Farmborough Heights
A 95.6% separate-house share is the clearest signal in Farmborough Heights, where 4,179 residents live across 3.04 sq km at a density of 1,376.1 people per sq km. The median age is 38, which is 2.0 years below the national comparison, while household income sits at the 84.6th percentile. A 33.3% work-from-home rate adds flexibility, but 61.7% drive to work, reinforcing a car-oriented pattern. Compared with nearby Unanderra, Farmborough Heights has a more uniformly detached residential profile, with 48.0% three-bedroom and 47.0% four-bedroom-plus homes. That form supports longer-term residency, reflected in 84.5% staying at the same address.
Population
4,179
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,234/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Homebuyers are choosing a strongly detached, family-sized housing profile rather than an apartment market. Mortgage costs are recorded at $2,008 per month, while weekly rent is $450. Mortgage-to-income is 20.8%, higher than rent-to-income at 20.1%, so borrowing capacity and interest-rate changes remain important even though neither measure is flagged as housing stress. Compared with a unit-led suburb, the 95.6% separate-house share provides more emphasis on land, yards and established homes. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 48.0% of housing and four-bedroom-plus homes for 47.0%, which suits couples with children but can limit choice for buyers seeking smaller properties. Ownership is high, with 38.2% owned outright and 48.2% under mortgage.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing a strongly detached, family-sized housing profile rather than an apartment market. Mortgage costs are recorded at $2,008 per month, while weekly rent is $450. Mortgage-to-income is 20.8%, higher than rent-to-income at 20.1%, so borrowing capacity and interest-rate changes remain important even though neither measure is flagged as housing stress. Compared with a unit-led suburb, the 95.6% separate-house share provides more emphasis on land, yards and established homes. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 48.0% of housing and four-bedroom-plus homes for 47.0%, which suits couples with children but can limit choice for buyers seeking smaller properties. Ownership is high, with 38.2% owned outright and 48.2% under mortgage.
For Investors
Farmborough Heights can suit investors targeting a low-rental, owner-occupier market, but tenant depth may be narrower than in a more rental-oriented suburb. Weekly rent is $450, vacancy is 3.0% and only 12.9% of households rent, compared with 48.2% with a mortgage and 38.2% owning outright. That ownership structure can support stable presentation and lower tenant turnover because many homes are occupied by long-term residents. Development activity is also material, with 25 applications over 12 months. Recent examples include demolition, dwelling-house work, alterations or additions and 1 new dwelling, so each application should be assessed to distinguish genuine additional supply from renewal of an existing lot.
Development Activity
Total DAs
163
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Farmborough Heights has a median age of 38, which is 2.0 years below the national comparison, while its 2.8-person average household size is 0.3 above the national figure. University attainment is 32.7%, or 2.6 percentage points above the national comparison, supporting the suburb's professional and managerial profile. The overseas-born share is 18.0%, 3.6 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is most common at 1,434 people, followed by Scottish at 427, Irish at 419 and Italian at 303. Christianity accounts for 2,285 people and no religion for 1,471. This mix helps explain the family focus, with 50.5% of families recorded as couples with children and 37.4% as couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.6%
Houses
3.3%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by detached homes and larger floor plans. Separate houses account for 95.6% of dwellings, compared with 1.1% apartments and 3.3% semi-detached homes. The bedroom profile is also larger than an apartment-oriented setting, with 48.0% three-bedroom and 47.0% four-bedroom-plus dwellings. Tenure is weighted toward established owner occupation: 38.2% own outright, 48.2% have a mortgage and 12.9% rent. Compared with the rental share, the mortgage cohort is substantially larger, which points to a stable residential market shaped by household formation and long-term ownership. The weekly household income of $2,234 sits at the 84.6th percentile, while mortgage-to-income is 20.8%, giving buyers a useful affordability measure alongside current sale prices.
Mortgage / mo
$2,008
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $450.
$700
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $750 · units $500
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$887
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.0%
Unoccupied
44
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.5%
Couples with children
37.4%
Couples, no children
11.8%
Single parent
1,191
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest local employment industry at 20.3%, representing 302 workers, followed by education at 14.4% and 214 workers. Public administration accounts for 8.7% and 130 workers, while manufacturing contributes 8.4% and 125 workers and construction 8.3% and 124 workers. Occupations are led by professionals at 523 people, trades at 314, clerical and administrative roles at 303, managers at 234 and community or personal service work at 209. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, participation is 63.9% and the full-time employment rate is 58.3%. Household income at the 84.6th percentile is above the national middle, which fits the concentration of professional, managerial, healthcare and education employment. The industry spread also reduces dependence on a single employer type.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
2,149
Unemployed
82
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.3%
Part-time
31.2%
Participation
63.9%
Employed
2,067
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
32.7%
Postgraduate
8.6%
Born Overseas
18.0%
Dwellings
1,408
Transport to Work
Daily travel is strongly car-led: 61.7% drive to work, compared with only 0.6% using public transport and 0.6% walking or cycling. A 33.3% work-from-home rate partly offsets that dependence, particularly for households with flexible employment. Compared with a denser, transit-oriented suburb, the 3.04 sq km setting and 1,376.1 people per sq km density point to a more residential environment where local errands and school runs may require planning. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, as boundaries can cross suburb lines; 50.5% of families are couples with children and 601 such families are recorded. Volunteering is 12.9%, while 4.4% need assistance. For safety decisions, inspect the specific street and consult current local incident information rather than relying on suburb-wide impressions.
Drive
61.7%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
33.3%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Farmborough Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Farmborough Heights a good suburb to live in?
It can suit households seeking detached, family-sized housing and a relatively stable resident base. The suburb has 4,179 people, 95.6% separate houses, 50.5% couples with children and 84.5% of residents staying at the same address. Car dependence is high at 61.7%, so transport needs should be considered.
What is the median house price in Farmborough Heights?
Use recent local sales to establish the current median, because Farmborough Heights is dominated by separate houses: 95.6% of dwellings are detached, with 48.0% having 3 bedrooms and 47.0% having 4 or more. A combined figure can obscure the difference between these home types.
What schools are in Farmborough Heights?
School planning should start with the exact address and its enrolment zone. Farmborough Heights has 601 couples with children, representing 50.5% of families, so school access is a practical consideration for many households. Check current government, independent and Catholic options across the surrounding Wollongong area before buying.
Is Farmborough Heights safe?
Assess safety using current police or council incident information for the specific pocket and time period. Farmborough Heights has 4,179 residents and a density of 1,376.1 people per sq km, while 61.7% drive to work. Those figures describe population and traffic patterns, so inspect the exact area at different times.
Is Farmborough Heights good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking an owner-occupier market, with weekly rent of $450, vacancy of 3.0% and only 12.9% of households renting. There were also 25 development applications over 12 months. Review each project carefully because the activity includes demolition, alterations and 1 new dwelling rather than only additional rental supply.
How is Farmborough Heights's population changing?
The current population is 4,179. Residential stability is high, with 84.5% staying at the same address and turnover at 15.5%. The 25 development applications recorded over 12 months indicate ongoing dwelling activity, while the average household size is 2.8, which is 0.3 above the national comparison.
What development is happening in Farmborough Heights?
Recent activity is concentrated in housing work. There were 25 applications over 12 months, including demolition, dwelling-house work, alterations or additions and 1 new dwelling in the examples. That pattern suggests renewal of established lots alongside some new construction, so buyers should check the exact application and likely construction impact.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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