Gwynneville
A median age of 29 and a 57.2% university qualification rate tell the core story of Gwynneville: this is one of the most student-heavy suburbs in the Wollongong region. With 55.7% of residents renting, the suburb sits far above the national renter average, and that demand is concentrated in a compact 1.26 km2 footprint with 2,497 people per km2. The overseas-born share reaches 40.7%, which is 19.1 percentage points above national, driven partly by international students at the nearby University of Wollongong. The median house price hit $1,180,000 in 2025, up 30.2% from $906,333 in 2024, a striking one-year move for a suburb not traditionally in the premium tier.
Population
3,139
Median Age
29.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,394/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Median House
$1.0M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $1,180,000 in 2025, rising 30.2% from $906,333 in 2024, well above the pace of most NSW suburban markets. Separate houses make up 58.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 19.0% and apartments at 22.2%, giving buyers reasonable access to detached stock compared to inner-city alternatives. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,250, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.3%, above the 30% stress threshold, which is higher than the income percentile of 39.8 nationally would suggest. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 32.8% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes for 27.7%. Outright owners represent just 26.3% of households, with 18.0% carrying a mortgage, a distribution that reflects the high renter majority rather than an established owner base.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,180,000 in 2025, rising 30.2% from $906,333 in 2024, well above the pace of most NSW suburban markets. Separate houses make up 58.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 19.0% and apartments at 22.2%, giving buyers reasonable access to detached stock compared to inner-city alternatives. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,250, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.3%, above the 30% stress threshold, which is higher than the income percentile of 39.8 nationally would suggest. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 32.8% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes for 27.7%. Outright owners represent just 26.3% of households, with 18.0% carrying a mortgage, a distribution that reflects the high renter majority rather than an established owner base.
For Investors
Gwynneville's 55.7% renter share is one of its defining investor characteristics, driven by proximity to the University of Wollongong and a median resident age of 29. Weekly rent of $350 against a $1,180,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.5%, low in absolute terms but underpinned by structural student demand. The vacancy rate stands at 6.1%, above the 3% equilibrium threshold, indicating some oversupply in the rental pool that can dampen rent growth between academic cycles. Development activity recorded 16 applications in the past 12 months, a moderate pace of mostly alterations rather than new supply. The 40.7% overseas-born share, 19.1 points above national, signals continued international student enrolment as a demand floor, though this tenant segment is more sensitive to visa and enrolment cycles than general renters.
Development Activity
Total DAs
128
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-37.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Gwynneville iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 175 students
Gwynneville Public School
K-6 · 271 students
Demographics
The median age of 29 is 11.0 years below the national figure, the clearest signal that Gwynneville functions as a university-adjacent suburb. University qualifications reach 57.2% of residents, which is 27.1 percentage points above national, one of the highest education rates in the Illawarra. The overseas-born share of 40.7% sits 19.1 points above national, with English (813) and Irish (300) ancestries leading but Chinese (195) the most represented non-European group. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (79), Arabic (62) and Urdu (57), reflecting a mix of international students and recent migrants. At an average household size of 2.6, slightly above national, households trend toward shared student arrangements. Volunteering reaches 17.1%, and 5.5% of residents need daily assistance.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.3%
Houses
19.0%
Townhouse
22.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by renters at 55.7%, well above the national average, with outright owners at 26.3% and mortgage holders at just 18.0%. The low mortgage share is a structural feature: most long-term residents own outright while the majority of occupants rent, often short-term. Separate houses at 58.3% make up the majority of stock, a higher proportion than typical inner urban areas, while apartments account for 22.2% and semi-detached 19.0%. Three-bedroom dwellings at 32.8% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 27.7% suggest family-scale properties are common even in a student-heavy suburb. The median house price rose from $906,333 to $1,180,000 between 2024 and 2025, a 30.2% increase. Rent-to-income sits at 25.1%, below the stress threshold, while mortgage-to-income at 37.3% signals strain for buyers at current prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,250
