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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
The median house price in Primbee is $1.14m. House values have moved 6.6% a year compounded over five years.
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Primbee has an estimated 1,620 residents. That puts 503 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to AreaSearch evaluations integrating ABS updates across the surrounding district with address validations since the Census, the suburb of Primbee has an estimated population of around 1,620 as of Aug 2026. This represents a contraction of 3 people (0.2%) from the 1,623 people recorded at the 2021 Census. AreaSearch established this revised figure of 1,620 by reviewing the ABS ERP release from June 2025 alongside 10 validated new addresses added after the Census date. With a density of 503 persons per square kilometer, the locality offers ample physical room per resident and capacity for future development.
Recent population gains were almost entirely underpinned by overseas migration. Projections generated by ABS/Geoscience Australia in 2024 using a 2022 baseline are applied by AreaSearch across SA2 divisions, supplemented by 2022 NSW State Government SA2 forecasts (using a 2021 base year) where necessary. Age-specific trajectory rates across these models are similarly applied to the years 2032 to 2041. Over this projection horizon, the overall head count is anticipated to contract by 1 persons by 2041 under the adopted model. In contrast, certain age demographics will experience expansion, most notably the 25 to 34 age bracket, which is slated to add 39 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
60 new dwellings have been approved in Primbee over the past five years, an average of 12 a year. That is 7.7 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 18, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
ABS building approval statistics evaluated by AreaSearch indicate that the suburb of Primbee has averaged around 12 residential approvals per year, totaling approximately 60 homes over the preceding 5 financial years from FY-21 through FY-25, including 18 approvals recorded to date in FY-25. Because local population numbers have drifted lower recently, construction activity appears to satisfy buyer demand comfortably while supporting healthy market choice. The average expected construction cost for incoming homes is $556,000, marginally exceeding the regional benchmark and pointing to higher-end builds. Meanwhile, non-residential activity has been modest, with commercial approvals totaling $3.9 million this financial year.
Residential development in the suburb of Primbee is tracking 38.0% above the regional average per person over the 5 year period compared to Rest of NSW, ensuring viable purchasing options while protecting existing property values. Approved dwelling types show an evolving urban fabric, comprising 54.0% detached houses and 46.0% medium-density attached dwellings, which broadens housing variety across price tiers beyond traditional family residences. This marks a clear transition from the existing stock of 82.0% standalone houses, signaling fewer open building parcels and a rising need for diverse, affordable dwelling types. Overall density remains modest, with approximately 116 people per dwelling approval. With demographic models pointing toward static or contracting headcounts, the suburb of Primbee may benefit from eased housing constraints, fostering advantages for incoming property buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Primbee
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 39 current infrastructure and development projects close to Primbee, worth an estimated $13.6 billion. 10 are already under construction and 15 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans energy, residential development and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local capital works and urban planning schemes play a vital role in shaping community development. AreaSearch has highlighted 2 projects holding direct relevance for the district, with key initiatives including the Warrawong Community Health Centre, the Lake Illawarra Entrance Options Study, the Southern Suburbs Community Centre and Library, and the Warrawong Plaza Redevelopment.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Southern Suburbs Community Centre and Library
A landmark three-storey community hub in Warrawong featuring a modern library, flexible meeting and function rooms, and dedicated spaces for community organisations. The project includes a new town square with landscaped public spaces, a stepped auditorium for performances, and a sensory room. It is designed with high environmental sustainability standards and aims to revitalise the Warrawong town centre.
Warrawong Community Health Centre
New purpose-built community health centre being constructed on the north-east corner of the former Port Kembla Hospital site in Warrawong, as part of the $828.9 million New Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services Project. Construction started in May 2025 after Stephen Edwards Constructions was awarded the main works contract, with completion expected in 2026. The centre will co-locate child and family health, the Binji and Boori Aboriginal Maternal Infant Health Service, community nursing, community mental health, sexual health, and drug and alcohol services, plus an equipment loan pool, in one facility with courtyards for outdoor therapy and Aboriginal-designed landscaping.
Lake Heights Public Preschool
A new co-located public preschool is under construction at Lake Heights Public School as part of the NSW Government's 100 public preschools program. The facility will include 2 preschool rooms, outdoor play areas, administration space, staff facilities and amenities, providing places for up to 40 children per day. Construction is progressing with excavation complete and the concrete slab poured. Framing, cladding and landscaping works are underway, with completion scheduled for Day 1, Term 1 2027.
Salvation Army Housing - Warrawong Group Home
Demolition of existing buildings and construction of a 10-unit transitional group home operated by Salvation Army Housing, providing purpose-built temporary accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence. The development includes administrative facilities, consultation rooms, and communal open space with landscaped setbacks.
