Wollongong - West
Statistical Area - sa2

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 17,398 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 847 people from the 2021 Census figure of 16,551. The change was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 17,353 in June 2024 and an additional 146 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 3,073 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Wollongong - West's growth of 5.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's 3.9% and the non-metro area's growth, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 84.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilised NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Wollongong - West is forecasted to grow by 6,000 persons based on latest population numbers, recording a gain of 34.2% in total over the 17-year period.

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 seen approximately 81 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, from FY2021 to FY2025. A total of 408 homes were approved during this period, with an additional three approved in FY2026 so far. On average, only 0.2 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, indicating that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand.

This offers ample buyer choice and creates capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new properties is $582,000, which is moderately above regional levels, suggesting an emphasis on quality construction. In terms of commercial approvals, Wollongong - West has registered $28.3 million this financial year, indicating robust local business investment. Comparatively, Wollongong - West has 17.0% less new development per person when measured against the Rest of NSW. Nationally, it places among the 49th percentile of areas assessed, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings.

The new building activity shows a skew towards compact living, with 20.0% detached houses and 80.0% medium to high-density housing. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 48.0% houses) indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 336 people per dwelling approval, Wollongong - West shows characteristics of a low density area. Population forecasts indicate that Wollongong - West will gain approximately 5,954 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Wollongong - West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

AreaSearch has identified 28 infrastructure projects that could impact a certain area. Key projects include Wollongong Hospital Redevelopment - Planning and Equipment Upgrades (scheduled for completion in 2025), Wollongong Health Precinct Strategy (commenced in 2019), Wollongong Hospital ED Short Stay Units (expected to be operational by mid-2023), and Kenny Street Mixed-Use Tower (planned for completion in late 2024). The following list details those projects likely to have the most relevance.

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 7.2% as of June 2021, with an estimated employment growth of 0.7% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 9,190 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.6%, which is higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation stands at 60.9%, slightly above the Rest of NSW average of 56.4%. The leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 0.3% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 0.7%, labour force grew by 0.5%, leading to a decrease in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1% and a rise in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wollongong - West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, although these figures are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Wollongong - West is below the national average. The median income is $45,231 while the average income stands at $61,814. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's figures where the median income is $49,459 and the average income is $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $50,935 (median) and $69,609 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Wollongong - West rank modestly between the 39th and 41st percentiles. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 31.0% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (5,393 residents), which aligns with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Wollongong - West, with only 81.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 39th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

In Wollongong - West, as per the latest Census data, houses accounted for 47.8% of dwellings while other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings made up 52.2%. This is in contrast to Non-Metro NSW where houses comprised 58.9% and other dwellings constituted 41.1%. Home ownership in Wollongong - West stood at 26.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.6% and rented properties at 47.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than the Non-Metro NSW average of $2,189. The median weekly rent in Wollongong - West was $380, compared to $400 in Non-Metro NSW. Nationally, Wollongong - West's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also higher at $380 compared to the national figure of $375.

Wollongong - West features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 40.4%, with lone person households at 29.8% and group households comprising 10.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Wollongong - West shows 36.9% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in 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 held by 29.8% of residents aged 15+, including advanced diplomas (9.7%) and certificates (20.1%). Current educational participation is high at 34.0%, with 13.0% in tertiary, 7.4% in primary, and 6.1% in secondary education.

Wollongong - West has a network of 9 schools educating approximately 2,407 students. The area's socio-educational conditions are above average (ICSEA: 1057). The educational mix includes 6 primary and 3 K-12 schools.

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

Wollongong - West has 127 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus stations. They are served by 61 different routes that together provide 5,441 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent access to these stops, with an average distance of 139 meters to the nearest one. On average, there are 777 transport trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 42 weekly trips per stop.

Wollongong - West's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Wollongong - West residents show relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions seen among both young and old age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 51% (8,803 people), compared to 56.6% across Rest of NSW.

Mental health issues affect 10.2%, while arthritis impacts 7.2%. Around 69.5% report no medical ailments, similar to the 68.6% in Rest of NSW. The area has 13.6% (2,366 people) aged 65 and over, lower than the 17.7% in Rest of NSW.

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 has 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 is the predominant religion in Wollongong-West, comprising 49.2% of its population. Notably, Islam is overrepresented in Wollongong-West compared to the rest of NSW, with 4.6% versus 2.5%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.0%), Australian (21.0%), and Other (12.3%). There are significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Macedonian at 4.2% compared to 1.5% regionally, Serbian at 2.2% versus 0.8%, and Croatian at 1.0% versus 0.7%.

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

The median age in Wollongong-West is 33 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and substantially under the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 22.3% in Wollongong-West, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 7.0%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 19.0% to 22.3% of the population, while the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.7% to 10.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Wollongong-West. Leading this shift, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 59%, adding 2,302 people and reaching a total of 6,184 from the current figure of 3,881.