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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
Farmborough Heights has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch
As of May 2026, the estimated population of Farmborough Heights is around 4,136, reflecting a decrease of 43 people since the 2021 Census. This decline represents a 1.0% change from the previous population count of 4,179. The current estimate was derived by AreaSearch through examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and validation of an additional 14 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,360 persons per square kilometer, which is higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver behind this population change.
AreaSearch's projections for Farmborough Heights are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, population projections indicate a decline over this period. By 2041, the suburb's population is expected to decrease by 40 persons according to current methodology. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 25 to 34 age group, which is projected to increase by 80 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
The level of residential development activity in Farmborough Heights is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch
Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Farmborough Heights has seen approximately 8 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 43 homes. So far in FY26, 3 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline in the area, development activity has remained relatively adequate, which could be beneficial for buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $502,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.
This financial year has seen $10.9 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Rest of NSW, Farmborough Heights records significantly lower building activity, at 67.0% below the regional average per person, which can typically strengthen demand and prices for existing properties due to scarcity of new dwellings. This activity is also below national average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 50.0% detached houses and 50.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift from the area's existing housing composition of 96.0% houses. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers, reflecting decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. The location has approximately 559 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market with stable or declining population forecasts, which may result in less housing pressure and favourable conditions for buyers.
Given stable or declining population forecasts, Farmborough Heights may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Farmborough Heights
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Farmborough Heights has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Stockland Forest Reach - Huntley, Farmborough Road Large Lot Subdivision, Waples Road Residential Subdivision, and Ribbonwood Residential Development. The following details those most relevant:.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone
NSW's first urban Renewable Energy Zone is in early planning, with EnergyCo coordinating development of a declared REZ intended to provide 1 GW of network capacity. Current work focuses on community and industry engagement, network planning with Endeavour Energy, use of existing energy, port and transport infrastructure, and integration of rooftop solar, batteries, community-scale batteries and future low-carbon industries such as green hydrogen and green steel.
West Dapto Urban Release Area
The West Dapto Urban Release Area is a multi-decade growth project designed to deliver 19,500 new dwellings for approximately 60,000 residents. Spanning 4,700 hectares, the development includes eight future centers with major hubs at Bong Bong, Darkes, and Marshall Mount. As of May 2026, Stage 1 of the Cleveland Road upgrade (widening to four lanes) is complete. Major construction continues on West Dapto Road, which is undergoing extensive widening, culvert works, and utility relocation, with a scheduled reopening in mid-2026. The project is supported by a $1.57 billion infrastructure contribution plan focused on stormwater, transport, and community facilities.
Illawarra Offshore Wind Zone
The Illawarra Offshore Wind Zone is a 1,022 square kilometre area of Commonwealth waters in the Pacific Ocean, located at least 20 km offshore between Wombarra and Kiama in New South Wales. It was officially declared by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy on 15 June 2024 as Australia's fourth offshore wind zone. The zone has a potential generation capacity of around 2.9 GW, theoretically enough to power approximately 1.8 million homes, and was projected to support an estimated 1,740 construction jobs and 870 ongoing jobs. Due to a sharp drop in water depths off the coast, only floating wind turbine technology is considered viable for the zone. Feasibility licence applications were open from 17 June to 15 August 2024. Initial proponents Oceanex Energy and Equinor opted not to apply, instead focusing on the Hunter Offshore Wind Zone where they were awarded a feasibility licence for the Novocastrian project. Spanish developer BlueFloat Energy became the sole feasibility licence applicant but formally withdrew its application in January 2026, citing global commercial pressures and the wind-down of its Australian operations by parent Quantum Capital. On 23 January 2026, the Federal Government confirmed no feasibility licences would be granted in the Illawarra zone. The zone remains declared and could reopen for feasibility applications if competitive interest returns. In the meantime, the area is open for Research and Demonstration (R&D) licence applications to trial offshore renewable technologies including floating wind, wave and tidal current systems.
More Trains More Services Stage Two - Mortdale to Kiama Capital Works
A comprehensive rail infrastructure package delivered to enable the rollout of the Mariyung intercity fleet. Works included major upgrades to the Mortdale Maintenance Centre (including a new bogie exchange system), platform extensions at Kiama and other stations, and the construction of new stabling yards at Waterfall and Kiama. As of April 2026, the project has reached operational completion with the Mariyung fleet officially entering service on the South Coast Line.
Stockland Forest Reach - Huntley
Master-planned community at foothills of Illawarra Escarpment featuring around 656 residential homes across 113 hectares, three distinct neighbourhoods, two proposed parks, and 4.7 hectare riparian open space with walking and cycle paths.
