Mount Ousley

An assessment of population growth drivers in Mount Ousley reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of February 2026, the estimated population of Mount Ousley is around 1,630, showing an increase of 19 people since the 2021 Census. This growth reflects a resident population of 1,622 as of June 2024, with one validated new address added post-Census. The population density is 2,037 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87% to recent population gains in the suburb. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for Mount Ousley, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2-level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are applied. Growth rates by age group are projected for all areas between 2032 and 2041. Based on these projections, Mount Ousley is expected to have an above median population growth, increasing by 293 persons to reach 1,923 by the year 2041. This reflects a total increase of 17.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Mount Ousley, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Mount Ousley has had minimal residential development activity with 1 dwelling approval annually on average over the past five years (7 approvals total). This low level of development reflects its rural nature, where housing needs drive development rather than broad market demand. Yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably due to such low approval numbers.

Mount Ousley has much lower development activity compared to Rest of NSW and nationally. Recent construction comprises 50% detached houses and 50% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift from the current housing mix of 94% houses. This change reflects reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Mount Ousley has around 1662 people per approval, suggesting it is a mature, established area. Population forecasts indicate Mount Ousley will gain 285 residents by 2041 (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Population forecasts indicate Mount Ousley will gain 285 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Mount Ousley 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 identified four projects likely affecting the region: Mount Ousley Interchange, 68-74 Princes Highway Mixed-Use Development, Balgownie Mountain Bike Trail Infrastructure, and University of Wollongong Campus Master Plan. 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 landscape in Mount Ousley shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Mount Ousley has an educated workforce with high representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.9% as of December 2025. This is 0.9% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation was at 66.8%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. According to Census responses, 38.1% of residents worked from home. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. The area has a notable concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.0% of Mount Ousley's workforce compared to 5.3% in Regional NSW. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.5%, while labour force increased by 0.4%, keeping the unemployment rate stable. This contrasts with Regional NSW where employment fell by 1.2%, labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Ousley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Mount Ousley suburb's income level is extremely high nationally, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Mount Ousley is $60,305 and the average income stands at $81,053, comparing favourably with Regional NSW's figures of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Mount Ousley would be approximately $65,648 (median) and $88,234 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household incomes rank exceptionally at the 83rd percentile ($2,293 weekly), though personal income ranks lower at the 55th percentile. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 29.1% of Mount Ousley's community (474 individuals), aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 36.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Mount Ousley's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.4% houses and 5.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares with Regional NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Ousley stood at 48.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.9% and rented ones at 15.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,450, exceeding Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Mount Ousley was $500, higher than Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Mount Ousley's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,450 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 77.6% of all households, including 37.2% couples with children, 29.2% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.4%, with lone person households at 18.1% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

Mount Ousley's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 35.4% have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 25.2% in the SA4 region. University graduates make up 21.1%, followed by postgraduate students at 10.1%, and graduate diploma holders at 4.2%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 32.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications.

Advanced diplomas account for 11.1%, while certificates make up 21.4%. Educational participation is high in Mount Ousley, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 8.5% in tertiary education, and 7.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Mount Ousley has seven active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by nine different routes that together offer 74 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 172 meters to the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, and most residents commute outward using cars as the dominant mode of transport at 93%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 38.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages ten trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately ten weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Mount Ousley shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (960 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis, affecting 8.8% of residents, and asthma, impacting 6.9%. Notably, 69.3% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 63.3% across Regional NSW. The under-65 population demonstrates particularly strong health outcomes. The area has 18.4% of residents aged 65 and over (299 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are notably robust, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Mount Ousley records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mount Ousley's population showed higher-than-average cultural diversity, with 18.6% born overseas and 14.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Mount Ousley, accounting for 53.5%, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (25.2%), English (24.7%), and Other (8.3%).

Notably, Spanish (0.9%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.3%. Similarly, French (0.8%) and Italian (6.0%) groups had higher representations than their respective regional averages of 0.4% and 2.1%.

Mount Ousley's median age exceeds the national pattern

Mount Ousley's median age is 41 years, lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 but slightly higher than Australia's national average of 38 years. The 15-24 age group makes up 16.7% of Mount Ousley's population, higher than Regional NSW's percentage. Conversely, the 65-74 age group comprises 8.4%, lower than Regional NSW's figure. Post-2021 Census data shows a decrease in median age by 1.2 years to 41 years due to an increase of younger residents. Specifically, the 15-24 age group grew from 13.7% to 16.7%, and the 25-34 cohort increased from 10.0% to 12.7%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 age group decreased from 13.6% to 11.8%, and the 45-54 group fell from 13.4% to 11.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Mount Ousley. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow by 40%, adding 81 residents to reach a total of 289. Conversely, the 55-64 age group is expected to decrease by 21 residents.