Warrawong Parklands Seawall Restoration and Master Plan
A $5 million initiative led by Crown Lands to restore an unstable 300-metre seawall and develop a long-term master plan for the 32-hectare foreshore reserve on Lake Illawarra. The scope encompasses foreshore stabilization, passive open space improvements, active transport connectivity, and riparian ecosystem remediation.
Former Port Kembla Public School Site Residential Development
Medium density residential redevelopment of the 2.195-hectare former Port Kembla Public School site (Lot 1 DP 811699) on Military Road, Port Kembla, owned by Illawarra developer Ostoja Vujic. Wollongong LEP 2009 Amendment No. 53 (gazetted May 2023) rezoned the land from B4 Mixed Use to R3 Medium Density Residential and RE2 Private Recreation, with a site-specific DCP supporting up to about 110 dwellings as terraces, multi-dwelling housing and apartment buildings, including 5% affordable housing. A planning agreement with Wollongong City Council for six affordable dwellings managed by a community housing provider was entered into on 1 October 2024.Detailed development applications for the residential precincts are still required before construction.
Warrawong Plaza Redevelopment
A 1.1 billion dollar urban renewal project transforming Warrawong Plaza into a high-density mixed-use precinct. Following the site's rezoning in 2024 via the State Assessed Planning Proposal (SAPP) pathway, the development will deliver 1,300 new dwellings across 10-12 towers reaching up to 22 storeys (75m). The masterplan includes 10 percent affordable housing, a revitalized retail center with an eStore, and a new bus interchange. The project is integrated with the broader 32-hectare Warrawong Parklands Master Plan, finalized in March 2026, which introduces a 3,000 sqm public plaza, an Olympic-standard skate park, and a 320m wetland boardwalk to Lake Illawarra.
Berkeley Square (Berkeley Shopping Centre Upgrade)
A complete 11 million dollar transformation and expansion of the existing Berkeley shopping precinct into Berkeley Square. The project reimagines the 5,000+ sqm site, adding a second level to accommodate a new gym and a 121-place childcare centre. The redevelopment retains the existing Coles supermarket while significantly altering parking configurations to include two separate access points from Winnima Way and Bristol Street. The upgrade aims to create a modern lifestyle and dining destination with new retail spaces and improved pedestrian permeability.
678 residents of Primbee are employed, from a labour force of 749. Unemployment sits at 9.5%, with participation at 56.0%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.5% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 1,317, about 81% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Workforce analysis by AreaSearch reveals that the local labour market features substantial representation across vital community services, accompanied by an unemployment rate of 9.5% and yearly job growth estimated at 1.5%. As of March 2026, employed residents stand at 678, though joblessness sits 5.4% above the 4.1% recorded in Regional NSW, pointing to capacity for stronger labour absorption. Local participation is also comparatively subdued at 56.0% against the regional mark of 60.6%. In the Census, 23.6% of workers indicated that they worked from home, a metric influenced by Covid-19 health restrictions.
The primary employment fields for residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Furthermore, transport, postal & warehousing demonstrates strong local concentration, engaging workers at 1.7 times the broader regional proportion. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for only 0.5% of local employment, well below the 5.3% regional benchmark. Comparing the active working cohort from the Census against local resident numbers underscores that on-site employment opportunities remain limited within the area itself. Based on SALM and ABS figures aggregated by AreaSearch over the 12 months to March 2026, local employment grew by 1.5% and the labour pool rose by 2.5%, driving a 0.9 percentage point increase in unemployment. Conversely, Regional NSW saw employment decline by 0.9% and the workforce contract by 0.4%, while unemployment increased by 0.5 percentage points. According to nationwide projections released in Mar-26 by Jobs and Skills Australia, overall Australian employment is forecast to rise by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Weighting these sectoral trajectories against the local industry profile suggests employment in the suburb could lift by 6.5% across five years and 13.6% across ten years (illustrative projection unadjusted for local population shifts).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Primbee is $1,341 a week (about $70,000 a year), with median personal income at $669 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $51,672 a year against an average of $62,663. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO taxation statistics for financial year 2023 aggregated at postcode level show that median individual earnings reached $51,672 and average income reached $62,663 in the suburb of Primbee, trailing the Regional NSW benchmarks of $52,390 and $65,215. Incorporating a 10.32% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023 brings estimated current figures to around $57,005 for the median and $69,130 for the average as of March 2026. Across the 2021 Census, local personal, family, and household incomes ranked between the 22nd and 23rd percentiles nationally. The largest individual cohort includes 27.5% of residents (445 people) earning in the $1,500 - 2,999 range, closely tracking the 29.9% regional rate.
