North Wollongong
At a median age of 30, North Wollongong sits 10 years below the national figure, making it one of the youngest suburbs in the Illawarra region. That youth skews everything: 67% of residents rent, 75.5% of dwellings are apartments, and the vacancy rate of 12.3% reflects a supply base built around students and short-term occupants rather than long-term owner-occupiers. University qualifications reach 51.5%, which is 21.4 percentage points above national, confirming the student-heavy character. Population is 2,299 across just 2.42 square kilometres, with household income sitting at the 49.2nd percentile nationally, close to average despite the high education credentials.
Local council: Wollongong
Population
2,299
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,549/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
The housing stock is skewed heavily toward apartments at 75.5%, with only 16.8% separate houses, so buyers seeking a freestanding home face limited supply and more competition for that specific stock. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 54.7% of all homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.1%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Only 13.3% of households carry a mortgage compared to 67% renting, indicating owner-occupiers remain a small share of the residential base.
For Buyers
The housing stock is skewed heavily toward apartments at 75.5%, with only 16.8% separate houses, so buyers seeking a freestanding home face limited supply and more competition for that specific stock. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 54.7% of all homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.1%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Only 13.3% of households carry a mortgage compared to 67% renting, indicating owner-occupiers remain a small share of the residential base.
For Investors
With 67% of residents renting, North Wollongong has one of the highest renter concentrations in NSW, well above the state average. The complication is the 12.3% vacancy rate, indicating meaningful oversupply in the apartment segment that makes up 75.5% of stock. Development activity logged 22 applications in the past 12 months, including subdivisions and commercial modifications. The 49.4% turnover rate in the resident population signals constant churn, which tends to keep occupancy competitive. Short-lease demand from the university cohort provides a baseline, but investors should factor the high vacancy into cashflow models rather than assuming full occupancy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
95
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in North Wollongong
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
The median age of 30 is 10 years below the national median, reflecting the student and early-career concentration. University qualifications at 51.5% run 21.4 percentage points above national, among the higher rates for an Illawarra suburb. Overseas-born residents make up 30.4%, which is 8.8 percentage points above the national figure, with ancestry led by English (783), Irish (274) and Italian (170). The top non-English languages are Arabic (25), Italian (22) and Macedonian (22). Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below national, consistent with singles and couples living in apartments without children. Couples without children account for 48.1% of families. The turnover rate of 49.4% means nearly half of residents did not live in the suburb five years ago, a profile more typical of a transit population than a settled community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
16.8%
Houses
7.7%
Townhouse
75.5%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split is distinctive: 67% rent, 19.7% own outright and only 13.3% hold a mortgage, a configuration where renters outnumber both owner groups combined by a large margin. The apartment-dominant stock, at 75.5% with semi-detached at 7.7% and separate houses at just 16.8%, explains why: there is little to attract mortgage-carrying owner-occupiers in a market built for renters. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 54.7%, followed by three-bedroom at 23.7% and studios or one-bedroom at 12.6%. Rent-to-income at 25.5% and mortgage-to-income at 29.1% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, meaning neither renters nor mortgage holders face acute housing cost pressure at current income levels.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $395.
$650
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $750 · units $640
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$709
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.3%
Unoccupied
139
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.7%
Couples with children
59.6%
Couples, no children
14.8%
Single parent
473
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 20.5% of local workers (179 people), followed by Education at 16.0% (140) and Professional/Technical services at 10.5% (92). These three sectors together account for nearly half the local workforce, all sectors that draw graduates and align with the 51.5% university qualification rate. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 369, followed by Community and Personal Services at 217. The unemployment rate of 10.0% is elevated, above national averages, and participation at 56.3% is low, both patterns consistent with a large student cohort that is either studying or working part-time. Full-time employment covers 57.4% of those employed. Household income sits at the 49.2nd percentile nationally, which reflects the mix of early-career workers and students rather than established, high-earning professionals.
