Mount Ousley
A striking feature of Mount Ousley is its combination of high work-from-home participation and detached housing: 39.2% of residents work from home, while 94.4% of dwellings are separate houses. The suburb has 1,611 residents across just 0.8 square kilometres, with a median age of 42. Household income sits at the 87.8th percentile, pointing to stronger purchasing capacity than the national median. Compared with nearby Keiraville and Gwynneville, Mount Ousley suits buyers seeking a compact, established residential setting, with larger three and four-bedroom homes more prominent than apartment living.
Local council: Wollongong
Population
1,611
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,293/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Mount Ousley is oriented towards buyers seeking conventional family housing, with 94.4% of dwellings separate houses and 44.4% containing four or more bedrooms. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,450 per month, compared with weekly rent of $500, while mortgage costs equal 24.7% of household income and rent equals 21.8%. Ownership is already substantial, with 48.3% of homes owned outright and 36.3% held with a mortgage. Buyers should compare recent settled sales carefully because the suburb's small 1,611-person population can make individual transactions more influential than in larger markets.
For Buyers
Mount Ousley is oriented towards buyers seeking conventional family housing, with 94.4% of dwellings separate houses and 44.4% containing four or more bedrooms. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,450 per month, compared with weekly rent of $500, while mortgage costs equal 24.7% of household income and rent equals 21.8%. Ownership is already substantial, with 48.3% of homes owned outright and 36.3% held with a mortgage. Buyers should compare recent settled sales carefully because the suburb's small 1,611-person population can make individual transactions more influential than in larger markets.
For Investors
The rental market has a relatively small tenant base, with 14.5% of households renting compared with 48.3% owning outright and 36.3% paying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $500 and vacancy is 4.3%, so landlords should test achievable rent against property condition, access and competing listings rather than relying on a broad suburb average. Nineteen development applications were recorded over 12 months, including a detached dual occupancy with 2 dwellings and a separate 1-dwelling application. The 19.1% turnover rate and 80.9% stay rate point to a settled market, which can support retention but may limit rapid tenant expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
88
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Mount Ousley has a median age of 42, which is 2.0 years above the national comparison, and its average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 higher than the national figure. University attainment is 42.4%, or 12.3 percentage points above the national comparison, supporting the concentration of professionals and managers. Overseas-born residents account for 18.6%, 3.0 percentage points lower than the national comparison. English, Scottish, Irish and Italian ancestry are prominent, with counts of 561, 186, 175 and 135 respectively. This profile helps explain demand for established three and four-bedroom homes rather than predominantly compact apartments.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.4%
Houses
4.0%
Townhouse
1.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Mount Ousley is strongly detached-house oriented: 94.4% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 1.6% apartments and 4.0% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties account for 44.4% of homes and four or more bedrooms for 44.2%, creating a housing mix more suited to families than singles. Tenure is comparatively stable, with 48.3% owned outright, 36.3% mortgaged and only 14.5% rented. The suburb packs 1,611 residents into 0.8 square kilometres, producing a density of 2,014.8 people per square kilometre despite its low-rise housing form. Compared with apartment-heavy inner areas, its housing demand is more tied to land and family-sized dwellings.
Mortgage / mo
$2,450
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $500.
$700
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $750 · units $540
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$832
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.3%
Unoccupied
26
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.5%
Couples with children
37.7%
Couples, no children
12.5%
Single parent
456
Total families
Economy & Employment
Resident employment is concentrated in Healthcare at 19.2% with 112 workers and Education at 18.6% with 108, followed by Professional and Technical services at 9.6%, Manufacturing at 7.7% and Public Administration at 7.6%. The occupational mix includes 242 professionals, 112 managers, 97 clerical and administrative workers, 88 trades workers and 86 community or personal service workers. Household income is $2,293 per week and ranks at the 87.8th percentile, above the median. A 62.2% participation rate and 3.6% unemployment rate indicate a functioning labour market, while 39.2% working from home may support local spending and reduce commuting pressure.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
827
Unemployed
30
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.6%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
62.2%
Employed
797
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.4%
Postgraduate
13.7%
Born Overseas
18.6%
Dwellings
570
Transport to Work
Mount Ousley is likely to suit residents comfortable with car-based travel and home-based work. Some 54.1% travel as a car driver, compared with only 0.6% using public transport and 2.2% walking or cycling, while 39.2% work from home. The suburb covers 0.8 square kilometres at a density of 2,014.8 people per square kilometre, so local trips can be short even when regional journeys depend on a vehicle. Families should confirm school options and enrolment zones for the exact address, including nearby public, Catholic and independent choices. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, Mount Ousley requires more transport planning, but its settled housing base and 16.3% volunteering rate support everyday community connection. Safety decisions should be based on current street-level incident patterns rather than inferred from age or tenure.
Drive
54.1%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
39.2%
Growth Outlook
Near-term change in Mount Ousley is characterised by incremental housing activity rather than a large release area. Nineteen development applications were recorded over 12 months, including a 2-dwelling dual occupancy, a 1-dwelling application and alterations to existing residential accommodation. Compared with a greenfield growth suburb, this points to smaller additions within an established neighbourhood. Population stability is also notable: 80.9% of residents stayed at the same address and turnover was 19.1%. With 1,611 residents and 94.4% separate houses, future change is more likely to come through selective infill and renovations than wholesale redevelopment.
Population trend: Wollongong council area
Mount Ousley sits in the Wollongong council area. These are the council area's residents, not Mount Ousley's.
Residents 2025
224,327
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Ousley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Ousley a good suburb to live in?
Mount Ousley may suit households wanting established detached housing, larger homes and a quieter residential setting. It has 1,611 residents, a median age of 42 and 94.4% separate houses. The trade-off is transport: 54.1% drive, while only 0.6% use public transport, so car access matters.
What is the median house price in Mount Ousley?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales rather than estimated from housing proportions. Mount Ousley has 1,611 residents and 94.4% separate houses, so a small number of transactions can influence the median more than in a larger suburb. Buyers should compare sales by land size, bedrooms and condition.
What schools are in Mount Ousley?
School choices should be confirmed using the exact property address and enrolment zone. Mount Ousley covers 0.8 square kilometres, and families can compare nearby public, Catholic and independent options across the wider Wollongong area. Travel time, year-level availability and out-of-area enrolment rules can differ between schools.
Is Mount Ousley safe?
Safety should be assessed using current NSW Police incident patterns for the specific streets and routes being considered. Mount Ousley has 1,611 residents and 80.9% of people stayed at the same address, indicating a settled population, but those figures do not replace a review of recent local incidents, lighting and evening activity.
Is Mount Ousley good for property investment?
Mount Ousley has a $500 weekly rent, 4.3% vacancy rate and 14.5% renting share. Nineteen development applications in 12 months indicate some infill activity. Investors should allow for a smaller tenant pool than in high-rental-share suburbs and assess dwelling quality, parking, transport and nearby employment demand.
How is Mount Ousley's population changing?
Mount Ousley currently has 1,611 residents. Population movement appears gradual rather than highly volatile, with 80.9% staying at the same address and 19.1% turning over. Nineteen development applications over 12 months, including a 2-dwelling dual occupancy and a 1-dwelling application, point to incremental housing change.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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