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$602
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.1%
Unoccupied
68
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.2%
Couples, no children
1,754
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education is the leading employer at 17.9% (188 workers), followed by Healthcare at 16.5% (173) and Hospitality at 11.1% (117), a distribution consistent with a university town economy where cafes, clinics and campus roles dominate. Professional/Tech comes in at 9.0% (95) and Retail at 7.4% (78). By occupation, Professionals lead with 390 workers, while Community/Personal Service (209) and Clerical/Admin (155) form the next tier. The unemployment rate is 10.7%, higher than most established suburbs nationally, reflecting student non-employment and the part-time skew: 630 part-time workers versus 610 full-time. Participation rate sits at 52.0%, below the national figure, because 969 residents are not in the labour force, many of them full-time students. Household income sits at the 39.8th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.2%
Part-time
40.1%
Participation
52.0%
Employed
1,240
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.2%
Postgraduate
24.4%
Born Overseas
40.7%
Dwellings
1,024
Transport to Work
Walking and cycling account for 7.6% of commute trips, above many comparable suburbs, which makes sense given the university proximity and compact scale. Car driving dominates at 82.3% and public transport at 5.3%. No schools are recorded inside Gwynneville's boundary in this dataset, so families with school-age children rely on institutions in neighbouring Wollongong suburbs. Crime data is not available for this suburb in the current dataset, so a direct safety comparison cannot be made. The 17.1% volunteering rate and the 5.5% needing daily assistance (164 people) suggest a community with moderate civic engagement. Rent-to-income at 25.1% is below the 30% stress threshold, keeping the suburb accessible for lower-income renters, though purchase costs at a 37.3% mortgage-to-income ratio are stressful relative to local incomes in the 39.8th percentile nationally.
Drive
82.3%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
7.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gwynneville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gwynneville a good suburb to live in?
Gwynneville suits students and young renters well, with 57.2% of residents holding university qualifications, 27.1 points above national. The 55.7% renter share reflects student-driven demand near the University of Wollongong. Rent-to-income at 25.1% is manageable, though purchase costs at a 37.3% mortgage-to-income ratio are high relative to incomes at the 39.8th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Gwynneville?
The median house price is $1,180,000 as of 2025, up 30.2% from $906,333 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,250, and weekly rent runs $350. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.3% is above the 30% stress threshold, reflecting how purchase prices have outpaced local incomes.
What schools are in Gwynneville?
No schools are recorded inside the Gwynneville boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Wollongong suburbs. The suburb's own education profile is strong, with 57.2% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 27.1 percentage points above the national average, mainly due to the nearby University of Wollongong.
Is Gwynneville safe?
Crime statistics for Gwynneville are not available in this dataset, so a direct rate comparison cannot be made. As a general indicator, the 10.7% unemployment rate is elevated above typical established suburbs nationally, which can correlate with higher incidence rates, though no suburb-level crime data is available to confirm this for Gwynneville specifically. 5.5% of residents need daily assistance.
Is Gwynneville good for property investment?
The 55.7% renter share provides strong structural demand, anchored by the University of Wollongong. Weekly rent of $350 against a $1,180,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.5%. The 6.1% vacancy rate is above the 3% equilibrium level, indicating periodic oversupply. The 30.2% price rise in one year signals capital growth potential, but the yield is low compared to other NSW markets.
How is Gwynneville's population changing?
The resident turnover rate of 39.7% means nearly 40% of residents moved in recently, typical of a student-driven suburb. The overseas-born share of 40.7% is 19.1 points above national, reflecting ongoing international student and migrant arrivals. The median age of 29 is 11 years below national, pointing to a consistently young population rather than an aging trajectory.
What languages are spoken in Gwynneville?
About 40.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 19.1 percentage points above the national figure. The main non-English languages are Mandarin (79 speakers), Arabic (62), Urdu (57), Macedonian (33) and Malayalam (28), reflecting the international student community at the nearby university and a diverse migrant population.
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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