Thirroul

Thirroul has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Thirroul is estimated to be around 6,474. This reflects an increase of 126 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,348. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 6,451 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 51 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 1,334 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Thirroul's 2.0% growth since census positions it within 2.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to expand by 537 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 7.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Thirroul recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Thirroul has seen approximately 34 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS data. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 172 homes were approved, with an additional 13 approved in FY26 so far. The average population increase per dwelling built over these years is 0.8 people.

This indicates that supply meets or exceeds demand, offering more buyer choices and potential for population growth. New properties are valued at an average of $923,000, suggesting a focus on premium segments. In FY26, commercial approvals totalled $3.2 million, showing limited commercial development emphasis compared to residential. Thirroul's construction rates per person are similar to the Rest of NSW, maintaining market balance.

Recent construction consists of 53.0% detached houses and 47.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current 76.0% houses, likely due to diminishing developable land availability and changing lifestyle preferences. Thirroul has around 192 people per dwelling approval, indicating low-density characteristics. AreaSearch estimates project Thirroul's population to grow by 481 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, benefiting buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

Thirroul has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Four projects are identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: Electrify 2515 Community Pilot, Thirroul Plaza Redevelopment, McCauley Lodge Redevelopment, and Bulli Bypass Feasibility Study.

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

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Employment conditions in Thirroul demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Thirroul has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 2.1% as of September 2025, lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Thirroul is higher at 67.7%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 61.5%.

According to Census responses, 48.1% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors are education & training, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Thirroul has a particular specialization in education & training with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.5% versus the regional average of 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 0.2% and labour force increased by 0.2%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable at 1.8%. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Thirroul's employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest data for postcode level ATO income in financial year 2023 shows Thirroul's median income was $58,370 and average income was $88,570. This compares to Rest of NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Using Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes for Thirroul are approximately $63,542 (median) and $96,417 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, Thirroul's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 76th and 82nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 28.3% of locals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, aligning with the regional average of 29.9%. Notably, 38.1% of residents earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.8% of income, with strong earnings placing residents in the 82nd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking is in the 9th decile.

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

Thirroul's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 75.6% houses and 24.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Thirroul was higher at 41.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.0% and rented ones at 20.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, above Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Thirroul was $540, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Thirroul's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,600 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 76.5% of all households, including 37.9% couples with children, 30.3% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.5%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational achievement in Thirroul places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Thirroul's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 41.7% have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 25.2% in the SA4 region. University graduates make up 25.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.1% and graduate diplomas at 4.2%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 10.6% and certificates for 20.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.2% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Thirroul has 30 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 27 different routes, facilitating 1,221 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically residing 345 metres from their nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most Thirroul residents commute outward, primarily by car (88%), with walking accounting for 4%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 48.1% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 174 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly 40 weekly trips per individual stop.

Thirroul's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Thirroul's health outcomes show exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (4,005 people), compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.4%) and asthma (6.7%), while 71.8% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 63.3% in Rest of NSW.

Under-65 population health outcomes are better than average. Thirroul has 21.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,411 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors align with national rankings.

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

Thirroul's population was found to be less diverse culturally, with 82.4% born in Australia, 92.4% being citizens, and 93.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 46.3%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.4%), Australian (25.3%), and Irish (10.8%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Welsh (1.1% vs regional 0.5%), Scottish (9.6% vs 8.0%), and Spanish (0.6% vs 0.3%).

Thirroul hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Thirroul has a median age of 43, which is equal to the Rest of NSW figure and above the national average of 38. The age profile shows that 45-54 year-olds make up 13.3%, while those aged 25-34 are 9.0%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.3% to 6.9%, and the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 10.5% to 11.8%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 14.5% to 12.5%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Thirroul's age structure. The 75 to 84 group is expected to grow by 47%, reaching 657 people from 446. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 55% of total population growth. In contrast, the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 cohorts are projected to decline in population.