Jamberoo
At a median age of 50, Jamberoo sits 10 years above the national figure, making it one of the oldest resident bases in the Illawarra region. Its 1,910 residents spread across 58.88 square kilometres at a density of just 32.4 per km2, a rural footprint that explains why 96.5% of dwellings are separate houses. Household income lands in the 81.4th percentile nationally, well above average despite the pastoral setting, and 55.2% of homes are owned outright, pointing to long-established wealth rather than debt-financed growth. With only 10.8% renting and a university qualification rate of 36.9%, which is 6.8 percentage points above the national rate, Jamberoo draws an owner-occupier, professional cohort choosing semi-rural lifestyle over urban convenience.
Population
1,910
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,131/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
34
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $1,400,000 in 2025, up from $1,362,500 in 2024, a 2.8% annual gain. That figure sits well above the NSW state median and reflects a stock dominated by large homes: 53% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 39.5% have three, leaving very little sub-three-bedroom supply. Separate houses account for 96.5% of stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. However, achieving that ratio requires a household income well above median because the purchase price is substantial. Outright owners at 55.2% significantly outnumber those with a mortgage at 34%, indicating a community of established, later-life owners rather than first-home buyers.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,400,000 in 2025, up from $1,362,500 in 2024, a 2.8% annual gain. That figure sits well above the NSW state median and reflects a stock dominated by large homes: 53% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 39.5% have three, leaving very little sub-three-bedroom supply. Separate houses account for 96.5% of stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. However, achieving that ratio requires a household income well above median because the purchase price is substantial. Outright owners at 55.2% significantly outnumber those with a mortgage at 34%, indicating a community of established, later-life owners rather than first-home buyers.
For Investors
Rental demand in Jamberoo is thin by design. Only 10.8% of dwellings are rented, compared to the national average closer to 30%, and weekly rent sits at $498. Against the $1,400,000 median, that implies a gross yield below 2%, low even for a lifestyle market. The vacancy rate of 8.8% is elevated, suggesting tenant choice rather than landlord competition. On the positive side, 34 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including dwelling additions and modifications, pointing to a resident base investing in existing properties rather than new supply entering the market. Population stability and the high ownership rate limit rental pool growth, making Jamberoo better suited to capital growth strategies than yield-focused investment.
Development Activity
Total DAs
157
Last 12 Months
34
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Jamberoo iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Jamberoo Public School
K-6 · 131 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 exceeds the national figure by 10 years, placing Jamberoo firmly in the older-resident category. Overseas-born residents account for 13.7%, which is 7.9 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is overwhelmingly Anglo-Celtic: English (920), Irish (330) and Scottish (236) are the top three groups. University qualifications reach 36.9%, some 6.8 points above the national rate, and average household size is 2.6, marginally above national. Couples with children (677 families) outnumber couples without children (536), though the high median age and 33.2% couples-no-kids share suggest a community at varying life stages. Volunteering is notably high at 29.1% of residents, far above national averages, consistent with a settled, community-oriented population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.5%
Houses
3.0%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupier dominance defines the Jamberoo housing market. Of 55.2% owned outright and 34% with a mortgage, renters make up just 10.8%, well below national norms. The stock is almost entirely detached: 96.5% separate houses, 3% semi-detached, 0.5% apartments. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 53% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes 39.5%, so small dwellings are essentially absent. The median price moved from $1,362,500 in 2024 to $1,400,000 in 2025, a 2.8% gain, and the CAGR over the one-year observed period holds at 2.8%. Rent-to-income sits at 23.4%, below the 30% stress threshold. The combination of high outright ownership, large lot sizes and minimal apartment stock makes this a tightly held, low-churn market where forced sales are rare.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$498
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$838
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.8%
Unoccupied
65
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.2%
Couples, no children
1,613
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local employment mix at 15.1% of workers (97 people), followed by Education at 14.0% (90) and Construction at 10.9% (70), with Professional/Technical services close at 10.4% (67). By occupation, Professionals number 225, Managers 171 and Community/Personal service workers 108. These three occupational groups together account for a majority of employed residents, consistent with household income in the 81.4th percentile nationally. The unemployment rate is very low at 1.9%, against an employment participation rate of 50.5%, which is subdued because 604 residents are not in the labour force, reflecting the older median age of 50. Full-time employment accounts for 58.8% of jobs, slightly below the national average, likely due to part-time and semi-retirement patterns among the older resident base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.8%
Part-time
39.3%
Participation
50.5%
Employed
792
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.9%
Postgraduate
10.1%
Born Overseas
13.7%
Dwellings
665
Transport to Work
Car dependence is total: 87.3% of residents drive to work, while 8.1% walk or cycle and only 0.6% use public transport, lower than almost any comparable suburb. That reflects the 58.88 km2 rural footprint and absence of train access. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in Kiama or surrounding towns. The volunteering rate of 29.1% is well above average, signalling strong community cohesion. Mortgage stress is absent at 28.2% mortgage-to-income, and rent stress is similarly contained at 23.4%. Only 3.6% of residents need daily assistance despite the older median age, comparable to lower-density lifestyle suburbs nationally. The combination of financial comfort and very low rental share creates a calm, owner-occupier community rather than a transient one.
Drive
87.3%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
8.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Jamberoo compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jamberoo a good suburb to live in?
Jamberoo suits buyers who want large homes in a rural setting. Household income sits in the 81.4th percentile nationally, mortgage stress is below the 30% threshold at 28.2%, and the volunteering rate of 29.1% reflects strong community engagement. The trade-offs are total car dependence, no recorded local schools, and a $1,400,000 median house price.
What is the median house price in Jamberoo?
The median house price reached $1,400,000 in 2025, up from $1,362,500 in 2024, a 2.8% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600. Weekly rent is $498 for the 10.8% of dwellings that are rented.
What schools are in Jamberoo?
No schools are recorded inside the Jamberoo boundary in this dataset. With only 1,910 residents across 58.88 km2, families typically travel to Kiama or Gerringong for schooling. University qualifications among residents reach 36.9%, which is 6.8 percentage points above the national average.
Is Jamberoo safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Jamberoo in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a very low unemployment rate of 1.9%, household income in the 81.4th percentile nationally, and only 3.6% of residents needing daily assistance, all consistent with a low-disadvantage community.
Is Jamberoo good for property investment?
Yields are low. Weekly rent of $498 against a $1,400,000 median implies a gross yield below 2%, and the vacancy rate of 8.8% is elevated for a small suburb. With 55.2% of homes owned outright and only 10.8% rented, the tenant pool is thin. The investment case relies on lifestyle-driven capital growth from Sydney and Wollongong buyers, not rental income.
How is Jamberoo's population changing?
Jamberoo has 1,910 residents spread across 58.88 km2, with a turnover rate of just 20.7%, meaning 79.3% of residents stayed in place. The aging median age of 50 is 10 years above national. Limited new dwelling supply and low rental demand suggest modest organic population growth rather than expansion.
How much development is happening in Jamberoo?
There were 34 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most involve alterations, additions and modifications to existing dwellings rather than new builds, consistent with a settled owner-occupier suburb with 55.2% outright ownership and minimal vacant land at this stage of the 58.88 km2 footprint.
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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