Living costs pose notable challenges, with uncommitted earnings at 83.1%, positioning the suburb at the 22nd percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Primbee had 642 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 82% detached houses and 8% apartments. 26% are owned with a mortgage, 32% rented and 42% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $350 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,904 a month. Rent absorbs 26.1% of household income here and mortgage repayments 32.8%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the time of the most recent Census, the local housing landscape consisted of 81.5% standalone houses and 18.5% alternative properties like townhouses and apartments, compared to 82.6% separate houses and 17.4% other residences across Regional NSW. Outright property ownership was elevated locally at 42.1%, while mortgaged properties accounted for 26.4% and rental accommodation comprised 31.5%. Typical monthly mortgage costs stood at $1,904, above the regional median of $1,733, while weekly rent averaged $350 against $330 regionally. On a national scale, mortgage payments outpace the Australian median of $1,863, whereas local rents sit beneath the nationwide benchmark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Primbee counted 642 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.4 people each. 27% are couples with children, against 24% couples without children. 32% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.7 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the majority of local living arrangements at 65.6%, comprising couples with children at 26.7%, childless couples at 24.0%, and single parent families at 13.4%. Non-family living situations make up 34.4% of homes, dominated by single-person households at 32.3% and group arrangements at 2.2%. The typical household size is 2.4 people, matching the broader Regional NSW figure.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
17.2% of adults in Primbee hold a university qualification, including 11.0% with a bachelor degree and 4.4% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 86% of areas nationally. A further 29.6% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 108 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 935 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Tertiary attainment presents a clear structural target in the locality, where 17.2% of residents possess higher education degrees compared to the 32.2% NSW benchmark. Bachelor degrees represent the largest proportion at 11.0%, with postgraduate awards at 4.4% and graduate diplomas at 1.8%. In contrast, vocational qualifications are prominent, with 38.8% of people aged 15+ holding technical credentials, comprising 29.6% at the certificate level and 9.2% holding advanced diplomas. Around 24.8% of the community is engaged in formal studies. By education level, primary school students make up 10.6%, secondary students represent 5.0%, and tertiary scholars account for 4.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Primbee reaches 20 stops on 19 routes, timetabled for about 510 services a week. The typical home sits about 120 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.5 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Commuters in the suburb of Primbee are served by 20 active public transport stops providing bus connections across 19 separate routes, which collectively deliver 509 weekly passenger trips. Access to local services is very strong, with the typical distance to a stop measuring 117 meters. Outward commuting is standard for this residential community, where private motor vehicles represent the predominant mode at 93% and vehicle ownership sits at an average of 1.5 per dwelling. In addition, 23.6% of residents reported working from home in the 2021 Census under pandemic-era settings.
Public transport services provide an average of 72 trips per day across the network, translating to roughly 25 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
64.1% of residents in Primbee report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 79% of areas nationally. 8.0% need daily assistance with core activities, and 51.7% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.2 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
AreaSearch evaluations of chronic illnesses and mortality figures indicate notable health burdens in the suburb of Primbee across both younger and older age brackets, while private health insurance uptake is comparatively restrained at approximately 52% of residents (~838 people). Arthritis and mental health concerns are the two most widespread conditions, reported by 10.6% and 9.3% of the populace respectively, while 64.1% stated they have no chronic health conditions, in line with the 63.3% rate across Regional NSW. Working-age cohorts record elevated levels of chronic illness, while residents aged 65 and over comprise 23.6% of the population (382 people), exhibiting health outcomes broadly aligned with nationwide patterns for seniors.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Primbee is largely Australian-born, at 80.8% of residents, with 15.2% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (26.2%) and English (23.0%). 3.8% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in the area is relatively pronounced, with 19.2% of residents born abroad and 15.2% using a non-English language at home. Christianity is the predominant religious faith, embraced by 62.1% of the local population compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. Evaluating parental countries of birth reveals Australian ancestry leading at 26.2%, followed by English heritage at 23.0% (trailing the 30.5% regional proportion) and Other origins at 7.1%. Certain cultural groups show higher-than-average representation relative to the region, including Macedonian at 3.2% (against 0.4%), Spanish at 1.7% (against 0.3%), and Hungarian at 0.5% (against 0.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Primbee is 44, older than 76% of areas nationally. 22.5% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The age distribution closely aligns with the Regional NSW profile, varying by no more than 1.9 percentage points across brackets. The estimated median age in August 2026 is 44, matching the 2021 Census figure, sitting 1 year older than the regional mark of 43 and above the national median of 38. The 45 - 64 age cohort has contracted from 27.1% at the Census to an estimated 24.9%. Through 2041, demographic additions are expected to center on adults aged 25 - 44, which will gain 51 residents (13%) to reach 435, while middle-aged groups, retirees, children, and younger adults are projected to decrease.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Primbee
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 10 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (1,623 at the 2021 Census → 1,620 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL13276). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.