Gerringong
A 16.9% vacancy rate is the standout feature of Gerringong's housing profile, suggesting a meaningful share of homes may be used intermittently or as second residences. The suburb has 4,165 residents and a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national figure. Household income sits at the 70.9th percentile, while 44.6% of homes are owned outright. Compared with nearby Kiama's larger service-centre role, Gerringong has a smaller, more settled profile shaped by detached housing, remote work and older households. Its 30.4% work-from-home rate supports lifestyle flexibility, but the 63.2% share driving to work shows that daily mobility remains car dependent.
Population
4,165
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,899/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
61
Gerringong suits buyers seeking detached housing and established ownership, but affordability still needs close testing. The typical mortgage commitment is $2,167 per month, while median rent is $500 per week. Mortgage costs equal 26.4% of household income, almost level with rent at 26.3%, and neither measure is flagged as housing stress. The dwelling stock is dominated by separate houses at 79.3%, with 46.6% containing 4 or more bedrooms, so buyers can find family-sized homes more readily than compact apartments. Compared with Kiama, purchasers weighing the two markets should assess the exact street, vacancy pattern and commuting needs because Gerringong's car-driver share is 63.2%.
For Buyers
Gerringong suits buyers seeking detached housing and established ownership, but affordability still needs close testing. The typical mortgage commitment is $2,167 per month, while median rent is $500 per week. Mortgage costs equal 26.4% of household income, almost level with rent at 26.3%, and neither measure is flagged as housing stress. The dwelling stock is dominated by separate houses at 79.3%, with 46.6% containing 4 or more bedrooms, so buyers can find family-sized homes more readily than compact apartments. Compared with Kiama, purchasers weighing the two markets should assess the exact street, vacancy pattern and commuting needs because Gerringong's car-driver share is 63.2%.
For Investors
Gerringong presents a mixed investment case because rental income is paired with unusually high vacancy. Renters account for 19.8% of households and median rent is $500 per week, but the vacancy rate is 16.9%, well above what a tightly occupied rental market would normally suggest. That can reflect holiday use, seasonal demand or a mismatch between available homes and long-term tenants. There were 62 development matters in 12 months, increasing the need to check whether nearby alterations add competition or improve amenity. Compared with a lower-vacancy market, investors should place more weight on verified leasing history. Growth is forecast at 0.65% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
337
Last 12 Months
61
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-9.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Gerringong
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Gerringong has an older demographic profile, with a median age of 46, or 6 years above the national comparison. University-qualified residents account for 37.1%, which is 7 percentage points above the national figure, while only 12.6% were born overseas, 9 points below national levels. Couples without children represent 44.6% of families and couples with children 43.7%, helping explain the average household size of 2.6, just 0.1 above the national measure. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 1,914, 665 and 535 respectively, while Christianity and no religion record 2,150 and 1,736 people. Compared with a younger, more migrant-heavy regional market, this profile is more Anglo-leaning and established.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.3%
Houses
15.1%
Townhouse
5.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Gerringong's housing stock is firmly detached and owner-oriented. Separate houses account for 79.3%, compared with 15.1% semi-detached dwellings and 5.3% apartments. Larger homes dominate, with 46.6% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 36.5% containing 3 bedrooms, while only 3.9% have 1 bedroom or none. Ownership is substantial at 44.6% outright and 32.1% with a mortgage, against 19.8% renting. The $500 weekly median rent and $2,167 monthly mortgage commitment produce similar income burdens of 26.3% and 26.4%. Compared with apartment-heavy suburbs, this mix favours space and privacy, but the 16.9% vacancy rate points to more intermittent occupancy.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $500.
$790
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $850
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$802
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.9%
Unoccupied
302
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.7%
Couples with children
44.6%
Couples, no children
10.5%
Single parent
1,134
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Gerringong's largest industry at 20.3%, with 294 workers, followed by Education at 15.7% and 227 workers, Construction at 12.3% and 178, Public Administration at 11.0% and 159, and Professional and Technical services at 8.6% and 124. The leading occupations are Professionals with 559 people, Managers with 298 and Trades with 281. Unemployment is 3.7%, participation is 58.1% and the full-time rate is 53.6%, while 163 employed residents work away from the suburb. Household income is at the 70.9th percentile. SEIFA results are above the midpoint, with IEO decile 8, IER decile 9, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8, reflecting relatively strong education, resources and economic conditions despite a sizeable retired or non-labour-force population of 1,293.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
1,971
Unemployed
73
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.6%
Part-time
37.8%
Participation
58.1%
Employed
1,898
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.1%
Postgraduate
9.2%
Born Overseas
12.6%
Dwellings
1,480
Transport to Work
Daily life in Gerringong is strongly car led: 63.2% of workers drive, only 0.2% use public transport and 3.3% walk or cycle, although 30.4% work from home. One named local school provides government primary access, so families should check enrolment zones against the exact address and plan for secondary schooling beyond the immediate suburb. No single safety label should replace checking current incident patterns for the street and time of day. Social participation is supported by a 21.7% volunteering rate, while 6.6% of residents need assistance. Compared with transit-oriented suburbs, Gerringong requires more driving, but its IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9 indicate conditions above the midpoint for relative advantage and disadvantage.
Drive
63.2%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
30.4%
Population Forecast
+0.65%/yr
(+53 people/yr)
EstablishedGerringong is on an established growth path, with the annual trend set at 0.65% and population change across the wider area recorded at 15.8% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver. The trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share increased by 6.4 percentage points, while the young share fell 1.8 points and the working share fell 2.7 points. Rents grew 66.7%, real incomes grew 22.2% and affordability shifted from 54.0 in 2011 to 59.8 in 2021, with the trend labelled Worsening. Compared with a faster-growth corridor, this is a slower expansion shaped by ageing and housing costs. The shift profile records gentrification as Active with a score of 67, while the current gentrification label is Not gentrifying with a score of 4.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+41
Net Internal / yr
-12
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +11% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gerringong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gerringong a good suburb to live in?
Gerringong can suit households seeking space, remote-work flexibility and an established community. The median age is 46, 30.4% work from home and 79.3% of dwellings are separate houses. The trade-off is car dependence, with 63.2% driving to work and only 0.2% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Gerringong?
Use recent local sales to establish the current median house price, then compare it with the $500 weekly median rent, 79.3% separate-house share and 44.6% outright ownership. Those figures describe the local housing market, but a sale median should be checked for the relevant month and property type.
What schools are in Gerringong?
Gerringong Public School is the 1 named local school and is a government primary school. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address and plan secondary-school travel separately, because school access depends on year level, catchment boundaries and available places.
Is Gerringong safe?
Safety should be assessed using current incident information and the exact street rather than a simple suburb label. Gerringong has 4,165 residents, a 21.7% volunteering rate and 63.2% of workers driving, so activity levels can vary between residential areas, town-centre locations and quieter streets.
Is Gerringong good for property investment?
It may suit investors who can manage variable occupancy. Median rent is $500 per week and renters make up 19.8% of households, but vacancy is high at 16.9%. There were also 62 development matters in 12 months, so leasing history, holiday use and nearby construction should be checked before buying.
How is Gerringong's population changing?
Gerringong has 4,165 residents today, while population change across the wider area is 15.8% over 10 years and the annual trend is 0.65%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 6.4 percentage points and the young share down 1.8 points.
Are there many development applications in Gerringong?
There were 62 development matters in the past 12 months, including a shed, dwelling alterations and outdoor additions such as decks, patios and fences. This level of activity can improve individual properties, but buyers should check whether nearby works affect outlook, privacy, access or construction noise.
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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