Keiraville

Development Activity

Schools in Keiraville iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Demographics

The median age of 26 is 14 years below the national figure, the direct result of student accommodation concentrated near the University of Wollongong. Overseas-born residents reach 27.1%, which is 5.5 points above the national average, with Mandarin (97 speakers), Arabic (44), Urdu (28) and Malayalam (26) the main non-English languages. English-ancestry residents lead at 1,270, followed by Irish (439) and Scottish (357), a typical Anglo-Celtic base. University qualifications reach 47.4%, some 17.3 points above national, consistent with the student demographic. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure. Couples with children (846 families) outnumber couples without children (602), while one-parent families in the dataset record as zero, which may reflect a data artefact rather than a true absence.

The median house price moved from $1,100,000 in 2024 to $1,130,000 in 2025, a 2.7% gain over one year. Outright ownership at 38.4% is higher than the 21.9% mortgage share, a profile consistent with long-term residents sitting alongside a large renting student cohort at 39.7%. Separate houses dominate at 63.2% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 20.4% and apartments at 16.4%. The bedroom distribution skews larger: three-bedroom homes are 36.7% and four-plus are 36.3%, with only 7.6% being studios or one-bedroom. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200 and the rent-to-income ratio of 24.2% stays below the 30% stress level, so tenants are not under acute affordability pressure. The rent-to-income and mortgage-to-income figures both sit below stress thresholds, an unusually balanced position compared to many high-priced Sydney markets.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Education is the dominant industry at 22.1% of employed residents (258 workers), reflecting both university employment and the suburb's function as a student catchment. Healthcare follows at 16.9% (197 workers) and Professional/Tech at 10.6% (124), with Public Admin at 7.5% and Hospitality at 7.2%. By occupation, Professionals lead with 586 workers, Community and Personal services at 266, and Sales at 213. The unemployment rate of 10.9% is elevated compared to national averages, because the student population includes many part-time or casually employed residents. Participation rate of 48.2% is below national levels for the same reason, with 1,193 residents not in the labour force. The SEIFA IEO decile of 8 and IRSAD decile of 7 confirm a relatively advantaged area despite the high apparent unemployment, since education and income levels are above average.

Transport to Work

Car dependency is high at 87.6% driving, while 3.8% use public transport and 4.4% walk or cycle, a typical pattern for a suburb close to a regional university with limited rail access. No schools are recorded inside the Keiraville boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Wollongong suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 7 places the suburb above the national median for relative advantage, and the IEO decile of 8 reflects the high tertiary qualification rate of 47.4%. Volunteering runs at 19.5% of residents, above the national average, consistent with a community engaged through university programs and local organisations. Only 4.7% (170 residents) need daily assistance, a low rate. Rent stress is absent at a 24.2% rent-to-income ratio, and mortgage stress is also below the threshold at 29.2%, compared to many Sydney-region suburbs where mortgage costs routinely exceed 35% of income.

Population Forecast

Population growth runs at 0.81% annually, adding around 192 people per year to the SA2. Over the past decade, the population rose 14.5% and recent figures show steady progression from 23,430 in 2023 to 23,776 in 2025. The medium forecast reaches 24,869 by 2031, a further 4.6% increase from current levels. The key driver is overseas migration at a net inflow of 330 people a year, largely offsetting the net internal outflow of 124. The gentrification score of 54 at the SA2 level has an active stage reading, but the suburb-level gentrification score of 14 indicates the suburb itself is not gentrifying, a sign that the price gains are broad-market rather than displacement-driven. Rent grew 54.7% over the period, well above income growth of 18.0%, so affordability has worsened for renters compared to the decade prior.

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

How Keiraville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions