South Nowra

South Nowra lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the population of the South Nowra statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 3,682. This reflects an increase of 517 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,165. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 3,594 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), along with an additional 312 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 427 persons per square kilometer. The South Nowra (SA2) experienced a growth rate of 16.3% since the 2021 census, exceeding the SA4 region's 4.6%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 36.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period from 2025 to 2041, with the South Nowra (SA2) expected to increase by 1,598 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 33.7% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within South Nowra when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows South Nowra had approximately 47 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 237 homes. As of FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25 accommodated around 1.1 new residents per year.

The average construction value for new properties was $374,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals reached $23.1 million. Compared to the Rest of NSW, South Nowra had 115.0% more new home approvals per person in recent years. This indicates ample choice for buyers, although construction activity has recently eased. The area's new developments consist of 60.0% detached houses and 40.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift from the existing housing composition, which is currently 89.0% houses. South Nowra had about 103 people per approval, indicating a developing area.

Population forecasts suggest South Nowra will gain approximately 1,240 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment, South Nowra Surcharge Main Upgrade, Evergreen Rise Estate, and Worrigee Road Subdivision. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places South Nowra well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

South Nowra has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.0%.

As of September 2025, 1,564 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.0% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%, while workforce participation is higher at 65.0%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Public administration & safety is particularly strong, with an employment share of 2.2 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.1% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

The worker-to-resident ratio of 0.8 indicates a high level of local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.0%, labour force increased by 3.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data from 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Nowra's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, South Nowra had a median income among taxpayers of $59,579. The average income stood at $73,377. This is above the national average of $52,390 and the Rest of NSW's average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $64,858 (median) and $79,878 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in South Nowra cluster around the 53rd percentile nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 39.6% of residents (1,458 people), reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 29.9% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 49th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

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

South Nowra's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census in 2016, consisted of 89.3% houses and 10.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings in the same year. Home ownership in South Nowra was at 23.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.6% and rented ones at 35.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Nowra was $2,000, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733 recorded in 2018. Weekly rent figures for South Nowra were $398 in 2018, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $350. Nationally, South Nowra's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863 in 2017-18, while rents surpassed the national figure of $375 in the same period.

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

Family households constitute 76.0% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 13.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.0%, with lone person households at 20.8% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Educational attainment in South Nowra aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 17.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 12.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.7% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (32.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 33.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.1% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in South Nowra indicates that there are 49 active transport stops currently operating. These stops cater to a mix of bus services. The total number of routes servicing these stops is 39, collectively providing weekly passenger trips amounting to 494.

The accessibility of transport in the area is rated as excellent, with residents typically located at an average distance of 171 meters from their nearest transport stop. The service frequency averages 70 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in South Nowra is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

South Nowra faces significant health challenges with a higher prevalence of common conditions compared to the average. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent, affecting 10.1% and 8.9% of residents respectively.

Approximately 65.9% of residents report being free from medical ailments, which is slightly higher than the 59.4% in the rest of NSW. The rate of private health cover in South Nowra is high at around 56%, compared to the state average of 49.1%. This translates to approximately 2,058 people with private health cover in South Nowra. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 12.3% (452 people), compared to the 27.8% in the rest of NSW. However, health outcomes among older residents require more attention than the broader population.

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

South Nowra showed lower cultural diversity with 88.0% citizens, 83.3% born in Australia, and 88.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion at 49.5%. Hinduism's 3.9% was notably higher than Rest of NSW's 0.5%.

Top ancestry groups were Australian (31.9%), English (28.0%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.0%). Maltese, Hungarian, and Indian populations showed notable overrepresentation at 0.7%, 0.3%, and 3.3% respectively.

South Nowra's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

The median age in South Nowra is 32 years, which is notably lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and also substantially under the Australian median of 38. Relative to Rest of NSW, South Nowra has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (18.2%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (7.7%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the age group of 25 to 34 has grown from 16.6% to 18.2%, while the age group of 35 to 44 increased from 15.1% to 16.4%. Conversely, the age group of 45 to 54 has declined from 10.0% to 9.0%. By 2041, South Nowra is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 25 to 34 age group projected to grow by 42%, reaching 952 people from 670.