Haywards Bay

Development Activity

Demographics

The median age is 38, two years below the national figure, though the suburb is aging: the senior share rose 4.2 points and the young adult share fell 3.8 points over the decade. Average household size is 3.1, which is 0.6 above national, consistent with the large four-plus bedroom dwellings and the high share of couples with children. Overseas-born residents make up 17.8%, which is 3.8 points below the national average. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (514), Irish (100) and Scottish (86). University qualifications at 27.1% are 3.0 points below national, slightly lower than the income level would imply, reflecting a trades and service-sector workforce.

Tenure divides sharply: outright owners 37.1%, mortgage holders 54.5% and renters just 8.4%, well below national norms. The stock is 99% separate houses with only 1% semi-detached, so buyers find no apartment options. Four-plus bedroom dwellings dominate at 89.6%, with three-bedroom homes at 10.4%. The median house price moved from $1,065,000 in 2024 to $1,160,000 in 2025, an 8.9% gain. Mortgage-to-income at 23.8% and rent-to-income at 25.6% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, keeping housing costs manageable relative to the 88.2nd-percentile household income.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Healthcare dominates at 19.3% of workers (87 people), well above the national industry share, reflecting proximity to Wollongong's hospital precinct. Public Administration follows at 10.7% (48 workers) and Education at 10.2% (46), giving the workforce a strong public-sector bias compared with national averages. Professionals lead by occupation (114), then Managers (87) and Community and Personal service workers (84). Unemployment is 3.8% and the full-time rate is 63.0%. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 3 sits below national median despite the 88.2nd-percentile income because the IEO decile of 2 reflects lower educational and occupational prestige across the workforce.

Transport to Work

Car dependency is high at 92.9% driving to work, with walking and cycling at just 1.0%, consistent with a low-density suburb outside a major transit corridor. The suburb spans 1.17 square kilometres at 1,092 people per km2. No schools are recorded inside the Haywards Bay boundary, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Wollongong suburbs. Crime data is not available at this postcode level. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 3 places the suburb in the lower third nationally for socioeconomic advantage, below what the 88.2nd-percentile household income implies, because educational and occupational prestige scores rank lower than income. Rent-to-income at 25.6% is below the 30% stress threshold.

Population Forecast

Population is contracting at 0.79% a year, around 23 people annually, below the state average for coastal NSW suburbs in the same size band. The 10-year change is down 3.3% and medium forecasts project further falls to approximately 2,699 by 2031 from 2,926 in 2025. The aging trajectory drives the decline: the senior share gained 4.2 points over the decade while the young adult share fell 3.8 points. Overseas migration adds 17 residents a year, partially offsetting internal outflow of 11. The gentrification score is 0 and residential mobility is low, with 85.5% of residents staying at their address for at least one year.

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Haywards Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions