Kiama

Kiama lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Kiama's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 8,483 people. This reflects a growth of 579 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,904. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 8,122 residents following examination of ABS's ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 179 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 866 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kiama's growth rate of 7.3% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the non-metro area's 5.1% and the SA4 region's growth rates, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 53.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of regional areas nationally, with Kiama expected to grow by 1,988 persons to reach approximately 10,471 people by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 19.1% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Kiama when compared nationally

Kiama averaged approximately 61 new dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years FY21 and FY25, around 306 homes were approved, with an additional 19 approved in FY26. Each year, about 1.8 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years.

The average construction value of new properties was $606,000. In FY26, there have been approximately $3.3 million in commercial approvals. Kiama records 11.0% less building activity per person compared to Rest of NSW and ranks among the 49th percentile nationally.

Recent construction comprises 61.0% standalone homes and 39.0% attached dwellings, with a mix of townhouses and apartments providing varied options. There are around 336 people per dwelling approval in Kiama. Future projections estimate Kiama to add approximately 1,621 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Kiama has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified eight projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are Akuna Street Mixed-Use Development, South Kiama Urban Release Area, Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Transport Plan 2041, and Shoalhaven Street Precinct. The following details those most relevant.

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

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The employment environment in Kiama shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Kiama has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.4% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.2%.

As of June 2025, 3,702 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.3% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Kiama is 49.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Education & training has a particularly strong specialization, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 1.0% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The area offers limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 1.2%, while labour force increased by 0.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Kiama. These projections estimate local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific growth rates against Kiama's employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. Kiama's median income among taxpayers was $48,503 with an average of $70,703. This is above the national average and compares to Rest of NSW's median of $49,459 and average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Kiama would be approximately $54,619 (median) and $79,619 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Kiama rank modestly between the 39th and 49th percentiles. The largest segment comprises 29.6% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (2,510 residents), similar to surrounding regions where 29.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Kiama with only 84.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 40th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Kiama displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Kiama's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 55.5% houses and 44.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 79.0% houses and 21.0% other dwellings. Kiama's home ownership level was 48.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.3% and rented ones at 24.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kiama was $2,167, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. The median weekly rent figure for Kiama was $478, higher than Non-Metro NSW's $430. Nationally, Kiama's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Kiama's rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kiama has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.3% of all households, including 23.8% couples with children, 36.7% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 30.7%, with lone person households at 28.5% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

Kiama shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Kiama's residents aged 15 and above exhibit high educational attainment, with 34.0% holding university qualifications, surpassing the SA3 area's 19.9% and the Rest of NSW's 21.3%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 37.6% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (13.8%) and certificates (23.8%). Educational participation is notably high at 25.5%, with 9.0% in primary education, 6.1% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

Kiama's four schools have a combined enrollment of 1,496 students as of the latest data. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1065). Education provision is balanced with three primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 17.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.2, indicating Kiama serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Kiama has 60 operational public transport stops. These include both train and bus services. There are 27 unique routes servicing these stops.

Weekly passenger trips total 3,580 across all routes. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 162 meters to the nearest stop. Daily service frequency averages 511 trips across all routes, equating to approximately 59 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Kiama is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Kiama faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Approximately 55% (~4655 people) have private health cover, compared to 52.7% across the rest of NSW.

The most common conditions are arthritis (11.2%) and asthma (6.7%). About 64.4% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 65.2% in the rest of NSW. Kiama has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 32.4% (2748 people), compared to 20.9% in the rest of NSW.

Kiama ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Kiama's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 81.0% of its population born in Australia, 90.6% being citizens, and 94.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Kiama, comprising 54.9% of people there. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Kiama at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups are English (32.0%), Australian (26.5%), and Irish (11.2%). Some other ethnic groups also show notable differences: Welsh is overrepresented at 0.9% in Kiama (vs 0.7% regionally), Scottish at 9.0% (vs 7.2%), and Maltese at 0.9% (vs 1.3%).

Kiama ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Kiama is 52 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and well above the national norm of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 75-84 cohort is notably over-represented at 12.0% locally, while the 15-24 year-olds are under-represented at 8.8%. This concentration in the 75-84 age group is well above the national figure of 6.0%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of Kiama's population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 11.0% to 12.0%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 14.9% to 12.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Kiama, with the strongest projected growth in the 25 to 34 age group at 34%, adding 286 residents to reach a total of 1,126. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort is projected to grow by a modest 5%, adding 39 people to its current number.