West Nowra

West Nowra lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the population of West Nowra is estimated at around 1,632 people. This reflects an increase of 128 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,504 people. The latest estimate by AreaSearch, following examination of the ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of new addresses, shows a resident population of 1,584 for West Nowra. This level of population results in a density ratio of 457 persons per square kilometer. Since the 2021 Census, West Nowra's population has grown by 8.5%, exceeding the SA4 region's growth rate of 3.7%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 36.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period from 2025 to 2041, with West Nowra expected to increase by 704 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 40.8% in total population over these 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within West Nowra when compared nationally

West Nowra has had minimal residential development activity with 3 dwelling approvals annually on average over the past five years (19 approvals total). This low level of development is typical in rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. Yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably due to the small number of approvals.

West Nowra has significantly less construction activity than the rest of NSW, with development levels also below national averages. The current building activity shows an equal split between detached (50.0%) and attached dwellings (50.0%), marking a significant shift from the existing housing pattern which is predominantly houses (89.0%). This trend may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. West Nowra has approximately 316 people per dwelling approval, indicating potential for growth. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, West Nowra is expected to grow by 666 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Looking ahead, West Nowra is expected to grow by 666 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

West 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 identified seven projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment, Mundamia Urban Release Area, Evergreen Rise Estate, and South Nowra Surcharge Main Upgrade. The following list details those most 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 conditions in West Nowra rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

West Nowra has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented.

The unemployment rate was 0.6% in June 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.0%. This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of June 2025785 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 3.0% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in West Nowra was 62.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. The area has a specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.9% versus the regional average of 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Based on AreaSearch's analysis of SALM and ABS data for the wider area during the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.0% and labour force increased by 3.4%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.5 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.1%, labour force expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within West Nowra. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, indicate national employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to West Nowra's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.6% over ten years. Note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 indicates that West Nowra's median income is $53,837 and the average income stands at $66,305. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for West Nowra would be approximately $60,626 (median) and $74,666 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census shows that household, family and personal incomes in West Nowra rank modestly, between the 35th and 38th percentiles. Income distribution reveals that the largest segment comprises 40.6% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (662 residents), similar to the broader area where 29.9% fall into this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in West Nowra, with only 81.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 32nd percentile.

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

West Nowra's dwelling structure as of the latest Census showed 88.7% houses and 11.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Nowra was at 25.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.1% and rented ones at 39.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,707, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $350, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, West Nowra's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 72.5% of all households, including 27.5% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 19.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.5%, with lone person households at 23.6% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

West Nowra shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 11.0%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 47.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (35.3%). Educational participation is high at 29.9%, comprising primary education (11.4%), secondary education (6.7%), and tertiary education (3.6%).

Schools appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring residents to access them in neighboring areas.

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

Transport analysis shows 12 active stops operating in West Nowra, served by a mix of buses. These stops are covered by 8 routes offering 71 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 190 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 10 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in West 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

West Nowra faces significant health challenges with a higher prevalence of common health conditions compared to average, particularly among older age groups. The area has approximately 53% private health cover, slightly higher than the rest of NSW's 49.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 10.8% and 9.0% of residents respectively. However, 64.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 59.4% in the rest of NSW. The area has a lower percentage of seniors aged 65 and over at 12.0%, compared to 27.8% in the rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

West Nowra is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

West Nowra's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.8% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (91.5%), and speaking English only at home (95.8%). Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 48.8% of West Nowra's population. The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which made up 1.0% compared to 0.5% across the rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, Australian (34.2%), English (29.8%), and Australian Aboriginal (10.3%) were the top three represented groups in West Nowra, with Australian Aboriginal being substantially higher than the regional average of 4.4%. Notably, Macedonian (0.3% vs 0.1%), Spanish (0.5% vs 0.2%), and Maltese (0.5% vs 0.6%) were also overrepresented compared to regional averages.

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

The median age in West 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, West Nowra has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (18.2%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (7.0%). Since the Census conducted on August 10, 2021, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has grown from 16.7% to 18.2%, while the proportion of those aged 35 to 44 increased from 11.4% to 12.8%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 65 to 74 has declined from 8.1% to 7.0%. By June 30, 2041, West Nowra is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 25 to 34 age group projected to grow by 52%, reaching 452 people from a current total of 297.