Austinmer
With a median house price of $1.7 million and household income in the 93.5th percentile nationally, Austinmer sits at the premium end of the Illawarra coastal market. SEIFA scores tell the story: decile 10 on both IRSD and IRSAD, and decile 9 on IEO and IER, placing it among the least disadvantaged suburbs in NSW. The population of 2,725 is spread across 3.36 square kilometres, and 82.7% of dwellings are separate houses. University qualifications reach 56.8%, which is 26.7 percentage points above the national average, while the median age of 42 is two years older than the national figure.
Population
2,725
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,586/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
Median House
$1.7M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1.7 million places Austinmer well above most NSW coastal markets outside Sydney. Price data shows a decline from $1.8 million in 2024 to $1.62 million in 2025, a 10% drop from peak, which gives buyers more room than existed a year ago. The stock is strongly detached: 82.7% are separate houses with 42% having four or more bedrooms and another 42% having three bedrooms, so the suburb suits families seeking space rather than apartment buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,726, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the high purchase price, because household incomes here rank in the 93.5th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 45.6% outnumber those with a mortgage at 34.8%, a sign of long-held established wealth.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1.7 million places Austinmer well above most NSW coastal markets outside Sydney. Price data shows a decline from $1.8 million in 2024 to $1.62 million in 2025, a 10% drop from peak, which gives buyers more room than existed a year ago. The stock is strongly detached: 82.7% are separate houses with 42% having four or more bedrooms and another 42% having three bedrooms, so the suburb suits families seeking space rather than apartment buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,726, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the high purchase price, because household incomes here rank in the 93.5th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 45.6% outnumber those with a mortgage at 34.8%, a sign of long-held established wealth.
For Investors
A 19.6% renter share and weekly rent of $550 are the core yield inputs. Against a $1.7 million median, that implies a gross yield around 1.7%, which is low but consistent with premium coastal suburbs where capital appreciation rather than income drives the investment case. The vacancy rate of 11.7% is elevated and warrants attention, suggesting the rental pool has more supply than demand, particularly in a suburb where only 19.6% of residents rent. Net overseas migration adds approximately 106 people per year to the broader SA2 while net internal migration removes 102, so demand growth is thin. There were 22 development applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations to existing houses rather than new supply, which keeps stock constrained over the medium term.
Development Activity
Total DAs
183
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-36.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Austinmer iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Austinmer Public School
K-6 · 227 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is two years above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is confirmed by a 5.1-point rise in the senior share and a 3.3-point fall in the working-age share over the past decade. University qualifications reach 56.8%, which is 26.7 percentage points above the national average, one of the sharper differentials found in coastal NSW. The overseas-born share is 17.2%, which is 4.4 points below national, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born population. Ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (1,164 residents), Irish (499) and Scottish (360) lead the count. Average household size is 2.8, which is 0.3 above national, consistent with the family-oriented detached-house profile. The volunteering rate of 23% is notably high, indicating strong civic engagement.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.7%
Houses
9.6%
Townhouse
7.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is weighted towards ownership: 45.6% own outright and 34.8% carry a mortgage, leaving only 19.6% renting. That 45.6% outright ownership rate signals an established, wealth-concentrated cohort that is unlikely to turn over properties quickly. The dwelling mix is dominated by separate houses at 82.7%, with semi-detached at 9.6% and apartments at just 7.7%. Bedroom size skews large, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 41.6% and three-bedroom at 42%, so the suburb caters to families and upsizers rather than entry-level buyers or renters. The median price declined from $1.8 million in 2024 to $1.62 million in 2025, a 10% fall from peak. Rent-to-income sits at 21.3%, below the 30% stress benchmark, so current renters are not under pressure relative to income.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,726
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,080
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.7%
Unoccupied
126
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.5%
Couples, no children
2,326
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans heavily on knowledge and care sectors. Healthcare leads at 20.2% of employed residents (217 workers), followed by Education at 18.8% (202), Professional and Technical services at 13.3% (143), Public Administration at 8.5% (91) and Construction at 7.4% (80). By occupation, Professionals (545) and Managers (213) make up the bulk of the workforce, consistent with decile 9 on the IEO education and occupation index. The unemployment rate is 4.3% against a full-time employment rate of 58.4%. Weekly personal income averages $1,080 and family income averages $2,955, both well above national medians. Real income grew 19% over the decade. SEIFA scores are high across all four indexes, with IRSD and IRSAD both at decile 10.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
6,752
Unemployed
168
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.4%
Part-time
37.3%
Participation
56.5%
Employed
1,174
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.8%
Postgraduate
19.8%
Born Overseas
17.2%
Dwellings
949
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 88.4% of residents driving to work, compared to the national pattern where car use is lower in denser areas. Public transport use is only 3.1%, below state averages, which reflects the coastal geography and limited train frequency typical of the Illawarra line. Walking and cycling account for 4.8% of commutes, above average for a low-density suburb. The suburb earns decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD, indicating very low deprivation. Only 3.0% of residents (80 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 42. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families use institutions in neighbouring Thirroul and Wollongong. Crime data is not available in this dataset, but the decile 10 IRSD profile is consistent with low-disadvantage areas.
Drive
88.4%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.57%/yr
(+69 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth runs at 0.57%, adding roughly 69 residents per year to the current base of around 12,148 in the broader SA2. The 10-year change was 13%, classifying Austinmer as an established suburb with moderate organic growth rather than a greenfield expansion area. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population reaching approximately 12,604 by 2031. The primary migration driver is overseas arrivals at 106 net per year, exactly offset by an internal outflow of 102, so growth depends entirely on overseas migration continuing. The shift pattern is aging: the gentrification score is 51 on an active trajectory, though the gentrification summary notes net internal outflow as a counter-signal. Affordability worsened slightly from 51.9% in 2011 to 54.2% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+106
Net Internal / yr
-102
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -102/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Austinmer compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Austinmer a good suburb to live in?
Austinmer ranks decile 10 on IRSAD and IRSD, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 93.5th percentile. University qualifications reach 56.8%, which is 26.7 points above national. The main trade-offs are a high $1.7 million median house price, limited public transport at 3.1% usage, and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Austinmer?
The median house price is $1.7 million as of 2024-2025. Prices fell 10% from a peak of $1.8 million in 2024 to $1.62 million in 2025. Weekly rent averages $550 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,726, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.3%.
What schools are in Austinmer?
No schools are recorded inside the Austinmer suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Thirroul and Bulli. The local population is highly educated, with 56.8% holding university qualifications, which is 26.7 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Austinmer safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Austinmer in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest advantage tier nationally, and only 3.0% of residents (80 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a very low-disadvantage, low-crime profile.
Is Austinmer good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $550 against a $1.7 million median implies a gross yield around 1.7%, low by national standards. The vacancy rate of 11.7% signals an oversupplied rental market. Net overseas migration of 106 per year is the only positive growth driver, offset by an internal outflow of 102. Returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Austinmer's population changing?
The broader SA2 population grows at 0.57% annually, adding roughly 69 residents per year from a base of 12,148. The 10-year change was 13%. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.1 points over the decade. Medium forecasts project the SA2 reaching around 12,604 by 2031.
How much development is happening in Austinmer?
There were 22 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and additions to existing houses rather than new dwellings. This reflects the suburb's established character, where 45.6% of residents own outright and the stock is 82.7% detached houses. New supply is constrained, which supports prices over the medium term.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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