Kiama Downs
Almost every dwelling here is a detached house: 92.8% are separate houses against just 1.4% apartments, which is unusual for a coastal NSW market carrying a $1,300,000 median. Household income sits in the 79.6th percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 9 on both IRSD and IER, decile 8 on IRSAD, placing it firmly in the advantaged tier. The population of 5,087 has grown 22.7% over the past decade, yet the profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.7 points and the median age of 43 running 3.0 years above the national figure. House prices actually slipped 5.4% from $1,352,500 in 2024 to $1,280,000 in 2025.
Population
5,087
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,103/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
64
Median House
$1.3M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,300,000 median reflects a market built almost entirely of detached family homes, with 92.8% separate houses and four-bedroom-plus stock making up 54.0% of dwellings. That size skew, paired with three-bedroom homes at 40.4%, means buyers are mostly purchasing space for families rather than compact entry homes, since two-bedroom dwellings are just 5.2%. Prices eased 5.4% over the year, falling from $1,352,500 in 2024 to $1,280,000 in 2025, which gives patient buyers more room than the peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in the 79.6th percentile. Outright owners at 47.0% outnumber mortgage holders at 39.4%, a sign of established, low-debt ownership.
For Buyers
The $1,300,000 median reflects a market built almost entirely of detached family homes, with 92.8% separate houses and four-bedroom-plus stock making up 54.0% of dwellings. That size skew, paired with three-bedroom homes at 40.4%, means buyers are mostly purchasing space for families rather than compact entry homes, since two-bedroom dwellings are just 5.2%. Prices eased 5.4% over the year, falling from $1,352,500 in 2024 to $1,280,000 in 2025, which gives patient buyers more room than the peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in the 79.6th percentile. Outright owners at 47.0% outnumber mortgage holders at 39.4%, a sign of established, low-debt ownership.
For Investors
Only 13.6% of residents rent, well below the national average, so the tenant pool is shallow in a market where 47.0% own outright. Weekly rent of $490 against the $1,300,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.0%, low because the suburb is owner-occupier territory rather than an investor market. The vacancy rate of 7.5% is elevated for a tightly held coastal area, which softens the case for relying on rental demand. Demand support comes from balanced migration, with net internal inflow of 52 and net overseas inflow of 58 a year, and development is steady at 58 applications in 12 months, mostly single dwelling houses and pools rather than new rental supply. With population growth of 1.29% a year, the investment thesis leans on capital growth more than yield, helped by rent growth of 57.4% over the decade.
Development Activity
Total DAs
364
Last 12 Months
64
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
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above national, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 6.7 points while the working-age share fell 3.6 points over the decade. Only 13.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 8.4 points below the national figure, so the suburb reads markedly more Australian-born than most. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,308), Scottish (712) and Irish (704). University qualifications reach 34.0%, which is 3.9 points above national, while the average household size of 2.8 runs 0.3 above national, consistent with the family profile where couples with children (1,818) outnumber couples without children (1,286). Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 2,580 residents, far ahead of Buddhism at 31, reflecting the low overseas-born share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.8%
Houses
5.8%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts strongly to ownership: 47.0% own outright, 39.4% carry a mortgage and only 13.6% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, low-debt wealth rather than churn of recent buyers. The stock is 92.8% separate houses, with apartments at just 1.4% and semi-detached at 5.8%, so detached housing dominates almost completely. Four-bedroom-plus homes make up 54.0% and three-bedroom 40.4%, leaving two-bedroom dwellings at 5.2%, a profile geared to families. The median house price fell from $1,352,500 in 2024 to $1,280,000 in 2025, a 5.4% one-year decline. Mortgage-to-income of 24.2% and rent-to-income of 23.3% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, which reflects how household income in the 79.6th percentile cushions the $1,300,000 median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wk
$490
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$872
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
141
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.5%
Couples, no children
4,360
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in human services rather than corporate sectors: Healthcare leads at 18.6% (335 workers), Education follows at 16.9% (303) and Construction at 12.0% (215), with Public Admin at 11.3% and Professional/Tech at 7.4%. By occupation, Professionals (638) and Managers (305) form the largest groups, which aligns with the decile 7 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.8% and the full-time employment rate is 59.9%. Participation reads 54.5%, below what the income would suggest, because the aging profile leaves 1,487 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes grew 18.4% over the decade. The IER score for economic resources reaches decile 9, higher than the decile 7 IEO, because high outright ownership at 47.0% lifts aggregate household wealth above what occupations alone imply.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
4,329
Unemployed
111
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.9%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
54.5%
Employed
2,157
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.0%
Postgraduate
8.1%
Born Overseas
13.2%
Dwellings
1,745
Transport to Work
The suburb is heavily car-dependent: 92.7% drive to work while only 0.7% use public transport and 1.6% walk or cycle, far below the national reliance on active and public transport, a function of its coastal, low-density layout at 1,337 residents per km2. It scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, near the top tier, meaning very few residents face deprivation, and decile 8 on IRSAD. Volunteering runs at 20.1% and only 4.3% (209 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 43. No schools are recorded inside the 3.8 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs such as Kiama, a practical trade-off in a small detached-housing pocket where 92.8% of dwellings are separate houses.
Drive
92.7%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.29%/yr
(+117 people/yr)
EstablishedKiama Downs is expanding steadily, with annual population growth of 1.29% (about 117 persons a year) and a 22.7% rise over the past decade, well above the flat trajectory of established inner suburbs. Medium forecasts continue the trend upward through 2031. Growth is balanced across sources, with net internal migration of 52 and net overseas migration of 58 a year, so neither dominates. Gentrification reads early signs at a score of 29, supported by accelerating internal migration and a population up 21% since 2011. The trajectory is aging though, with the senior share up 6.7 points and the young share down 0.9 points, and affordability worsened from 56.0% in 2011 to 60.5% in 2021, so growth is bringing older, higher-income households more than younger entrants.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+58
Net Internal / yr
+52
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Net internal migration +52/yr, Accelerating: 6% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kiama Downs compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kiama Downs a good suburb to live in?
Kiama Downs scores decile 9 on both the IRSD and IER SEIFA indexes and decile 8 on IRSAD, placing it in the advantaged tier, with household income in the 79.6th percentile nationally. It suits families, since 92.8% of dwellings are detached houses, though the $1,300,000 median is a real barrier for entry buyers.
What is the median house price in Kiama Downs?
The median house price is $1,300,000. Prices eased 5.4% over the year, falling from $1,352,500 in 2024 to $1,280,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $490 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,200, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Kiama Downs?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.8 km2 Kiama Downs boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Kiama. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 34.0%, which is 3.9 points above the national figure.
Is Kiama Downs safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Kiama Downs in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, near the highest tier, and only 4.3% of its 5,087 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Kiama Downs good for property investment?
Rent of $490 a week against a $1,300,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.0%, low, and only 13.6% of residents rent, so the tenant pool is shallow. The 7.5% vacancy rate is elevated for a coastal market. With 1.29% annual population growth, returns lean on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Kiama Downs's population changing?
The population of 5,087 grew 22.7% over the past decade and continues rising at 1.29% a year, about 117 people. Growth is balanced, with net internal migration of 52 and overseas migration of 58 a year. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.7 points and the working-age share down 3.6 points.
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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