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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's population is around 21,024 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 263 people (1.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,761 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,827 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 112 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,332 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a population increase just below the median of regional areas nationally is expected, with the area expected to grow by 1,406 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 5.8% 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 experienced around 79 dwellings receiving development approval annually, totalling 397 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 38 approvals have been recorded. At an average of just 0.2 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is meeting or surpassing demand, providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential for population growth above projections, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $431,000—somewhat higher than regional norms—reflecting quality-focused development. Additionally, $6.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature.

When measured against the Rest of NSW, Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale shows approximately 66% of the construction activity per person and ranks in the 46th percentile of areas assessed nationally, meaning somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. Recent construction comprises 49.0% detached dwellings and 51.0% attached dwellings. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 70.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The location has approximately 374 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

Population forecasts indicate Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale will gain 1,209 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). 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 very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 17 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Woonona Place, The Plaza Woonona Specialist Retail and Recreational Centre, MH Property Woonona-Bulli RSL Townhouse Development, and the Bulli Bypass Feasibility Study, with the list below detailing those likely to be of 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.

The labour market in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale has a well-educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of only 3.8%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 10,728 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.2% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is fairly standard (65.5% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 38.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. On the other hand, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.3% of Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's workforce compared to 5.3% in Regional NSW. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increasing by 0.5% alongside the labour force increasing by 0.5%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $61,691 with the average level standing at $81,588. This is extremely high nationally and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $67,157 (median) and $88,817 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale cluster around the 60th percentile nationally. Distribution data shows 27.8% of the population (5,844 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the broader area where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Economic strength emerges through 31.3% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 64th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure within Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 69.8% houses and 30.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale was slightly lagging that of Regional NSW, at 37.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (39.1%) or rented (23.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional NSW average at $2,349, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $390, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are exceeding the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 73.2% of all households, comprising 36.7% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.8%, with lone person households at 24.9% and group households comprising 1.8% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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 educational profile stands out regionally, with university qualification rates (30.3% of residents aged 15+) exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and that of the SA4 region (25.2%), reflecting the community's emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees lead at 19.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 36.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (24.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.0% of residents 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

Public transport analysis reveals 102 active transport stops operating within Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 39 individual routes, collectively providing 1,728 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 227 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 92%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling. A high 38.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 246 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (12,593 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.4% and 8.2% of residents, respectively, while 67.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 19.6% of residents aged 65 and over (4,122 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 85.4% of its population born in Australia, 92.9% being citizens, and 93.6% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale is Christianity, which makes up 51.8% of the population. This compares to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale are English, comprising 29.5% of the population, Australian, comprising 29.2% of the population, and Irish, comprising 8.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Welsh is notably overrepresented at 0.9% in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale (vs 0.5% regionally), Dutch at 1.7% (vs 1.0%) and Scottish at 8.9% (vs 8.0%).

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

At 41 years, Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's median age is somewhat lower than the Regional NSW average of 43 yet modestly exceeds the 38-year national average. The 45 - 54 age group shows strong representation at 13.4% compared to Regional NSW, whereas the 65 - 74 cohort is less prevalent at 10.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.3% to 13.3% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 14.4% to 12.7%. Demographic modeling suggests Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 85+ cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 67%, adding 413 residents to reach 1,032. Senior residents (65+) will drive 52% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 55 to 64 and 5 to 14 cohorts.