Cordeaux Heights
Household income at the 94.2nd percentile nationally puts Cordeaux Heights firmly in the top tier for the Illawarra region, yet the suburb's defining feature is its stability: 87.7% of residents did not move in the five years before the Census, well above most comparable suburbs. The median house price reached $1,348,000 in 2025, up 9.6% from $1,230,000 in 2024. Almost all dwellings are detached houses at 97.6%, and 70.5% have four or more bedrooms, pointing to a suburb built around established family life rather than rental churn or apartment development. With only 8.6% renters, this is one of the lowest renter shares in NSW.
Population
4,460
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,634/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
Median House
$1.3M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $1,330,000, rising from $1,230,000 in 2024 to $1,348,000 in 2025, a 9.6% one-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, which produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.0%, below the 30% stress threshold and comfortable relative to the 94.2nd-percentile household income. Stock is almost exclusively detached houses at 97.6%, with 70.5% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, so buyers competing for larger family homes are choosing within a homogeneous pool rather than weighing up apartment alternatives. Outright ownership at 46.8% exceeds mortgage holders at 44.6%, a pattern typical of mature owner-occupier suburbs where long-tenured residents have paid down debt.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $1,330,000, rising from $1,230,000 in 2024 to $1,348,000 in 2025, a 9.6% one-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, which produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.0%, below the 30% stress threshold and comfortable relative to the 94.2nd-percentile household income. Stock is almost exclusively detached houses at 97.6%, with 70.5% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, so buyers competing for larger family homes are choosing within a homogeneous pool rather than weighing up apartment alternatives. Outright ownership at 46.8% exceeds mortgage holders at 44.6%, a pattern typical of mature owner-occupier suburbs where long-tenured residents have paid down debt.
For Investors
The rental market in Cordeaux Heights is thin by design: only 8.6% of dwellings are rented, compared to the national average of around 30%. Weekly rent averages $495, and the vacancy rate sits at 2.2%, the lower end of neutral territory. Against a $1,330,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 1.9%, modest but in line with a suburb where capital growth, not yield, is the primary case. Development activity reached 24 applications in the past 12 months, including new dwelling houses and pool additions, consistent with gradual intensification of existing lots rather than subdivision-led supply growth. The 87.7% residential retention rate limits turnover, keeping available stock tight.
Development Activity
Total DAs
136
Last 12 Months
25
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+56.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cordeaux Heights iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Illawarra Christian School
K-12 · 800 students
Unanderra Public School
K-6 · 348 students
Demographics
The median age is 41, one year above the national figure. Overseas-born residents make up 22.2%, which is 0.6 percentage points above national, a small but present international layer. Ancestry is Anglo-leaning: English leads at 1,429 residents, followed by a notable Macedonian community at 426, then Scottish (406) and Italian (359). University qualifications reach 39.5% of residents, which is 9.4 percentage points above the national figure, consistent with the professional workforce. Average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above national, reflecting the four-plus-bedroom stock and family-oriented composition. Couples with children make up the largest family type at 1,667 households, versus 926 couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.6%
Houses
2.2%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Cordeaux Heights is almost entirely a separate-house suburb at 97.6%, with just 2.2% semi-detached and negligible apartments. Four-or-more-bedroom dwellings account for 70.5% of stock, three-bedroom for 27.5%, so almost all supply suits families rather than singles or downsizers. Tenure is split between outright owners at 46.8% and mortgage holders at 44.6%, with renters at just 8.6%, well below the state average. Prices moved from $1,230,000 in 2024 to $1,348,000 in 2025, a 9.6% gain over one year. Rent-to-income at 18.8% and mortgage-to-income at 19.0% are both below 25%, which is below the stress threshold and suggests incumbents are not financially stretched despite elevated prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$495
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$896
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.2%
Unoccupied
32
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.3%
Couples, no children
4,156
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 18.2% of the workforce (317 workers), followed by Education at 17.1% (297 workers), then Manufacturing at 9.2%, Construction at 8.2% and Public Administration at 7.3%. Together, healthcare and education employ more than one in three working residents, skewing the local economy toward service and knowledge roles. By occupation, Professionals are the single largest group at 631 workers, followed by Clerical and Administrative at 369, Managers at 304, and Community and Personal Service at 243. The unemployment rate is 3.4%, below the national average, with a full-time employment rate of 62.3%. Household income ranks in the 94.2nd percentile nationally, reflecting the professional and managerial concentration.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
34.3%
Participation
60.5%
Employed
2,159
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.5%
Postgraduate
12.1%
Born Overseas
22.2%
Dwellings
1,439
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 91.7% commuting by car, with only 0.8% using public transport, placing Cordeaux Heights below the state average for transit access. Walking and cycling account for 2.3% of trips. The volunteering rate of 17.2% is above national norms, suggesting active community engagement. Housing stress is absent by both measures: rent-to-income at 18.8% and mortgage-to-income at 19.0% are both below 25%, well below the 30% stress marker. Only 4.8% of residents, or 211 people, need daily assistance, a low figure for a suburb with a median age of 41. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families draw on schools in neighbouring postcodes within the Wollongong metropolitan area.
Drive
91.7%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cordeaux Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cordeaux Heights a good suburb to live in?
Cordeaux Heights ranks at the 94.2nd percentile for household income nationally and has a residential retention rate of 87.7%, one of the strongest stability signals in NSW. Mortgage-to-income sits at 19.0% and rent-to-income at 18.8%, both below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes. Car reliance is high at 91.7%, so access to a vehicle is essential.
What is the median house price in Cordeaux Heights?
The median house price is $1,330,000, with prices rising 9.6% from $1,230,000 in 2024 to $1,348,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167. Weekly rent averages $495, though only 8.6% of dwellings are rented, making rental supply thin.
What schools are in Cordeaux Heights?
No schools are recorded within the Cordeaux Heights boundary in this dataset. With a population of 4,460 and a median age of 41, families in the suburb rely on schools in neighbouring parts of the Wollongong area. University qualifications among residents reach 39.5%, which is 9.4 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Cordeaux Heights safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Cordeaux Heights in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb has a 94.2nd-percentile household income nationally, a 3.4% unemployment rate below national averages, and only 4.8% of residents requiring daily assistance, factors associated with lower social disadvantage and lower crime risk.
Is Cordeaux Heights good for property investment?
Prices rose 9.6% year-on-year from $1,230,000 to $1,348,000, above average NSW performance. Gross yield is modest near 1.9% against the $1,330,000 median and $495 weekly rent. The 2.2% vacancy rate is in neutral territory, but only 8.6% of dwellings are rented, so the investor pool competes for scarce tenant demand in a predominantly owner-occupier suburb.
How is Cordeaux Heights's population changing?
Population stands at 4,460 across 3.35 square kilometres. Residential stability is high: 87.7% of residents did not move address in the five years before the Census, compared to lower retention rates typical of high-turnover suburbs. Development activity of 24 applications in 12 months points to gradual reinvestment rather than rapid supply expansion.
How much development is happening in Cordeaux Heights?
There were 24 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, above typical levels for a suburb of 4,460 residents. Recent applications include new dwelling houses, structural additions to existing buildings, and swimming pool installations, suggesting owners are investing in upgrades and extensions rather than large-scale subdivision or apartment construction.
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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