M1 Princes Motorway South-Facing Ramps at Dapto
Transport for NSW is planning new south-facing entry and exit ramps to better connect Dapto and nearby suburbs to the M1 Princes Motorway. Options under investigation include locations at Kanahooka Rd, Fowlers Rd or Emerson Rd. Community consultation in late 2023 to early 2024 showed strong support. Planning is ongoing with matched NSW and Australian Government funding for planning and further design.
Farmborough Road Large Lot Subdivision
A draft Planning Proposal was prepared for Lot 101 DP 825516 Farmborough Road, Farmborough Heights, to rezone 10.7 hectares of land from RU2 Rural Landscape to E4 Environmental Living to facilitate the subdivision into approximately 30 large residential lots. The proposal also includes the conservation of 7.8 hectares as public reserve. The lot sizes would be a mix of 2,000mý and 5,000mý.
Waples Road Residential Subdivision
A planning proposal was submitted to Wollongong City Council to rezone land at 220 Waples Road to allow for low-density residential development under a community title scheme. The proposal includes rezoning the southern two-thirds of the site from E3 Environmental Management to E4 Environmental Living and the northern third to E2 Environmental Conservation. It aims to facilitate the development of new housing lots while conserving the riparian corridor through a Property Vegetation Plan.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis reveals Farmborough Heights recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide
Farmborough Heights has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 5.7%. Over the past year, there has been relative employment stability.
As of December 2025, 2,229 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.7% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is high at 70.7%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, 32.7% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts are notable. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.
Farmborough Heights has a significant specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.2% of the workforce compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.0%, while employment decreased by 0.3%, causing a rise in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Farmborough Heights. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Farmborough Heights's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch
The suburb of Farmborough Heights had a median taxpayer income of $65,758 and an average income of $82,736 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $72,544 (median) and $91,274 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Farmborough Heights cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. Distribution data shows that 35.2% of locals (1,455 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. Economic strength is evident with 32.1% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000. After housing costs, residents retain 87.3% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Farmborough Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region
Farmborough Heights' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.6% houses and 4.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Farmborough Heights was 38.4%, similar to Regional NSW. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (48.5%) or rented (13.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,008, higher than the Regional NSW average of $1,733. The median weekly rent was $450, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Farmborough Heights' mortgage repayments were higher at $2,008 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Farmborough Heights features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households comprise 82.8% of all households, including 42.1% couples with children, 29.9% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for 17.2%, with lone person households at 15.9% and group households making up 1.8%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Farmborough Heights demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics
Educational attainment in Farmborough Heights is notably high, with 28.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 16.9% in the SA3 area and 21.3% in Rest of NSW. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 40.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.7% and certificates for 28.1%. Educational participation is high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.4% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 4.2% in tertiary education.
Educational participation is notably high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Farmborough Heights has 38 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 20 different routes that together facilitate 248 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 149 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 96%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 32.7%, work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 35 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Farmborough Heights's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts
Health data for Farmborough Heights shows positive outcomes, with mortality rates and health conditions similar to national averages. Common health conditions are low among the general population but higher among older at-risk groups.
Private health cover is exceptionally high, at 60% of the total population (2,464 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.0% and 8.0% respectively. 67.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age population health outcomes are typical. There are 18.2% seniors aged 65 and over (752 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Senior health outcomes present challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
In terms of cultural diversity, Farmborough Heights records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Farmborough Heights' cultural diversity aligns with its wider region, with 82.0% born in Australia, 91.0% being citizens, and 87.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the primary religion here, at 59.2%, slightly higher than Regional NSW's 55.9%. Top ancestry groups are Australian (26.8%), English (25.0%), and Scottish (7.4%).
Notably, Macedonian (2.7%) and Serbian (1.0%) groups are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively. Hungarian representation is also higher at 0.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Farmborough Heights's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms
Farmborough Heights has a median age of 38, which is below Regional NSW's figure of 43 but matches the national norm of 38. The 0-4 age group comprises 8.0% of its population, higher than Regional NSW's percentage, while the 75-84 cohort makes up 5.6%. According to the 2021 Census, Farmborough Heights saw an increase in the 15-24 age group from 11.9% to 13.2%, and a rise in the 35-44 cohort from 13.0% to 14.1%. However, the 55-64 cohort decreased from 11.7% to 10.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Farmborough Heights' age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 group is projected to grow by 14%, reaching 575 people from its current figure of 504. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 5-14 and 65-74 cohorts.