Flinders
With 7,118 residents in 2.31 square kilometres, Flinders combines urban density of 3,085.1 people per square kilometre with a 73.7% separate-house share. Its median age is 36, four years below the national benchmark, while household income sits at the 79.6th percentile. The 54.6% share of homes with 4 or more bedrooms points to family demand rather than an apartment-led market. Near Shell Cove and Shellharbour, the suburb suits car-oriented households: 69.9% drive to work and 25.5% work from home.
Population
7,118
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,103/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
Homebuyers will find a strongly family-sized housing mix: 54.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 37.6% have 3 bedrooms. Separate houses account for 73.7%, while semi-detached homes make up 25.7% and apartments only 0.5%, so choice is concentrated outside the unit market. The typical mortgage repayment is 2,167 per month, and mortgage holders represent 46.1% of households. Mortgage-to-income is 23.8%, slightly higher than rent-to-income at 23.3%, which helps explain why the suburb reads as a mortgage-belt market rather than a renter-led one.
For Buyers
Homebuyers will find a strongly family-sized housing mix: 54.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 37.6% have 3 bedrooms. Separate houses account for 73.7%, while semi-detached homes make up 25.7% and apartments only 0.5%, so choice is concentrated outside the unit market. The typical mortgage repayment is 2,167 per month, and mortgage holders represent 46.1% of households. Mortgage-to-income is 23.8%, slightly higher than rent-to-income at 23.3%, which helps explain why the suburb reads as a mortgage-belt market rather than a renter-led one.
For Investors
Investors have a meaningful tenant base, with 24.2% of households renting and weekly rent at 490. Vacancy is 3.2%, lower than the renter share, so leasing conditions should be checked alongside property type and price. The annual growth trend is 2.31% and internal migration is the primary driver, creating a more active outlook than a flat established market. Development activity reached 25 applications in 12 months, but examples include swimming pools and alterations as well as dwelling work, so approvals should not be read as 25 new homes.
Development Activity
Total DAs
136
Last 12 Months
25
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+47.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Flinders
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Flinders has a median age of 36, four years below the national benchmark, and 24.1% university attainment, 6 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents account for 16.3%, 5.3 points below national, while the 2.9-person average household is 0.4 above national. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 2,547, followed by Macedonian at 628, and the leading recorded non-English language is Macedon at 199. Christianity counts 4,247 people versus 2,293 reporting no religion. Near Shell Cove and Shellharbour, the profile is established and Anglo-leaning, with 81.5% staying at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.7%
Houses
25.7%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Flinders is a detached and larger-home market. Separate houses make up 73.7% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 25.7%, and apartments 0.5%, so its form is less apartment-oriented than many denser urban markets. Bedroom supply is similarly spacious: 54.6% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with 37.6% with 3 bedrooms. Tenure is split between 46.1% paying a mortgage, 29.1% owning outright and 24.2% renting. Mortgage repayments equal 23.8% of income, higher than rent-to-income at 23.3%. Around Shell Cove and Shellharbour, buyers should compare lot type, age and maintenance because the housing stock is not uniform.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $490.
$780
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $810 · units $660
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$822
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.2%
Unoccupied
78
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.0%
Couples with children
31.4%
Couples, no children
16.5%
Single parent
2,034
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads Flinders employment at 19.8% or 472 workers, followed by construction at 11.6% or 276, education at 11.0% or 263, public administration at 9.9% or 236, and manufacturing at 8.1% or 192. The occupation mix is led by professionals at 648 and trades at 622, ahead of clerical and administration at 504. Labour-force participation is 66.5%, with unemployment at 3.5%, while household income sits at the 79.6th percentile. SEIFA is uneven: IER reaches decile 9, higher than IEO at decile 6, while IRSD and IRSAD both sit at decile 7, indicating stronger economic resources than education and occupation outcomes.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
3,685
Unemployed
130
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.1%
Part-time
32.8%
Participation
66.5%
Employed
3,555
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.1%
Postgraduate
5.3%
Born Overseas
16.3%
Dwellings
2,377
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-dependent: 69.9% travel as car drivers, compared with 0.7% using public transport and 0.3% walking or cycling. A further 25.5% work from home, which can reduce commuting needs but does not replace local transport access. Flinders Public School provides 1 government primary option within the suburb; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address and investigate secondary pathways separately. The IRSAD score is 1,034 in decile 7, above the midpoint of the 10-decile scale, while average household size is 2.9. This suits households prioritising space and home-based work more than transit-first living.
Drive
69.9%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.3%
Work from Home
25.5%
Population Forecast
+2.31%/yr
(+485 people/yr)
EstablishedFlinders is on an above-flat growth path, with an annual trend of 2.31% and internal migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change reaches 43.8% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.1 percentage points while the young share has fallen 4.3 points, so growth is occurring alongside an older age structure. Gentrification is scored at 41 and classed Active, compared with a shift score of 33 and Early signs. Affordability remained stable, moving from 58.8 in 2011 to 60.6 in 2021, which may help retain established households as the suburb changes.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+81
Net Internal / yr
+232
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +49% since 2011, Net internal migration +232/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Flinders compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Flinders a good suburb to live in?
Flinders suits households seeking larger homes, with 54.6% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms. It is more car-dependent than transit-oriented, as 69.9% drive to work compared with 0.7% using public transport, while 25.5% work from home.
What is the median house price in Flinders?
Check recent settled sales for a current median house price. Flinders has a weekly rent of 490 and monthly mortgage repayments of 2,167, but those measures describe occupancy costs rather than a sale price.
What schools are in Flinders?
Flinders Public School provides 1 government primary option within the suburb. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address and review secondary pathways separately, since school access can differ across nearby parts of the Shellharbour area.
Is Flinders safe?
Check current NSW Police and council information for the exact street before deciding. Flinders has 7,118 residents across 2.31 square kilometres, and practical conditions can vary by road, housing pocket and time of day.
Is Flinders good for property investment?
Flinders may suit investors seeking an established suburb with 24.2% renters, weekly rent of 490 and a 3.2% vacancy rate. The annual growth trend is 2.31%, internal migration is the main driver and 25 applications were recorded in 12 months, although not all represent new dwellings.
How is Flinders's population changing?
Flinders has 7,118 residents today. Across the wider area, population change is 43.8% over 10 years and forecast growth is 2.31% annually, driven by internal migration. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.1 points and the young share down 4.3 points.
How do residents usually travel from Flinders?
Travel is primarily car-based, with 69.9% driving to work. Public transport accounts for 0.7%, walking or cycling for 0.3% and working from home for 25.5%, making reliable vehicle access more important than in a transit-led suburb.
What development is occurring in Flinders?
There were 25 development applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include 2 swimming pool applications and dwelling alterations, so activity indicates ongoing property investment but should not be treated as 25 additional homes.
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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