Kanahooka
A median age of 48, fully 8.0 years above the national figure, defines Kanahooka more than any other number, and it explains much of what follows. This Lake Illawarra suburb is overwhelmingly detached housing, with 84.1% separate houses and just 1.2% apartments, so it draws families and downsizing owners rather than renters. Outright ownership runs to 52.2% of dwellings, above the share carrying a mortgage at 35.2%, a sign of long-settled residents who bought years ago. Household income sits in the 40th percentile nationally, below the midpoint, yet the median house price reaches $865,000, a gap that drives the affordability pressure seen across the suburb.
Population
5,698
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,399/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Median House
$865K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $865,000 median house price climbed 3.2% over a single year, from $850,000 in 2024 to $877,500 in 2025, modest growth compared with the volatility of Sydney's inner markets. Buyers here get genuine houses rather than units: 84.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 49.2% have three bedrooms, with another 35.6% offering four or more, so the stock suits families needing space. The catch is affordability. Average monthly mortgage repayments of about $2,000 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.0%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income sits only in the 40th percentile nationally. That mismatch between mid-tier incomes and an $865,000 entry point means buyers stretch further here than the price alone suggests.
For Buyers
The $865,000 median house price climbed 3.2% over a single year, from $850,000 in 2024 to $877,500 in 2025, modest growth compared with the volatility of Sydney's inner markets. Buyers here get genuine houses rather than units: 84.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 49.2% have three bedrooms, with another 35.6% offering four or more, so the stock suits families needing space. The catch is affordability. Average monthly mortgage repayments of about $2,000 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.0%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income sits only in the 40th percentile nationally. That mismatch between mid-tier incomes and an $865,000 entry point means buyers stretch further here than the price alone suggests.
For Investors
Renters make up just 12.6% of Kanahooka households, well below the levels investors usually target, because 52.2% of dwellings are owned outright and the stock is 84.1% detached houses held by long-term residents. Weekly rent averages $450 against the $865,000 median, implying a gross yield near 2.7%, low and consistent with an owner-occupier market rather than a rental one. The vacancy rate of 4.0% is higher than tight rental zones, signalling limited tenant competition. Development is light at 27 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations, additions and swimming pools rather than new dwellings, so supply is stable. With rent-to-income already at 32.2%, above the stress threshold, there is little headroom to push rents, leaving the case to rest on slow capital growth rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
174
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kanahooka iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Hayes Park Public School
K-6 · 601 students
Kanahooka High School
7-12 · 581 students
Demographics
The population skews notably older, with a median age of 48 that runs 8.0 years above the national figure, and the household profile follows: couples with children number 1,695 against 1,517 couples with no children, a near-even split that reflects both raising and empty-nest stages. University qualifications reach only 21.5%, which is 8.6 points below national, pointing to a workforce built more on trades and service roles than degrees. Ancestry leans Anglo, led by English (2,554), Irish (562) and Scottish (552), and 20.0% of residents were born overseas, 1.6 points below the national share. The top non-English languages are Italian (30) and Macedonian (30), small communities that fit the established Anglo-leaning makeup. Average household size of 2.5 sits exactly at the national average.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.1%
Houses
14.7%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily weighted to ownership: 52.2% own outright and 35.2% carry a mortgage, leaving only 12.6% renting, well below most NSW suburbs. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders signals an established, debt-light base that bought before recent price rises. The stock is 84.1% separate houses and only 1.2% apartments, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 49.2% and four-plus bedroom homes at 35.6%, so larger family dwellings dominate. The median house price moved from $850,000 in 2024 to $877,500 in 2025, a 3.2% rise. Mortgage-to-income at 33.0% and rent-to-income at 32.2% both exceed the 30% stress threshold, an unusual double flag that reflects how an $865,000 median strains household incomes sitting only in the 40th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$641
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
91
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.2% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.0% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.9%
Couples, no children
4,612
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in service and care sectors rather than corporate roles: Healthcare leads at 24.9% (372 workers), followed by Education at 12.5% (187), Construction at 10.2% (152), Manufacturing at 7.8% and Public Administration at 7.1%. By occupation, Professionals (398) and Clerical or Administrative workers (325) top the list, with Community and Personal Service roles close behind at 312, a mix that aligns with the healthcare-heavy industry base. Unemployment is moderate at 4.6%, and the full-time employment rate is 63.0%. Participation reads low at 43.5%, because the older median age of 48 leaves 2,255 residents not in the labour force, many of them retired. Personal income averages $641 a week, consistent with the 40th-percentile household ranking nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
32.4%
Participation
43.5%
Employed
1,982
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.5%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
20.0%
Dwellings
2,192
Transport to Work
Kanahooka is built for cars, not commuters: 93.3% of residents drive to work while just 0.9% use public transport and 1.1% walk or cycle, a reliance far above the national norm that reflects the suburb's lakeside, low-density layout at 1,555 residents per square kilometre. No schools are recorded inside the 3.66 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs around Lake Illawarra. The community is settled and supportive: 84.1% of residents stayed in place over the period and 11.9% volunteer, though 10.2% (561 people) need daily assistance, higher than younger suburbs and consistent with the median age of 48 that runs 8.0 years above national. Both rent and mortgage costs exceed the 30% stress threshold, the main pressure on otherwise quiet, owner-occupied living.
Drive
93.3%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kanahooka compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kanahooka a good suburb to live in?
Kanahooka suits families and downsizers who want space and quiet, with 84.1% separate houses and a median age of 48, which is 8.0 years above national. Ownership is high at 52.2% outright. The main trade-offs are car dependence at 93.3% of commuters and an $865,000 median that strains incomes sitting in the 40th percentile.
What is the median house price in Kanahooka?
The median house price is $865,000. It rose 3.2% over one year, from $850,000 in 2024 to $877,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $450 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.0%, above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Kanahooka?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.66 square kilometre Kanahooka boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs around Lake Illawarra. University qualifications among residents reach 21.5%, which is 8.6 points below the national figure.
Is Kanahooka safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Kanahooka in this dataset. As context, the suburb is a settled, owner-occupied area where 52.2% own outright and 84.1% of residents stayed in place over the period, a low-turnover profile typically associated with stable neighbourhoods.
Is Kanahooka good for property investment?
Investment appeal is limited: only 12.6% of households rent and weekly rent of $450 against an $865,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.7%, low. The vacancy rate of 4.0% signals modest tenant demand, and rent-to-income at 32.2% leaves little room to lift rents. Returns rely on slow capital growth.
How is Kanahooka's population changing?
Kanahooka is aging and stable rather than growing fast. The median age of 48 runs 8.0 years above national, and turnover is low at 15.9%, with 84.1% of residents staying put. Development is light at 27 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations, so the dwelling base stays largely fixed.
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.
Explore Kanahooka on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map