Mangerton
With 46.7% of residents holding university qualifications, Mangerton sits 16.6 percentage points above the national figure, making it one of the more educated pockets in the Illawarra region. Despite that credential density, the suburb covers just 1.04 km2 and holds 2,862 people, giving a density of 2,762 per km2. Household income ranks at the 81.8th percentile nationally, and 71.6% of dwellings are separate houses, which is unusually high for an inner suburb. The workforce tilts heavily toward Healthcare (23.7%) and Education (15.4%), two sectors that explain the professional makeup without requiring a finance-sector salary base.
Population
2,862
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,147/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at approximately $1,122,500 based on PSI-derived data for 2024-2025, though the price history shows some movement: $1,225,000 was recorded in 2024 versus $1,078,503 in 2025, a decline of around 12%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,210, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8% stays comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which is lower than many comparable NSW markets. Detached houses dominate at 71.6% of stock, and the bedroom split leans large: 41.3% are three-bedroom homes and 35.9% have four or more bedrooms, meaning buyers generally compete for family-sized properties rather than smaller investor-grade units.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at approximately $1,122,500 based on PSI-derived data for 2024-2025, though the price history shows some movement: $1,225,000 was recorded in 2024 versus $1,078,503 in 2025, a decline of around 12%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,210, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8% stays comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which is lower than many comparable NSW markets. Detached houses dominate at 71.6% of stock, and the bedroom split leans large: 41.3% are three-bedroom homes and 35.9% have four or more bedrooms, meaning buyers generally compete for family-sized properties rather than smaller investor-grade units.
For Investors
Renters make up 26.6% of households, a moderate share compared to inner-city benchmarks, and the weekly rent of $353 implies a gross yield below 2% against the median house price, which is low. The vacancy rate of 8.0% is elevated and warrants attention because it signals that rental supply exceeds near-term demand. On the positive side, 27 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating active owner-occupier renovation and extension activity rather than new supply pressure. The 78% resident stability rate (only 22% moved in the past five years) points to a settled, low-churn community where rental demand is driven by new arrivals rather than strong underlying population growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
126
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+8.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mangerton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Therese Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 368 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below the national figure, placing Mangerton in a slightly younger-than-average cohort. University qualifications at 46.7% run 16.6 percentage points above national, underpinning the professional and managerial occupation profile. Overseas-born residents at 19.8% are 1.8 points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,016), Irish (362) and Scottish (334) lead. The average household size of 2.6 is marginally above the national average. Families with children account for 992 couples, versus 503 couples with no children, indicating that family formation is the dominant household structure and consistent with the suburb's large detached housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
71.6%
Houses
11.7%
Townhouse
16.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into three clear groups: 34.7% own outright, 38.7% carry a mortgage and 26.6% rent. Mortgage holders outnumber outright owners, which suggests a population still in the wealth-accumulation phase rather than fully established. The stock is detached-dominant at 71.6% separate houses, with apartments at 16.1% and semi-detached at 11.7%. Four-plus bedroom homes at 35.9% and three-bedroom at 41.3% together account for over three-quarters of dwellings, consistent with a family-oriented suburb. The housing stress picture is positive: rent-to-income at 16.4% and mortgage-to-income at 23.8% both stay below standard stress thresholds, lower than the NSW state median stress levels for equivalent price points.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,210
Rent / wk
$353
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$941
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
91
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.7%
Couples, no children
2,217
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 23.7% of the local workforce (253 workers), the highest share, followed by Education at 15.4% (164 workers) and Professional/Technical services at 9.7% (103 workers). Public Administration adds 8.5% and Construction 6.9%, giving a workforce anchored in services and public-sector roles rather than retail or manufacturing. By occupation, Professionals (468) and Managers (221) dominate, which aligns with the high university qualification rate. Full-time employment runs at 64.4% and unemployment at 5.3%, slightly above the national average. The participation rate of 56.5% is moderate, with 745 residents not in the labour force, partly reflecting the presence of retirees among the 34.7% who own their home outright.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.4%
Part-time
30.3%
Participation
56.5%
Employed
1,254
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.7%
Postgraduate
14.1%
Born Overseas
19.8%
Dwellings
1,044
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extremely high: 90.3% of residents drive to work, compared to much lower rates in Sydney inner-city suburbs, and public transport use stands at just 1.6%. This reflects the suburb's location in Wollongong, where road access is the norm. No schools are recorded within the 1.04 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families access schools in neighbouring suburbs. Crime data is not available for Mangerton, though the household income at the 81.8th percentile nationally and the low housing stress ratios (rent-to-income 16.4%, mortgage-to-income 23.8%) provide indirect signals of an economically stable community. Volunteering at 16.6% is a further indicator of community cohesion, and only 3.9% of residents (104 people) require daily assistance.
Drive
90.3%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mangerton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mangerton a good suburb to live in?
Mangerton suits professional households well. University qualifications reach 46.7%, which is 16.6 percentage points above the national figure, and household income ranks at the 81.8th percentile nationally. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 23.8% and rent-to-income at 16.4%, both well below standard stress thresholds.
What is the median house price in Mangerton?
The median house price is approximately $1,122,500 based on PSI-derived data for 2024-2025. Price history shows $1,225,000 in 2024 falling to $1,078,503 in 2025, a decline of around 12%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,210.
What schools are in Mangerton?
No schools are recorded within the 1.04 km2 Mangerton boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Wollongong suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 46.7% holding university qualifications, which is 16.6 points above the national average.
Is Mangerton safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Mangerton in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb's household income ranks at the 81.8th percentile nationally, housing stress is low (rent-to-income 16.4%), and only 3.9% of 2,862 residents require daily assistance, all consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Mangerton good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $353 against a median price near $1,122,500 implies a gross yield below 2%, which is low. The vacancy rate of 8.0% is elevated, signalling excess supply in the rental segment. The 78% resident stability rate and active renovation pipeline (27 DAs in 12 months) support long-term capital preservation, but yield-seeking investors will find better returns elsewhere.
How is Mangerton's population changing?
Mangerton has a population of 2,862 across 1.04 km2. The suburb is fully built out and shows high stability: 78% of residents have stayed for five or more years, vs the national average turnover rate of around 30%. Growth is driven by household formation rather than large migration inflows, with overseas-born residents at 19.8%, below the national average.
How much development is happening in Mangerton?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent samples include dwelling alterations, swimming pool approvals and complying development certificates for new dwelling houses. The activity reflects owner-occupier upgrades on existing detached homes, which dominate at 71.6% of stock, rather than new apartment or land-release supply.
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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