North Wollongong

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

North Wollongong's estimated population, as of November 2025, is around 2,419 people. This figure shows an increase of 120 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,299. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,391 residents in June 2024, based on ABS ERP data, and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 999 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. North Wollongong's growth rate of 5.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's rate of 4.4%, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 aggregated SA2-level projections, the North Wollongong statistical area (Lv2) is predicted to grow exceptionally over the period, adding 1,704 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 75.7% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees North Wollongong among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows North Wollongong recorded around 21 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 105 homes from FY-21 to FY-25. As of FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling built attracts approximately 2.5 new residents annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating strong demand for housing in the area.

New homes are constructed at an average value of $401,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In FY-26, commercial approvals worth $788,000 have been registered, reflecting North Wollongong's residential character. Compared to the Rest of NSW, North Wollongong records 53.0% more new home approvals per person, providing buyers with greater choice. Recent development has consisted entirely of medium and high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift marks a significant departure from the current housing pattern (17.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs. North Wollongong has around 92 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a low-density area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, North Wollongong is expected to grow by approximately 1,830 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 Wollongong 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 13 projects that may affect this region. Notable ones include Wollongong Hospital Redevelopment - Planning and Equipment Upgrades, Mount Ousley Interchange, 21 Auburn Street, Wollongong, and Wollongong to Coniston Rail Infrastructure Upgrade. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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.

Employment drivers in North Wollongong are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

North Wollongong has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 8.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.8%.

As of September 2025, 1,450 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 4.8%, which is 1% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in North Wollongong is at 64.3%, compared to 56.4% in the Rest of NSW. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food. Professional & technical services have notable concentration with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.3% versus the regional average of 5.3%. There are 2.2 workers for every resident in North Wollongong, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.8% while labour force increased by 0.1%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW recorded employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to North Wollongong's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, North Wollongong had a median income among taxpayers of $43,518. The average income stood at $59,337 in this period. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for median income would be approximately $47,374 as of September 2025, with average income estimated at $64,594 during the same period. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in North Wollongong, between the 30th and 38th percentiles. Distribution data shows that 32.0% of the population (774 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen regionally where 29.9% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in North Wollongong, with only 79.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 33rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

North Wollongong features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In North Wollongong, as per the latest Census, 16.8% of dwellings were houses while 83.2% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW where 58.9% of dwellings were houses and 41.1% were other types. Home ownership in North Wollongong stood at 20.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 12.6% and rented ones at 67.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, below the Non-Metro NSW average of $2,189. The median weekly rent in North Wollongong was $395, compared to $400 in Non-Metro NSW. Nationally, North Wollongong's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,950 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $395 compared to the national figure of $375.

North Wollongong features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 47.5% of all households, including 11.6% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 6.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 52.5%, with lone person households at 38.0% and group households making up 14.4%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

North Wollongong shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

North Wollongong's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of 2016, 38.0% of its residents aged 15 and above held university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of New South Wales and 25.2% in the SA4 region. University graduates comprise 24.2%, with postgraduate qualifications at 12.2% and graduate diplomas at 1.6%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 27.2% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 9.2% and certificates at 18.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 37.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016. This includes 26.0% in tertiary education, 3.2% in primary education, and 2.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

North Wollongong has 37 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. They are serviced by 54 individual routes in total, providing 4,820 weekly passenger trips combined.

The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 94 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 688 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 130 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

North Wollongong shows healthier-than-average results with both younger and older age groups experiencing low prevalence of common health issues. Approximately 50% (~1,219 people) have private health cover, lower than Rest of NSW's 56.8% and the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues affect 12.1%, asthma impacts 7.9%, while 70.5% report no medical ailments.

This compares to 68.6% across Rest of NSW. The area has 11.0% (266 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Rest of NSW's 17.7%. Health outcomes among seniors in North Wollongong are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in North Wollongong was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

North Wollongong was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 30.4% of its population born overseas and 24.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in North Wollongong is Christianity, accounting for 41.7% of the population. Notably, Islam is overrepresented compared to Rest of NSW, comprising 4.8% versus 2.5%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (24.5%), Australian (21.4%), and Other (13.1%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Macedonian is equally represented at 1.5%, Spanish is slightly overrepresented at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 0.5%, and Serbian is slightly underrepresented at 0.7%.

North Wollongong hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

North Wollongong's median age of 29 years is significantly younger than Rest of NSW's 43 and considerably younger than the national average of 38 years. The age group of 25-34 shows strong representation at 30.5% compared to Rest of NSW, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 3.9%. This concentration in the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of the population aged 25 to 34 has grown from 26.6% to 30.5%, while the 15 to 24 cohort has declined from 25.1% to 22.5%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 9.3% to 8.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in North Wollongong, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to rise significantly by 721 people (98%), from 737 to 1,459.