Coniston
At 2,267 residents packed into 1.06 square kilometres, Coniston registers a density of 2,136 people per km2, high for an inner Wollongong suburb with a median house price of $855,000. What makes the market distinctive is the price trajectory: from $745,000 in 2024 to $960,000 in 2025, a 28.9% single-year gain that runs well ahead of state and national norms. Household income sits near the national median at the 48.4th percentile, yet 31.9% of residents were born overseas, 10.3 percentage points above the national average. The suburb straddles renting and owning almost equally, with 42.6% renting and 31.8% owning outright.
Population
2,267
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,535/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$855K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $855,000 (PSI-derived, 2024-2025) reflects a market that moved sharply, climbing from $745,000 to $960,000 over the past year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.4% stays below the 30% stress threshold, so the suburb remains serviceable relative to comparable coastal NSW markets. The housing stock is majority separate houses at 50.8%, with apartments at 30.8% and semi-detached at 17.9%, offering genuine choice across dwelling types. Three-bedroom homes lead at 40.3% and four-plus bedrooms account for 22.5%, making Coniston reasonably family-oriented compared to inner-city suburbs where studios and two-bedrooms dominate.
For Buyers
The median house price of $855,000 (PSI-derived, 2024-2025) reflects a market that moved sharply, climbing from $745,000 to $960,000 over the past year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.4% stays below the 30% stress threshold, so the suburb remains serviceable relative to comparable coastal NSW markets. The housing stock is majority separate houses at 50.8%, with apartments at 30.8% and semi-detached at 17.9%, offering genuine choice across dwelling types. Three-bedroom homes lead at 40.3% and four-plus bedrooms account for 22.5%, making Coniston reasonably family-oriented compared to inner-city suburbs where studios and two-bedrooms dominate.
For Investors
With 42.6% of residents renting, Coniston sits well above the national renter average, supporting consistent tenant demand. Weekly rent of $350 produces a gross yield near 2.1% against the $855,000 median, modest but above the 1-2% common in Sydney's premium markets. The vacancy rate of 8.1% is elevated, signalling some oversupply in the rental pool, which may weigh on rent growth short term. Development activity over the past 12 months reached 14 applications, including a secondary dwelling CDC lodged in May 2026, pointing to incremental densification rather than large-scale supply. The price surge of 28.9% year-on-year is eye-catching but warrants caution given only two data points in the price history.
Development Activity
Total DAs
60
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-11.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Coniston iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Coniston Public School
K-6 · 181 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below the national figure of 40, indicating a slightly younger population than average. Overseas-born residents reach 31.9%, which is 10.3 percentage points above the national level, driven by Macedonian (267 residents) and other European communities alongside English (603) and Irish (196) ancestry. Macedonian is the leading non-English language at 106 speakers, followed by Serbian (38), reflecting a Southern European migration pattern less common than Asian-led communities in Sydney. University qualifications at 32.8% are 2.7 percentage points above the national figure, and the average household size of 2.4 is marginally below the national average of 2.5. About 12.5% of residents volunteer, and 10.2% require daily assistance.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
50.8%
Houses
17.9%
Townhouse
30.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split leans toward renting: 42.6% rent, 31.8% own outright and 25.6% carry a mortgage. A renter majority is typical for inner urban areas but contrasts with regional NSW where ownership rates tend to be higher. The stock is predominantly separate houses (50.8%), which is above average for a 1.06 km2 suburb of this density. Prices moved from $745,000 in 2024 to $960,000 in 2025, a 28.9% gain over one year. The rent-to-income ratio of 22.8% and mortgage-to-income of 27.4% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, meaning neither renters nor buyers face extreme pressure at current rates, though the price jump has narrowed affordability compared to prior years.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$739
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.1%
Unoccupied
78
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.9%
Couples, no children
1,642
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates employment at 20.7% of workers (143 people), followed by Education at 15.2% (105) and Public Admin at 9.4% (65). Construction at 8.1% and Professional/Technical at 6.5% round out the top five, a profile more weighted toward service sectors than trade or manufacturing. By occupation, Professionals lead at 258 workers, followed by Community/Personal service at 144 and Clerical/Admin at 131. The unemployment rate of 6.5% is above typical national figures, and the participation rate of 50.8% is lower than most urban suburbs, partly explained by 681 residents classified as not in the labour force. Full-time employment among those employed runs at 64.1%, broadly comparable to state norms.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.1%
Part-time
29.4%
Participation
50.8%
Employed
924
Occupations
Top Industries
University
32.8%
Postgraduate
7.7%
Born Overseas
31.9%
Dwellings
887
Transport to Work
Transport use skews heavily toward cars: 83.0% of residents drive to work, well above the national average, and only 4.1% use public transport, below what comparable inner NSW suburbs achieve. Walking or cycling accounts for 5.1%, modest but meaningful. No schools are recorded inside the Coniston boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in adjacent Wollongong suburbs. The crime data fields are null in the brief, so no direct safety comparison can be made. SEIFA decile scores are not available, limiting a direct socioeconomic ranking, but household income at the 48.4th percentile nationally places Coniston near the middle of the national distribution. Rent stress at 22.8% and mortgage stress at 27.4% both stay below the 30% stress threshold, supporting everyday financial stability.
Drive
83.0%
Public Transport
4.1%
Walk / Cycle
5.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Coniston compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coniston a good suburb to live in?
Coniston offers a mix of housing types, a median age of 39 (1 year below the national figure) and household income near the 48.4th national percentile. Rent-to-income at 22.8% and mortgage-to-income at 27.4% both stay below the 30% stress threshold. The main trade-offs are an 8.1% vacancy rate in the rental pool and heavy car dependence at 83% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Coniston?
The median house price is $855,000 based on PSI-derived data for the 2024-2025 period. Prices surged 28.9%, from $745,000 in 2024 to $960,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,820.
What schools are in Coniston?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.06 km2 Coniston boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Wollongong suburbs. The suburb has a university qualification rate of 32.8%, which is 2.7 percentage points above the national average, reflecting a reasonably educated resident base.
Is Coniston safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Coniston in this dataset. As a proxy indicator, rent-to-income sits at 22.8% and mortgage-to-income at 27.4%, both below financial stress thresholds, and 12.5% of the 2,267 residents volunteer, a sign of community engagement generally associated with more stable suburbs.
Is Coniston good for property investment?
The renter share of 42.6% is well above national norms, supporting demand for rental properties. Weekly rent of $350 against the $855,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.1%. However, the 8.1% vacancy rate signals elevated rental supply, and the 28.9% price jump from 2024 to 2025 is based on only two data points, so caution is warranted.
How is Coniston's population changing?
Coniston's population of 2,267 sits within a 1.06 km2 area at 2,136 people per km2. The mobility data shows 75.9% of residents stayed in place between census periods and 24.1% turned over, consistent with a functioning rental market. No multi-year population growth forecast is available in the current dataset.
What languages are spoken in Coniston?
About 31.9% of residents were born overseas, which is 10.3 percentage points above the national average. Macedonian is the leading non-English language at 106 speakers, followed by Serbian (38), Mandarin (19) and Arabic (18), reflecting a European and Middle Eastern community mix alongside the English-speaking majority.
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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