North Nowra

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, as of Nov 2025, North Nowra's estimated population is around 6,001. This reflects an increase of 145 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,856. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 5,915 (June 2024) and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 586 persons per square kilometer. North Nowra's growth rate since census is 2.5%, positioning it within 2.1 percentage points of its SA4 region, demonstrating competitive fundamentals. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth, contributing approximately 64.0% of overall gains.

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). Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from years 2032 to 2041. Demographic trends project above median population growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with North Nowra expected to grow by 763 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 12.5% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in North Nowra according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

North Nowra recorded approximately 15 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 75 homes. In FY-26 so far, 18 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.2 people moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions. The average construction cost of new homes was $415,000, slightly above the regional average.

This financial year, $5.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting North Nowra's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, North Nowra has markedly lower building activity, at 64.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, though development activity has increased recently. Nationally, North Nowra also reflects lower development activity, indicating market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 47.0% detached houses and 53.0% medium to high-density housing, marking a shift from the area's current housing composition, which is 89.0% houses. This trend suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. North Nowra has a low density population, with around 210 people per approval.

According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, the area will gain 752 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

North Nowra has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

A total of 13 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area, with key projects including Landcom Bomaderry Build-to-Rent Apartments, The Yards, Bomaderry, Bomaderry High School Upgrade, and SCaRP - Bomaderry Sporting Complex Redevelopment.

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 North Nowra shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

North Nowra has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.4%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.0% over the past year (AreaSearch).

As of September 2025, 2,709 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 0.8%, compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 3.0% while labour force rose by 3.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points (AreaSearch). By contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.5% and unemployment increase by 0.4%. State-level data from November 25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 forecasts project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest North Nowra's employment could increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 30, 2023 shows North Nowra had a median income among taxpayers of $48,349. The average income stood at $59,212. This is lower than national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 for Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year ended June 30, 2023, current estimates would be approximately $52,633 (median) and $64,458 (average) as of September 2025. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data for 2021, household, family and personal incomes in North Nowra rank modestly, between the 27th and 29th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 33.5% of locals (2,010 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to broader trends across the surrounding region at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in North Nowra, with only 82.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 28th percentile.

North Nowra is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In North Nowra, as per the latest Census evaluation, 89.3% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 10.7% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Nowra stood at 38.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented ones at 28.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,719, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in North Nowra was $380, higher than Non-Metro NSW's figure of $350. Nationally, North Nowra's median monthly mortgage repayment was below the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rent exceeded the national figure of $375.

North Nowra has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.9% of all households, including 28.1% couples with children, 28.4% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.1%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Educational outcomes in North Nowra fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 20.0%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 13.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 43.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (31.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.2% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transportation in North Nowra shows that there are currently 88 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 16 individual routes servicing them. Together, these routes provide 215 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 157 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes is around 30 trips per day, which equates to roughly 2 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

North Nowra faces substantial health challenges, as indicated by health data. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 50% of the total population (~3,023 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 10.4% and 10.3% of residents respectively. However, 61.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, which is higher than the Rest of NSW average of 59.4%. The area has 20.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,230 people), lower than the 27.8% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

North Nowra's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.4% of its population born in Australia, 90.0% being citizens, and 93.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 49.7% of North Nowra's population. While Judaism makes up 0.1% of the population, this is not significantly different from the Rest of NSW (0.1%).

The top three ancestry groups are English (31.3%), Australian (30.5%), and Irish (8.1%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal people are overrepresented at 5.2%, compared to 4.4% regionally. Hungarians also have a higher representation in North Nowra at 0.3%, versus the regional average of 0.2%.

North Nowra's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

North Nowra's median age is 38, which is lower than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 but matches the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up a strong 14.1% of North Nowra's population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 10.1%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.0% to 11.0% of North Nowra's population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 12.2% to 10.6%. Demographic modeling indicates significant changes in North Nowra's age profile by 2041. The 25-34 group is projected to grow by 31%, adding 258 people and reaching 1,105 from the current 846. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts.