Wollongong

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

Wollongong's population is estimated at around 23,221 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,775 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,446 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 23,210 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 841 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,031 persons per square kilometer, placing Wollongong in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 13.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.7%) and the Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 93.0% 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. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, exceptional growth is predicted over this period with Wollongong expected to increase by 13,559 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 58.3% in total over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Wollongong among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Wollongong has seen approximately 341 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 1,706 homes were approved, with a further 292 approved in FY26 so far. This results in an average of about 1.2 people moving to the area per dwelling built annually over these years.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $403,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels. In terms of commercial development, Wollongong has recorded $130.7 million in approvals this financial year. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Wollongong shows 174.0% higher construction activity per person, indicating strong developer confidence and greater choice for buyers. New developments consist predominantly of attached dwellings (98.0%), with detached dwellings making up only 2.0%. This trend towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Wollongong currently reflects a developing area with around 55 people per approval.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Wollongong is projected to add approximately 13,548 residents by 2041, indicating that construction is maintaining pace with population growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 37 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Wollongong to Coniston Rail Infrastructure Upgrade, The Globe Wollongong, Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone, and Atchison & Kenny. 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 performance in Wollongong has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Wollongong has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 6.9% as of the past year, with estimated employment growth of 1.7%. As of December 2025, 13,117 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.0% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Wollongong is 65.6%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, 33.9% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. The area specializes in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.2%. There is one worker for every resident, indicating Wollongong functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.7% while labour force increased by 1.2%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW saw a decrease in employment of 1.2%, a contraction in labour force of 0.8%, and an increase in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Wollongong's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.5% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. Wollongong suburb had a median income of $50,083 and an average of $68,445. National averages were similar. Regional NSW's median was $52,390 and average was $65,215. By March 2026, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,252 (median) and $75,509 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32%. Census 2021 showed personal income at the 56th percentile ($836 weekly) and household income at the 38th percentile. Income analysis revealed that 33.4% earned between $1,500 - 2,999 (7,755 individuals). Housing affordability was severe, with only 79.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 34th percentile. Wollongong's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

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

As per the latest Census evaluation in Wollongong, dwelling structures consisted of 13.9% houses and 86.1% other dwellings (including semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wollongong was at 25.1%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (18.4%) or rented (56.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Wollongong was $1,950, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Wollongong was recorded at $410, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Wollongong's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 50.8 percent of all households, including 12.6 percent that are couples with children, 29.6 percent consisting of couples without children, and 7.2 percent composed of single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 49.2 percent, with lone person households at 37.4 percent and group households comprising 11.8 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Wollongong exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Wollongong's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 40.7% hold university qualifications compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 25.2% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 10.0% and certificates for 19.2%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.8% in tertiary education, 4.1% in primary education, and 3.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Wollongong has 117 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 85 routes, providing 6,497 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have excellent accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 128 meters to the nearest one. In this primarily residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 74%, while 15% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 33.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 928 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 55 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Wollongong's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Wollongong residents have relatively positive health outcomes according to health data. AreaSearch's analysis shows mortality rates and health conditions are largely aligned with national benchmarks.

Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts at a standard level. Approximately 54% of Wollongong's total population (~12,537 people) have private health cover, compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW. Mental health issues affect 10.1% of residents, while arthritis impacts 8.3%. About 68.0% report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. Wollongong has 18.1% of residents aged 65 and over (4,203 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. National rankings for health outcomes are broadly in line with the general population.

Wollongong was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Wollongong, as per the 2016 Census, had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets with 33.7% of its population born overseas and 28.8% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Wollongong, accounting for 45.6%. However, Islam showed significant overrepresentation at 4.6%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (23.2%), Australian (19.3%), and Other (12.5%). Notably, Macedonian (2.6%) was significantly higher than regional average (0.4%), Serbian (1.3% vs 0.2%), and Spanish (0.7% vs 0.3%).

Wollongong's population is younger than the national pattern

Wollongong's median age is 34, which is lower than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 25-34 cohort is over-represented in Wollongong at 27.6%, compared to the Regional NSW average, while the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 4.3%. This concentration of residents aged 25-34 is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between 2021 and the present day, Wollongong's median age has decreased by 1.3 years to 34 due to a shift in its population towards younger residents. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 increased from 23.9% to 27.6%, while those aged 35-44 grew from 10.9% to 12.0%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 45-54 decreased from 9.7% to 8.2%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 11.1% to 9.9%. By 2041, Wollongong's population is forecasted to experience substantial demographic changes. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 71%, adding 4,558 people to reach a total of 10,967 from its current figure of 6,408.