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 is approximately 17,423 as of November 2025. This represents an increase of 872 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 16,551. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,352 in June 2024 and an additional 157 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,078 persons per square kilometer, placing Wollongong - West in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 5.3% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (4.0%) and the non-metro area, indicating 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 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. According to demographic trends, Wollongong - West is forecasted to experience significant population growth, with an expected increase of 6,000 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 34.0% 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, with a total of 408 homes approved between FY-21 and FY-25. An additional six homes have been approved in FY-26 to date. On average, around 0.2 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built during these years, indicating that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost value of new properties in the area is $370,000. In FY-26, Wollongong - West has recorded approximately $28.3 million in commercial development approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development compared to other areas. When measured against Rest of NSW, Wollongong - West has 17.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 49th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. New building activity in Wollongong - West consists of approximately 20.0% detached houses and 80.0% medium to high-density housing. This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers, representing a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 48.0% houses.

The decreasing availability of developable sites reflects changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. Wollongong - West has around 336 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a low-density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain approximately 5,929 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases in the future.

Wollongong - West 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 28 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are 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 an educated workforce with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 7.9% as of September 2025.

Over the past year, employment stability has been relative. There were 9,291 residents employed in September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 4.1%, higher than Rest of NSW's 3.8%. Workforce participation was 60.9%, similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%.

Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Agriculture, forestry & fishing had lower representation at 0.3% compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Some residents commute elsewhere for work based on census data. From September 2024 to September 2025, employment increased by 0.4%, labour force by 0.2%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points in Wollongong - West. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.5% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points over the same period. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wollongong - West's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Wollongong - West SA2 had an income below the national average. The median income was $45,231 and the average income stood at $61,814. In contrast, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Wollongong - West SA2 would be approximately $50,935 (median) and $69,609 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Wollongong - West rank modestly, between the 39th and 41st percentiles. The largest income segment comprises 31.0% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (5,401 residents), aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort also represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Wollongong - West SA2, 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, 47.8% of dwellings were houses while 52.2% were other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This is in contrast to Non-Metro NSW where 58.9% were houses and 41.1% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Wollongong - West stood at 26.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.6% and rented ones at 47.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than Non-Metro NSW's 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 exceeded the Australian average of $1,863 while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 comprise 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 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 is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 36.9% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 25.2% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 23.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.8% and graduate diplomas at 2.7%.

Trade and technical skills also feature prominently, with 29.8% of residents aged 15 years and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificates at 20.1%. Educational participation is notably 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 127 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 61 individual routes, facilitating 5,441 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 139 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 777 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 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 across both young and old age groups. Approximately 51% (~8,816 people) have private health cover, lower than the 56.6% rate in Rest of NSW.

Mental health issues affect 10.2%, while arthritis impacts 7.2%. About 69.5% report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the 68.6% across Rest of NSW. The area has 13.6% (2,369 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, making up 49.2% of the population. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented in Wollongong-West compared to the rest of NSW, comprising 4.6% versus 2.5%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.0%), Australian (21.0%), and Other (12.3%). Notably, Macedonian (4.2%) is significantly overrepresented in Wollongong-West compared to the regional average of 1.5%, as are Serbian (2.2% vs 0.8%) and Croatian (1.0% vs 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 significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and the national average of 38. The proportion of individuals aged 25-34 is notably higher at 22.3% locally compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 65-74 are underrepresented at 7%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 25-34 age group has increased from 19.0% to 22.3%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 11.7% to 10.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate a substantial growth of 59% in the 25-34 age group, reaching 6,184 individuals from the current 3,887.