Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale

An assessment of population growth drivers in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

AreaSearch's analysis indicates that as of Nov 2025, Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's population is approximately 20,900. This represents an increase of 139 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,761. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 20,828 in June 2024 and an additional 109 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,324 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for population growth in the area during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, the area is expected to grow by approximately 1,406 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of around 6.4% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale has received approximately 79 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 397 homes. In FY26 so far, 23 approvals have been recorded. The average number of new residents per year arriving for each new home over these five years is around 0.2. This suggests that supply has met or exceeded demand, providing more buyer choices and potentially supporting population growth above projections.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $431,000, which is higher than regional norms, indicating quality-focused development. In this financial year, $6.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale shows approximately 66% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 46th percentile nationally when measured by areas assessed. This suggests limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. Recent construction comprises 49.0% detached dwellings and 51.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns which are currently 70.0% houses.

This trend may indicate diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The area has approximately 374 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale is projected to gain 1,333 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones are Woonona Place, The Plaza Woonona Specialist Retail and Recreational Centre, MH Property Woonona-Bulli RSL Townhouse Development, and 481-485 Princes Highway Multi Dwelling Housing Development. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale has a highly educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate as of September 2025 is 3.7%, lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Over the past year, employment and labour force have increased by 0.4% and 0.3% respectively, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.5% with a slight rise in unemployment rate. 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 is 4.3%.

Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts for May-25 indicate a projected increase in employment by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022, Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $59,207 and an average level of $81,476. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Rest of NSW's median of $49,459 and average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022 until September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $66,673 (median) and $91,750 (average). Census 2021 data shows income levels in the area cluster around the 60th percentile nationally. Income distribution indicates that 27.8% of individuals fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, slightly lower than the broader area's 29.9%. Economic strength is evident with 31.3% of households earning over $3,000 weekly. Housing costs consume 15.5% of income but disposable income remains at the 64th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The housing structure in Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.8% houses and 30.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 58.9% houses and 41.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in the area was at 37.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.1% and rented ones at 23.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,349, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,189. The median weekly rent was $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,349 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375 at $390.

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 73.2% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.8%, with lone person households at 24.9% and group households making up 1.8%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 30.3%, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region's 25.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are held by 36.5% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 24.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.0% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 5.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in the Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale area shows that there are currently 96 active transport stops operating. These stops consist of a mix of train and bus services. They are serviced by 40 individual routes which collectively provide 1,508 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of these transport services is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 227 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 215 trips per day across all routes, equating to around 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale has significant health challenges with common conditions prevalent across all ages but more so among older cohorts. Approximately 61% of its total population (12,707 people) have private health cover, compared to 56.6% in Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.3%. The most common conditions are arthritis (9.4%) and mental health issues (8.2%).

About 67.6% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 68.6% in Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.2% (4,008 people) compared to 17.7% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention.

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale had a cultural diversity index below average, with 85.4% of its population born in Australia, 92.9% being citizens, and 93.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 51.8% of people in Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale, compared to 51.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (29.5%), Australian (29.2%), and Irish (8.9%).

Notably, Welsh (0.9%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.8%, Dutch (1.7%) exceeded the regional average of 1.5%, and Scottish (8.9%) also had a higher representation than the regional average of 7.7%.

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale has a median age of 41 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 but higher than the national average of 38. The age group of 45-54 years makes up 13.7% of the population, compared to 12.9% in the Rest of NSW. However, the 65-74 age group is less prevalent at 10.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.3% to 13.3%, while the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 14.4% to 13.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's age profile will change significantly. The 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 23%, adding 453 residents to reach a total of 2,435. Senior residents aged 65 and above will contribute to 54% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 55 to 64 age group and the 5 to 14 age group.