Illawong

Illawong is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The suburb of Illawong's population was estimated at around 7,459 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase from the population recorded in the 2021 Census, which reported a total of 7,427 people residing there. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and five additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 1,567 persons per square kilometer, which is higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Illawong's growth rate of 0.4% since the census positions it within 2.2 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.6%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

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 years 2032 to 2041. According to demographic trends and aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to expand by 14 persons to reach a total population of around 7,500 by the year 2041, reflecting an increase of approximately 0.5% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Illawong is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Illawong has recorded approximately 4 residential properties granted approval annually over the past 5 financial years ending June 2021, totalling an estimated 23 homes. As of July 2026, 1 approval has been recorded in this financial year. The area has experienced population decline while maintaining adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $805,000, indicating focus on the premium market and high-end developments.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals have reached $1.4 million, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Illawong shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 80.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The area's new construction has been entirely comprised of standalone homes, sustaining its suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. As of June 2021, Illawong had approximately 1659 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

Population forecasts suggest Illawong will gain 40 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Illawong has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to influence the local area's performance: Illawong Village Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Baxter Place, Blaxland Riverside Estate, Heathcote Road Upgrade from Infantry Parade to The Avenue.

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AreaSearch assessment positions Illawong ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Illawong has an educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 3.1% as of the past year's data aggregation from statistical areas by AreaSearch.

Employment growth over this period was estimated at 2.8%. As of June 2025, Illawong had 4,051 residents employed with an unemployment rate of 1.1% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Illawong was 62.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment among residents were construction, education & training, and health care & social assistance.

Construction had an employment share 1.4 times the regional level while health care & social assistance was under-represented at 11.9% of Illawong's workforce compared to 14.1% in Greater Sydney. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census working population vs resident population counts. In a 12-month period, employment increased by 2.8% alongside labour force growth of 3.1%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Illawong's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Illawong had a median taxpayer income of $61,798 and an average income of $81,630 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $69,591 (median) and $91,924 (average), based on a 12.61% growth in wages since the financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 income data, household incomes rank at the 94th percentile ($2,778 weekly). Income brackets show that 28.5% of Illawong locals (2,125 people) fall into the $4000+ category, contrasting with the region's leading bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 at 30.9%. Notably, 46.0% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity and robust local economic activity. After housing costs, residents retain 87.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Illawong is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Illawong's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.4% houses and 7.6% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 70.4% houses and 29.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Illawong was 50.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.7% and rented ones at 8.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,976, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,600. Median weekly rent in Illawong was $650, compared to Sydney metro's $483. Nationally, Illawong's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Illawong features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 89.4% of all households, including 47.5% couples with children, 33.0% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 10.6%, with lone person households at 9.8% and group households making up 0.8%. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

The educational profile of Illawong exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Illawong trail's educational qualifications benchmark against regional averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 31.9% hold university degrees, compared to Greater Sydney's 38.0%. This gap suggests potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 22.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%).

Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.8% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 12.3% and certificates at 22.5%. Educational participation is high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education. Illawong's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,613 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1064). Education provision is balanced with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 21.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.8, indicating that Illawong serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Illawong has 50 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 25 different routes, offering a total of 1,601 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 183 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 228 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 32 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Illawong is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Illawong shows above-average health outcomes with both young and elderly cohorts having low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (4,411 people). The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.5 and 6.0% of residents respectively. 72.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.6% across Greater Sydney. As of 31 December 2020, 23.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,782 people), which is higher than the 18.8% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Illawong 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

Illawong's population, born overseas, comprised 24.2%, higher than most local markets. At home, 24.5% spoke languages other than English. Christianity was the predominant religion in Illawong with 69.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 61.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (22.1%), Australian (20.7%), and Other (9.1%). Notably, Lebanese (5.6%) and Greek (5.7%) groups were overrepresented in Illawong compared to regional averages of 1.1% and 2.2%, respectively. Croatian ancestry was also notably higher at 1.6%.

Illawong hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Illawong's median age is 44, surpassing Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and significantly exceeding the national average of 38. The population aged 65-74 stands at 14.5%, higher than Greater Sydney's representation and well above the national figure of 9.4%. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group is less prevalent in Illawong at 8.1%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has grown from 5.1% to 7.1%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 13.3% to 14.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group declined from 16.2% to 12.9%, and the 25-34 group decreased from 9.8% to 8.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling indicates significant changes in Illawong's age profile. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 61%, reaching 851 people from its current total of 529. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 83% of the projected population growth, with the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts expected to experience declines in population.