Mount Warrigal
Almost the entire dwelling stock here is detached: 98.0% are separate houses, with apartments at just 0.8%, a profile that explains why the median house price sits at $910,000 despite household income landing in only the 35.4th percentile nationally. The lakeside Illawarra location near Lake Illawarra carries a median age of 42, two years above the national figure, and the population of 4,880 spreads across 1.9 km2 for a density of 2,562 per km2. University qualifications reach 17.4%, which is 12.7 points below national, so the workforce leans toward trades and care roles rather than professional sectors. Owner-occupiers dominate, with 43.4% owning outright.
Population
4,880
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,365/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
Median House
$910K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers face a $910,000 median in a market that rose 2.8% from $900,000 in 2024 to $925,000 in 2025, a modest move compared to Sydney's sharper cycles. The appeal is space: 98.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 35.8% have four or more bedrooms, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 61.2%, so families find detached stock rarely available in denser coastal suburbs. The catch is affordability relative to local wages. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,950 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.0%, above the 30% stress threshold, because the $910,000 median outpaces a household income that ranks in the 35.4th percentile. That gap makes Mount Warrigal a stretch for first home buyers despite prices well below Sydney medians.
For Buyers
Buyers face a $910,000 median in a market that rose 2.8% from $900,000 in 2024 to $925,000 in 2025, a modest move compared to Sydney's sharper cycles. The appeal is space: 98.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 35.8% have four or more bedrooms, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 61.2%, so families find detached stock rarely available in denser coastal suburbs. The catch is affordability relative to local wages. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,950 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.0%, above the 30% stress threshold, because the $910,000 median outpaces a household income that ranks in the 35.4th percentile. That gap makes Mount Warrigal a stretch for first home buyers despite prices well below Sydney medians.
For Investors
The rental story is thin by design. Only 26.4% of residents rent, well below the renter shares seen in inner-city markets, and weekly rent of $405 against the $910,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%, low for a detached-house suburb. The vacancy rate of 4.0% sits higher than tightly held coastal markets, signalling adequate supply rather than scarcity. Development activity is light, with 29 applications lodged in the past 12 months, most being alterations, additions or demolition rather than new dwelling supply, so investors should not expect rapid stock turnover. With price growth of 2.8% year on year and a small tenant pool, the case rests on steady detached-house demand and capital preservation more than yield, which trails most NSW investment benchmarks.
Development Activity
Total DAs
139
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above the national figure, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,778), Irish (424) and Scottish (375). Overseas-born residents make up 19.0%, which is 2.6 points below national, so this is a less migrant-heavy area than most Sydney suburbs. The most common non-English languages are Macedonian (43 speakers), Greek (18) and Italian (13), a small southern-European presence tied to historic Illawarra migration. University qualifications at 17.4% sit 12.7 points below national, consistent with a trades and care economy. Average household size is 2.6, marginally 0.1 above national, and families split between couples with children (1,325) and couples without (1,160, or 28.7%), a settled mix rather than a young-family wave. Christianity (2,665 residents) is the dominant religion.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.0%
Houses
1.2%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward ownership: 43.4% own outright, 30.2% carry a mortgage and only 26.4% rent, so outright owners outnumber both other groups and point to a long-settled, low-churn population. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 98.0% separate houses, with apartments at 0.8% and three-bedroom homes the dominant size at 61.2%, followed by four-plus-bedroom dwellings at 35.8%. That scarcity of smaller and attached options keeps detached prices firm even as the broader median grew only 2.8% from $900,000 to $925,000 across 2024 to 2025. Affordability is the pressure point: mortgage-to-income at 33.0% exceeds the stress threshold while rent-to-income sits at 29.7%, both elevated because the $910,000 median is high relative to household income in the 35.4th percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$405
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$622
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
75
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.0% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.7%
Couples, no children
4,047
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in care and trade sectors rather than knowledge industries. Healthcare leads at 23.3% (276 workers), Construction follows at 14.6% (173) and Education at 9.7% (115), with Public Administration at 8.3% and Retail at 6.2%. By occupation, Professionals (271) lead narrowly but Community and Personal Service (247), Clerical (237) and Labourers (236) sit close behind, a flatter skills profile than higher-income suburbs. Unemployment is elevated at 7.0%, above typical metropolitan rates, and the full-time employment rate is 61.1%. Participation reads just 44.2%, dragged down by 1,749 residents not in the labour force, which aligns with the older median age of 42 and a sizeable retired cohort. The university rate of 17.4%, 12.7 points below national, reinforces the hands-on character of the local economy.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
44.2%
Employed
1,638
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.4%
Postgraduate
3.0%
Born Overseas
19.0%
Dwellings
1,788
Transport to Work
Daily life here is car-centric and detached-house focused. Some 89.4% of commuters drive, far above the national average, while public transport carries just 1.9% and walking or cycling only 1.4%, reflecting the suburb's distance from rail and reliance on road access around Lake Illawarra. The community skews settled, with 85.3% of residents having stayed in place and an older median age of 42, two years above national. No schools are recorded inside the 1.9 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Illawarra suburbs, a practical trade-off for a small lakeside pocket. Volunteering runs at 9.0% and 9.0% of residents (414 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older age profile and strong owner-occupier base.
Drive
89.4%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Warrigal compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Warrigal a good suburb to live in?
Mount Warrigal suits buyers wanting detached homes, with 98.0% of dwellings separate houses and 43.4% owned outright. It is settled and quiet, with an older median age of 42, two years above national. The main trade-offs are a $910,000 median that is high relative to local incomes in the 35.4th percentile, and heavy car reliance at 89.4% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Mount Warrigal?
The median house price is $910,000, well below Sydney medians. Prices rose 2.8% from $900,000 in 2024 to $925,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $405 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.0%, above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Mount Warrigal?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.9 km2 Mount Warrigal boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Illawarra suburbs. The resident university qualification rate is 17.4%, which is 12.7 points below the national figure, reflecting a trades and care focused workforce.
Is Mount Warrigal safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Mount Warrigal in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb is highly settled, with 85.3% of residents having stayed put and a low turnover rate of 14.7%, both patterns consistent with a stable, owner-occupier neighbourhood where 43.4% own outright.
Is Mount Warrigal good for property investment?
Rent of $405 a week against a $910,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.3%, low for a detached suburb, and only 26.4% of residents rent. The 4.0% vacancy rate signals adequate supply rather than scarcity. With prices up just 2.8% year on year, returns depend on capital growth more than yield.
How is Mount Warrigal's population changing?
The population of 4,880 is highly stable, with 85.3% of residents having stayed in place and a turnover rate of just 14.7%. The profile is older, with a median age of 42, two years above national, and development is light at 29 applications in 12 months, pointing to slow, steady change rather than rapid growth.
What is the main industry of employment in Mount Warrigal?
Healthcare is the largest employer at 23.3% of workers (276 people), followed by Construction at 14.6% (173) and Education at 9.7% (115). Unemployment sits at 7.0%, above typical metropolitan rates, and participation is 44.2%, reflecting an older population with 1,749 residents not in the labour force.
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 Mount Warrigal on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map