Worrigee

Population growth drivers in Worrigee are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Worrigee's population is estimated at around 5,509 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 125 people (2.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,384 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5,338, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 4 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 325 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Over the past decade, Worrigee has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 36.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth were positive factors.

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. Anticipating future population dynamics, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is forecast, with the suburb expected to increase by 2,561 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting recording a gain of 49.2% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Worrigee according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Worrigee had minimal residential development activity between 2016 and 2020, with fewer than one dwelling approval annually. Over this five-year period, only three dwellings were approved for construction. 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.

It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities can vary significantly based on individual projects. Compared to Rest of NSW and national patterns, Worrigee has much lower residential development activity during this period.

Worrigee 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 seven projects that could impact this region. Notable initiatives include the New Primary School and Public Preschool in Worrigee, Worrigee Road Subdivision, Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment, and Nowra East Public School Upgrade. The following list details those most likely to be 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 Worrigee exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Worrigee has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented in the area. The unemployment rate is 3.2%, which is lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Over the past year, ending September 2025, employment grew by an estimated 3.3%. As of that date, 2,613 residents are employed and the workforce participation rate is 66.6%, higher than Rest of NSW's 61.5%. Only 6.9% of residents work from home, according to Census responses. The dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade.

Public administration & safety has particularly high concentration with employment levels at twice the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 1.2% of local workers, lower than Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 3.3% while labour force rose by 4.0%, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw a slight decline in employment (-0.5%) and labour force (-0.1%), with a smaller rise in unemployment (0.4 percentage points). Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Worrigee's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that in Worrigee, median income is $52,760 and average income is $64,978. This is lower than national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average) for Rest of NSW. Based on an 8.86% growth in Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, estimated median income for Worrigee as of September 2025 is approximately $57,435 and average income is around $70,735. Census 2021 data indicates that incomes in Worrigee rank modestly, between the 35th and 40th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The majority of residents (37.4%, or 2,060 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, similar to regional trends where 29.9% are in this category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Worrigee, with only 82.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 39th percentile.

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

In Worrigee, as per the latest Census evaluation, 93.9% of dwellings were houses with 6.1% being other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, or 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Worrigee stood at 29.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 35.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average, while the median weekly rent was $390 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Worrigee's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Worrigee features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 77.2% of all households, including 34.7% couples with children, 28.3% couples without children, and 13.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.8%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Worrigee 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 14.0%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 45.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.4% and certificates at 34.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.7% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 74 active transport stops in Worrigee, consisting of buses. These stops are served by 18 individual routes, providing a total of 214 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 124 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature, with car being the dominant mode at 96%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 6.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 30 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 2 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Worrigee is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health issues in Worrigee, as assessed by AreaSearch.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is more prevalent than average, at approximately 53% of the total population (around 2,899 people). Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, impacting 11.3% and 9.5% of residents respectively. However, 62.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age individuals face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 13.0%, compared to the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Worrigee's cultural diversity was found to be below average. Its population is predominantly citizens, with 91.2% holding citizenship, and mostly born in Australia, at 89.8%. English is spoken exclusively at home by 94.3% of residents.

Christianity is the dominant religion, comprising 51.2% of Worrigee's population. Notably, Judaism, which represents 0.1% of Worrigee's population, is proportionally equal to its representation in Rest of NSW (also 0.1%). In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian at 33.1%, English at 29.9%, and Australian Aboriginal at 7.0%. Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Maltese residents comprise 0.8% of Worrigee's population compared to 0.4% regionally, Koreans make up 0.2% versus the regional average of 0.1%, and Welsh residents constitute 0.5% in both Worrigee and its regional comparison.

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

The median age in Worrigee is 32 years, which is notably lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Relative to Rest of NSW, Worrigee has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 at 16.1%, but fewer residents aged 65-74 at 7.3%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the age group of 25 to 34 has grown from 14.3% to 16.1% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 11.9% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.2% to 11.2%. By 2041, Worrigee is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition, with the leading demographic shift being a 60% growth in the 25 to 34 age group, reaching 1,419 people from the current figure of 886.