Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale
Statistical Area - sa2

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

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

AreaSearch is using 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 utilises 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 by 2041, representing a total gain of around 6.4% over the 17-year period.

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 around 79 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 397 homes. In FY26 so far, 16 approvals have been recorded. The average new resident arrival per new home over these five years is approximately 0.2 persons. This supply meets or exceeds demand, offering greater buyer choice and supporting potential population growth above projections.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $431,000. In FY26, $6.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale shows approximately 66% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 46th percentile nationally. This suggests limited buyer options but strengthens demand for established properties. Recent construction comprises 49.0% detached dwellings and 51.0% attached dwellings, a shift from the current housing pattern of 70.0% houses.

This reflects diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. The area has approximately 374 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established location. Population forecasts indicate Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale will 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 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects that could affect the region. Notable projects include 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. Below is a list of those most likely to be 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.

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. The unemployment rate was 3.2% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.3%.

As of June 2025, 10,592 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 0.4% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is 60.2%, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training has employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented with only 0.3% of the workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally, as indicated by Census data showing fewer working residents than expected based on population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.3%, labour force grew by 0.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1% with a slight rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale's current employment mix suggests local growth could be approximately 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 1 July 2022 for financial year 2022, Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale had a median income among taxpayers of $59,207 and an average level of $81,476. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the Rest of NSW's $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $66,673 (median) and $91,750 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. Income distribution reveals that 27.8% of the population (5,810 individuals) fall within the $1,500-$2,999 income range, similar to the broader area where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident with 31.3% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 65th 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

In Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale, as per the latest Census evaluation, 69.8% of dwellings were houses while 30.3% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 58.9% houses and 41.1% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in the area was higher than that of Non-Metro NSW at 37.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.1% and rented ones at 23.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the region was $2,349, surpassing Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,189. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure stood at $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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 comprising 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 educational profile is notable with university qualification rates of 30.3% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region average of 25.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 36.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 24.8%.

Educational participation is 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. A total of 9 schools operate within Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale, educating approximately 3,876 students. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1060. Education provision is balanced with 6 primary and 3 secondary schools serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs at 18.6 places per 100 residents, compared to the regional average of 15.0, indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale region has 96 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus services, operated by 40 individual routes. Together, they facilitate 1,508 weekly passenger trips.

The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average being 227 meters away from the nearest stop. Service frequency across all routes averages 215 trips per day, translating to about 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 faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across all age groups but more so among older cohorts. Approximately 61% of the total population (12,707 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.6% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.4% and 8.2% of residents respectively.

67.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 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 than the broader 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 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%) and Dutch (1.7%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8% and 1.5%, respectively. Scottish representation was also higher at 8.9% compared to the regional average of 7.7%.

Woonona - Bulli - Russell Vale's median age exceeds the national pattern

Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale's median age is 41 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 but higher than the national average of 38. The 45-54 age group comprises 13.7%, compared to 12.6% in the Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort stands at 10.1%. According to the 2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group grew from 11.3% to 13.3%, and the 5-14 age group decreased from 14.4% to 13.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Woonona-Bulli-Russell Vale's age profile. The 25-34 cohort is expected to grow by 23%, adding 453 residents to reach 2,435. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 54% of population growth. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 5-14 age groups are projected to decline in population.