Fairy Meadow
Development activity at 103 DAs in 12 months is the highest in this batch, more than 4 times the next most active suburb. The $972,500 median house price sits in the Illawarra sweet spot between Sydney prices and regional affordability, yet mortgage stress at 35.6% breaches the 30% threshold. Rents grew 49.0% over the decade, the second steepest in this batch. With 42.3% renters, 22.2% apartments and 6 schools spanning ICSEA 984 to 1,081, Fairy Meadow functions as a transitional suburb where rapid densification is reshaping the housing profile and testing the capacity of a 40th-percentile income base.
Population
7,512
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,407/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
108
Median House
$972K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $972,500 median (PSI derived, 2024-2025) grew 2.1% from $967,500 in 2024. Mortgage repayments of $2,167/month produce a 35.6% mortgage-to-income ratio, above the 30% stress threshold. Houses at 57.4% lead, but apartments at 22.2% and semi-detached at 19.5% indicate progressive densification. Three-bedroom at 39.2% and 2-bedroom at 34.1% are the dominant configurations. Six schools cover primary to secondary: Good Samaritan Catholic (ICSEA 1,081, 335), Mount Ousley Public (1,079, 193), Wollongong High Performing Arts (1,075, 1,169), Towradgi Public (1,031, 134), Fairy Meadow Public (1,002, 342) and Keira High (984, 723).
For Buyers
The $972,500 median (PSI derived, 2024-2025) grew 2.1% from $967,500 in 2024. Mortgage repayments of $2,167/month produce a 35.6% mortgage-to-income ratio, above the 30% stress threshold. Houses at 57.4% lead, but apartments at 22.2% and semi-detached at 19.5% indicate progressive densification. Three-bedroom at 39.2% and 2-bedroom at 34.1% are the dominant configurations. Six schools cover primary to secondary: Good Samaritan Catholic (ICSEA 1,081, 335), Mount Ousley Public (1,079, 193), Wollongong High Performing Arts (1,075, 1,169), Towradgi Public (1,031, 134), Fairy Meadow Public (1,002, 342) and Keira High (984, 723).
For Investors
Renters at 42.3% provide a large tenant pool. Weekly rent of $390 against $972,500 gives a gross yield of 2.1%, below the 3.5% benchmark. Vacancy at 5.3% is moderate. The 103 DAs in 12 months, including dual occupancies and commercial conversions, signal aggressive densification that could increase rental supply. Net overseas migration of +297/year is strong, and gentrification score of 45 (active) indicates the demographic profile is upgrading. However, rent-to-income at 27.7% and tenant incomes at the 41st percentile create affordability constraints. Real income grew 27.6% over the decade, above average for the Illawarra.
Development Activity
Total DAs
439
Last 12 Months
108
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+52.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Fairy Meadow iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 335 students
Mount Ousley Public School
K-6 · 193 students
Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts
7-12 · 1169 students
Towradgi Public School
K-6 · 134 students
Fairy Meadow Public School
P-6 · 342 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below national. Overseas-born at 27.3% is 5.7 points above national: English (2,367), Italian (722), Irish (681) and Scottish (663) form a mixed Anglo-Celtic and Southern European profile. Italian (97 speakers), Mandarin (66), Malayalam (64) and Arabic (59) lead non-English languages. University qualifications at 35.2% are 5.1 points above national, and IEO decile 7 confirms above-average educational advantage. The 48.9% participation rate is low. Professionals (841) lead occupations but Community/Personal (459) ranks 2nd, reflecting the healthcare and education employment base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
57.4%
Houses
19.5%
Townhouse
22.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Renters (42.3%) outnumber mortgage holders (22.4%) and outright owners (35.3%). The low mortgage share (22.4%) is unusual, suggesting many residents either bought decades ago (outright) or rent. Houses at 57.4%, apartments at 22.2% and semi-detached at 19.5% create diverse stock. Two-bedroom at 34.1% and 3-bedroom at 39.2% dominate. Prices moved from $967,500 to $987,500, a 2.1% gain. Mortgage stress at 35.6% is above the 30% threshold. Rent stress at 27.7% is elevated but below the line. The 73.6% residential stability is moderate. The combination of high renter share and mortgage stress suggests price growth has outpaced local income capacity.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$390
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$674
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.3%
Unoccupied
168
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.3%
Couples, no children
5,267
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 19.0% (448 workers), Education at 13.3% (313), Public Admin at 8.2% (193), Construction and Professional/Tech tied at 7.8% (185 each). The knowledge-sector weighting reflects proximity to the University of Wollongong. Professionals (841) lead occupations, but Labourers (305) rank 5th. Full-time employment at 59.1% is moderate. The 6.5% unemployment rate is above average, and the 48.9% participation rate is low, partly reflecting students and retirees. SEIFA places the suburb at IRSAD decile 6 and IEO decile 7, indicating moderate advantage with educational lean.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
11,785
Unemployed
578
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.1%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
48.9%
Employed
2,923
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.2%
Postgraduate
11.2%
Born Overseas
27.3%
Dwellings
2,994
Transport to Work
Car driving at 84.6% dominates, with public transport at 4.3% and walking/cycling at 5.4%. Six schools span primary through secondary with ICSEA scores from 984 to 1,081: Good Samaritan Catholic (1,081, 335), Mount Ousley Public (1,079, 193), Wollongong High Performing Arts (1,075, 1,169), Towradgi Public (1,031, 134), Fairy Meadow Public (1,002, 342) and Keira High (984, 723). This breadth gives families multiple options above and at benchmark. IRSAD decile 6 is upper-middle. Mortgage stress at 35.6% is the key livability concern, indicating households are stretched.
