Dapto
Detached housing defines Dapto more than density: 84.9% of homes are separate houses and only 2.3% are apartments, giving it a lower-rise feel than inner Wollongong suburbs. The suburb has 10,954 residents, a median age of 39, and household income in the 45.8 percentile, so it sits slightly below the middle of the national income spread. Compared with nearby Koonawarra and Horsley, its appeal is practical: an $800,000 median house price, 5 local schools and family-sized stock rather than a high-rise or luxury market.
Population
10,954
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,475/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
55
Median House
$855K
12m to Jun 2026 (PSI)
For homebuyers, Dapto is mainly a family-house market, with 57.7% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 27.6% having 4 or more. The median house price is $800,000, while the latest price point is $817,500, up 4.8% from $780,000 in 2024 and still at its 2025 peak. Mortgage repayments average $1,880 a month and take 29.4% of income, below common stress thresholds, because local prices are cushioned by household income of $1,475 a week. Apartment choice is limited at 2.3%, so buyers wanting low-maintenance stock have fewer options.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Dapto is mainly a family-house market, with 57.7% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 27.6% having 4 or more. The median house price is $800,000, while the latest price point is $817,500, up 4.8% from $780,000 in 2024 and still at its 2025 peak. Mortgage repayments average $1,880 a month and take 29.4% of income, below common stress thresholds, because local prices are cushioned by household income of $1,475 a week. Apartment choice is limited at 2.3%, so buyers wanting low-maintenance stock have fewer options.
For Investors
Investors face a steady but not tight rental setting. Renters make up 25.4% of households, below the owner-heavy total of 74.6% owned outright or with a mortgage, and weekly rent is $400. A 4.0% vacancy rate is higher than a squeezed market, so pricing power may be softer in the short term. The case for holding is supported by 52 development lodgements in 12 months and migration that averages 53 net overseas and 27 net internal residents annually, because new demand is balanced rather than speculative.
Development Activity
Total DAs
394
Last 12 Months
55
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Dapto iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St John's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 623 students
Mount Brown Public School
K-6 · 346 students
Dapto High School
7-12 · 988 students
Lakelands Public School
K-6 · 370 students
Koonawarra Public School
P-6 · 192 students
Demographics
Dapto's demographic mix is locally rooted and slightly older-working-family in tone. The median age is 39, which is 1 year below the national benchmark, while average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure. University attainment is 17.7%, 12.4 percentage points below national, and overseas-born residents are 16.1%, 5.5 points lower. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 4,609 people, with Scottish at 1,150 and Irish at 1,055, so social networks are shaped more by long-established Australian and British Isles ties than recent migration.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.9%
Houses
12.8%
Townhouse
2.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing supply is strongly detached, which keeps Dapto different from higher-density Wollongong centres. Separate houses account for 84.9%, semi-detached homes 12.8% and apartments 2.3%. Prices moved from $780,000 in 2024 to $817,500 in 2025, a 4.8% rise, with the latest value equal to the peak and 0.0% below it. Ownership is high: 35.6% own outright and 39.0% have a mortgage, compared with 25.4% renting. Rent takes 27.1% of income and mortgages 29.4%, so stress flags remain off despite an $800,000 median house price.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (12m to Jun 2026 (PSI))
Mortgage / mo
$1,880
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (January to March 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $400.
$700
Bond data Mar 2026 · houses $730 · units $500
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$686
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
175
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.8%
Couples, no children
8,983
Total families
Economy & Employment
Dapto's economy leans toward essential services and trades rather than corporate office work. Healthcare is the largest industry at 24.6% or 768 workers, followed by construction at 11.8%, education at 9.9%, manufacturing at 7.0% and retail at 6.9%. Community and personal service roles lead occupations with 738 workers, above professionals at 667. The labour market has 62.2% of employed residents full time, 5.7% unemployment and 50.9% participation. SEIFA shows the split: education and occupation rank in decile 2, while economic resources sit higher in decile 5 because steady wages offset lower qualifications.
Unemployment
8.8%
Labour Force
12,238
Unemployed
1,074
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
32.1%
Participation
50.9%
Employed
4,299
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.7%
Postgraduate
3.9%
Born Overseas
16.1%
Dwellings
4,172
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-led, with 90.5% of commuters driving, 1.7% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling, so households without a car have fewer choices than in denser Wollongong locations. Education access is a clear local asset: 5 schools cover Catholic and Government options, with ICSEA scores from 838 to 1038. St John's Catholic Primary leads at 1038 with 623 enrolments, while Dapto High provides a nearby secondary option with ICSEA 968 and 988 enrolments. IRSAD decile 3 points to below-average advantage, so amenity is practical rather than premium.
Drive
90.5%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.47%/yr
(+116 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is modest rather than expansionary. Dapto's established trajectory points to 0.47% a year, about 116 people annually, and the medium path rises from 25,019 in 2026 to 25,597 in 2031. Migration is balanced, with average net overseas inflow of 53 a year and net internal inflow of 27, so demand is not reliant on a single source. The age structure is shifting: seniors gained 3.5 percentage points while the young share fell 1.5 points. Affordability worsened from 51.7 in 2011 to 58.2 in 2021, but forward gentrification pressure is scored 0 and labelled Not gentrifying, below the pressure seen in faster-changing coastal markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+53
Net Internal / yr
+27
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dapto compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dapto a good suburb to live in?
Dapto can suit buyers wanting space and local schools at a median house price of $800,000. Its 84.9% separate-house share is high compared with inner Wollongong, but 90.5% car commuting means daily convenience depends on driving for many households.
What is the median house price in Dapto?
The median house price in Dapto is $800,000, with the latest price point at $817,500 in 2025. Prices rose 4.8% from $780,000 in 2024, so the market is higher than a year earlier but not showing a fall from its latest peak.
What schools are in Dapto?
Dapto has 5 schools in the local list, spanning Catholic and Government sectors. St John's Catholic Primary has ICSEA 1038 and 623 students, while Dapto High School has ICSEA 968 and 988 enrolments, giving families both primary and secondary options.
Is Dapto safe?
Local crime rate figures are not available, so safety should be assessed through inspections, commute timing and street-level checks. Practical indicators include 5 local schools and 90.5% car commuting, meaning activity patterns vary by school runs and commuting hours.
Is Dapto good for property investment?
Dapto can work for investors seeking moderate income rather than scarcity-driven rent pressure. Renters are 25.4% of households, weekly rent is $400 and vacancy is 4.0%, while 52 development lodgements suggest ongoing renewal and some added supply.
How is Dapto's population changing?
Dapto is growing slowly, with a trend of 0.47% a year or about 116 people annually. The medium path reaches 25,597 by 2031, while migration is balanced between 53 net overseas and 27 net internal residents a year.
What development is happening in Dapto?
Development activity is active, with 52 lodgements in the past 12 months. Recent examples include a dwelling house lodged on 2026-04-08, a swimming pool on 2026-03-30 and a health consulting room alteration on 2026-03-27.
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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