Unemployment
8.6%
Labour Force
1,391
Unemployed
120
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.0%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
65.0%
Employed
1,271
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.5%
Postgraduate
17.3%
Born Overseas
30.4%
Dwellings
992
Transport to Work
Car dependency is moderate: 79.0% drive, but 8.3% walk or cycle and 7.5% use public transport, which is reasonable for a coastal NSW location with a compact urban form. Wollongong CBD, beaches and major services are accessible from the suburb without long commutes. No schools are recorded within the North Wollongong boundary in this dataset, so families with school-age children rely on nearby Wollongong or Fairy Meadow institutions. Volunteering participation is 16.2%, and 4.1% of residents need daily assistance, both typical figures for a young urban population. Rent-to-income of 25.5% sits below the 30% stress level nationally accepted as a housing affordability benchmark. The 12.3% vacancy rate across apartments suggests renters have real choice in the market, which keeps rents competitive and conditions livable for the dominant renter cohort.
Drive
53.4%
Public Transport
5.1%
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
32.4%
Growth Outlook
North Wollongong is a compact 2.42 square kilometre suburb with a population of 2,299, giving a density of 948.7 residents per square kilometre. The price history covers only two data points, showing a decline of 11.3% from 2024 to 2025, steeper than state-level trends for coastal NSW. The development pipeline shows 22 applications in the past 12 months, including subdivisions and commercial activity, suggesting the local council area is still processing density changes. The 30.4% overseas-born population, which is 8.8 percentage points above national, indicates the suburb draws international residents, likely students and early migrants, which sustains baseline rental demand even during flat periods. Growth in this suburb is constrained by its small footprint and high existing density rather than lack of demand.
Population trend: Wollongong council area
North Wollongong sits in the Wollongong council area. These are the council area's residents, not North Wollongong'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 North Wollongong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Wollongong a good suburb to live in?
North Wollongong suits renters, students and early-career workers well. University qualifications reach 51.5%, which is 21.4 percentage points above national, reflecting a knowledge-focused resident base. The median age of 30 is 10 years below national. Rent-to-income sits at 25.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, and the 12.3% vacancy rate gives renters genuine choice. Families seeking schools need to look to neighbouring suburbs, as no schools are recorded within the boundary.
What schools are in North Wollongong?
No schools are recorded within the North Wollongong boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Wollongong, Fairy Meadow and Gwynneville. Locally, 51.5% of adult residents hold university qualifications, which is 21.4 percentage points above the national average, indicating the suburb attracts highly educated adults rather than family households with school-age children.
Is North Wollongong safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for North Wollongong in this dataset. The suburb has a 10.0% unemployment rate, above national averages, and a 12.3% vacancy rate in apartments, both factors that can be associated with transient populations. Volunteering runs at 16.2% and 67% of residents are renters, reflecting a mobile rather than entrenched residential base.
Is North Wollongong good for property investment?
The 67% renter share, well above state averages, creates strong rental demand. The main risk is the 12.3% vacancy rate, which signals oversupply in apartments that make up 75.5% of stock. Prices also fell 11.3% from 2024 to 2025, so short-term capital growth is limited. Student and early-career demand provides a reliable tenant base but with high turnover at 49.4%.
How is North Wollongong's population changing?
The suburb's 2,299 residents are concentrated in 2.42 square kilometres at a density of 948.7 per square kilometre. The 49.4% turnover rate means nearly half of residents arrived within the past five years, reflecting a highly mobile, student-driven population. Overseas-born residents account for 30.4%, which is 8.8 percentage points above national, indicating continued international attraction to the area.
What languages are spoken in North Wollongong?
About 30.4% of residents were born overseas, which is 8.8 percentage points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are Arabic (25 speakers), Italian (22), Macedonian (22), Mandarin (20) and Nepali (15), reflecting a small but internationally sourced resident mix alongside the dominant English-speaking majority.
How much development is happening in North Wollongong?
There were 22 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including subdivision approvals, commercial licensing modifications and further DA lodgements. For a suburb of 2,299 people in 2.42 square kilometres, this represents active planning activity. The apartment stock already makes up 75.5% of dwellings, so most new activity involves intensification or commercial change rather than greenfield residential 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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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