Drive
84.6%
Public Transport
4.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.36%/yr
(+81 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth at 0.36% per year (81 persons) is slow despite the 103 DAs signalling construction intensity. The ERP reached 22,303 in 2025, with medium forecasts projecting 22,707 by 2031. Overseas migration at +297/year is the primary driver, but internal outflow of -156/year significantly offsets it. The 10-year population change of 7.6% is below the NSW average. The gentrification score of 45 (active) indicates ongoing income and education upgrading. Real income grew 27.6% over the decade. Affordability improved from 55.0% in 2011 to 52.2% in 2021. The senior share grew modestly at 1.7 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+297
Net Internal / yr
-156
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -156/yr, Strong overseas inflow +297/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Fairy Meadow compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fairy Meadow a good suburb to live in?
Fairy Meadow offers 6 schools with ICSEA scores from 984 to 1,081, IRSAD decile 6, and proximity to Wollongong and the university. Mortgage stress at 35.6% is above the 30% threshold, a concern for buyers on median incomes. Walking/cycling at 5.4% is moderate. The 103 DAs in 12 months signal ongoing neighbourhood change.
What is the median house price in Fairy Meadow?
The median is $972,500 (2024-2025 PSI derived), up 2.1% from $967,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167 and weekly rent is $390. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 35.6% exceeds the 30% stress threshold, as household incomes sit at the 41st percentile nationally.
What schools are in Fairy Meadow?
Six schools serve the suburb: Good Samaritan Catholic (ICSEA 1,081, 335 students), Mount Ousley Public (1,079, 193), Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts (1,075, 1,169), Towradgi Public (1,031, 134), Fairy Meadow Public (1,002, 342) and Keira High (984, 723). Five of 6 score at or above the 1,000 benchmark.
Is Fairy Meadow safe?
Suburb-specific crime data is not available. SEIFA IRSD decile 5 is at the national midpoint. The 6.5% unemployment rate is above average. The 42.3% renter share and 27.3% overseas-born rate suggest a mixed community. IRSAD decile 6 indicates moderate advantage, generally associated with average crime levels in comparable Illawarra suburbs.
Is Fairy Meadow good for property investment?
Gross yield is 2.1% ($390/week on $972,500), below the 3.5% benchmark. Renters at 42.3% provide a large pool. However, the 103 DAs in 12 months will add supply. Rents grew 49.0% over the decade, the 2nd steepest in this batch. Net overseas migration of +297/year sustains demand. Internal outflow of -156/year partly offsets it.
How is Fairy Meadow's population changing?
Growth is slow at 0.36% per year (81 persons) despite 103 DAs, with medium projections of 22,707 by 2031. Overseas migration at +297/year drives growth, offset by -156/year internal outflow. The gentrification score of 45 (active) reflects 27.6% real income growth over the decade. The 10-year population change of 7.6% is below the NSW average.
What is the development pipeline in Fairy Meadow?
103 development applications in 12 months make Fairy Meadow the most active suburb in this batch. Applications include new dwelling houses, dual occupancies (attached), and commercial-to-residential conversions. The 22.2% apartment share and 19.5% semi-detached share are growing as densification continues across the suburb.
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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