 17,940 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 1,389 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,551. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,352 in June 2024 and an additional 180 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,169 persons per square kilometer, placing Wollongong - West in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 8.4% since the 2021 census exceeded that of the SA3 area (4.5%) and the Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 84.8% 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Wollongong - West is forecast to experience a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with an expected increase of 6,000 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 30.2% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Wollongong - West recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Wollongong - West has granted approximately 81 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 408 homes. As of FY26, seven approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.2 people moved to the area for each dwelling built annually between FY21 and FY25, indicating that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand. The average construction cost value of new homes was $370,000 during this period.

This financial year, $28.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting moderate levels of commercial development compared to the rest of NSW. Wollongong - West records 17.0% less building activity per person than the state average and ranks among the 49th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice. New building activity consists of 20.0% standalone homes and 80.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift towards higher-density living to cater to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This change addresses reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The area currently has approximately 336 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for growth.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Wollongong - West is expected to grow by 5,412 residents through to 2041. 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 - West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 28 projects potentially affecting the area. Major initiatives include Wollongong Hospital Redevelopment - Planning and Equipment Upgrades, Wollongong Health Precinct Strategy, Kenny Street Mixed-Use Tower, and Wollongong Hospital ED Short Stay Units. 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 Wollongong - West faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Wollongong - West has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 7.9% as of September 2021, showing relative employment stability over the past year compared to Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate has decreased to 4.1%, indicating room for improvement.

Workforce participation in Wollongong - West is higher than that of Rest of NSW at 67.2% compared to 61.5%. According to Census responses from 2021, a high proportion of residents work from home, with 32.6% reporting such arrangements. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence in Wollongong - West, with only 0.3% employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Employment levels increased by 0.4% during the year to September 2025, while labour force increased by 0.2%, resulting in a decrease in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, and an increase in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a growth rate for national employment of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wollongong - West's employment mix suggests that local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Wollongong - West SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $48,797 and an average income of $63,234. These figures are lower than national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average) for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $53,120 and average income is around $68,837 as of September 2025. In the 2021 Census, Wollongong - West's household, family, and personal incomes ranked modestly between the 39th and 41st percentiles. Income distribution shows that 31.0% of locals (5,561 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to the surrounding region's 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Wollongong - West, with only 81.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 39th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Wollongong - West displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The latest Census evaluation shows that in Wollongong - West, 47.8% of dwellings are houses, with the remaining 52.2% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This is different from Non-Metro NSW, where 82.6% of dwellings are houses and 17.4% are other types. In terms of home ownership, Wollongong - West has a lower rate at 26.7%, with the rest being mortgaged (25.6%) or rented (47.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Wollongong - West is $2,000, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure for Wollongong - West is $380, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Wollongong - West's mortgage repayments exceed the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are higher than the national figure of $375.

Wollongong - West features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 59.6% of all households, including 24.4% couples with children, 23.9% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.4%, with lone person households at 29.8% and group households making up 10.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

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

Educational attainment in Wollongong - West is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 36.9% 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. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.8% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (9.7%) and certificates (20.1%).

Educational participation is high, with 34.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.0% in tertiary education, 7.4% in primary education, and 6.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Wollongong - West has 138 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 61 individual routes, collectively facilitating 5,520 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 139 meters to the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with most commuters travelling outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 81%, while 8% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 32.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 788 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 40 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Wollongong - West's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

AreaSearch's analysis of Wollongong - West health data shows mortality rates and prevalence of common health conditions are broadly in line with national benchmarks. Prevalence among the general population is low, but higher among older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% (9,059 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (10.2%) and arthritis (7.2%), with 69.5% reporting no medical ailments, higher than Rest of NSW's 63.3%. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. The area has 13.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,423 people), lower than Rest of NSW's 23.4%, but still ranks lower nationally.

Wollongong - West was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Wollongong-West had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 32.4% of its population born overseas and 30.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Wollongong-West, comprising 49.2%. However, Islam was significantly overrepresented at 4.6%, compared to 0.8% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (22.0%), Australian (21.0%), and Other (12.3%). Notably, Macedonian (4.2%) and Serbian (2.2%) were overrepresented in Wollongong-West compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively. Croatian was also slightly higher at 1.0%.

Wollongong - West hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

The median age in Wollongong - West is 33 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and considerably under the national average of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, those aged 25-34 are notably over-represented at 23.2% locally, while those aged 65-74 are under-represented at 7.1%. The concentration of those aged 25-34 is well above the national average of 14.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the area has become younger, with median age dropping from 34 to 33 years between 2016 and 2021. During this period, the proportion of those aged 25-34 grew from 19.0% to 23.2%, while the proportion of those aged 45-54 declined from 11.7% to 9.8% and those aged 5-14 dropped from 9.5% to 8.4%. By 2041, Wollongong - West is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 49%, reaching 6,184 people from 4,163, while the 75-84 cohort shows minimal growth of just 7%, adding 59 people.