Nowra
Nowra's household income at the 14.3rd percentile ($1,037/week) places it in the bottom sixth nationally, yet rents have surged 65.0% over the decade, creating a squeeze where mortgage-to-income at 33.4% already exceeds the stress threshold. Healthcare employs 27.3% of workers, the highest single-sector concentration in this batch, anchored by Shoalhaven Hospital. The suburb has 7 schools spanning ICSEA 862 to 1,033, but the spread reveals a sharp internal divide between advantaged and disadvantaged catchments within the same postcode. A gentrification score of 71 (advanced stage) suggests Nowra is undergoing significant socio-economic transformation, though SEIFA decile 2 readings indicate it remains in the bottom quintile.
Population
9,956
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,037/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
70
Median House
$650K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $650,000 the median provides one of the most affordable entry points on the NSW South Coast, rising 5.8% from $633,500 in 2024 to $670,000 in 2025. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.4%, with four-bedroom at 26.1%, giving families reasonable choice. However, mortgage-to-income at 33.4% exceeds the 30% stress threshold, meaning a typical household must stretch to service a loan. Detached houses make up 81.4% of stock. The 7 schools offer varied quality: Nowra Christian School (ICSEA 1,033) and St John the Evangelist (1,028) sit above the national benchmark, while Shoalhaven High School (862) sits well below. Walking and cycling capture 7.4% of commutes, higher than many regional towns.
For Buyers
At $650,000 the median provides one of the most affordable entry points on the NSW South Coast, rising 5.8% from $633,500 in 2024 to $670,000 in 2025. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.4%, with four-bedroom at 26.1%, giving families reasonable choice. However, mortgage-to-income at 33.4% exceeds the 30% stress threshold, meaning a typical household must stretch to service a loan. Detached houses make up 81.4% of stock. The 7 schools offer varied quality: Nowra Christian School (ICSEA 1,033) and St John the Evangelist (1,028) sit above the national benchmark, while Shoalhaven High School (862) sits well below. Walking and cycling capture 7.4% of commutes, higher than many regional towns.
For Investors
Renters at 47.8% provide a deep tenant pool, and median weekly rent of $300 against a $650,000 median yields roughly 2.4% gross, low even by regional standards. Rent growth of 65.0% over the decade has been the strongest in this cohort, yet the vacancy rate of 8.3% is elevated, which could signal turnover issues given the low-income tenant base. Population growth of 1.66% (393 people/year) is moderate, with balanced migration sources. The gentrification score of 71 (advanced) and 69 DAs in 12 months suggest the suburb is mid-transformation, but the low-income base (14.3rd percentile) and IRSD decile 2 mean investor returns depend heavily on continued gentrification momentum.
Development Activity
Total DAs
466
Last 12 Months
70
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Nowra iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Nowra Christian School
K-12 · 572 students
St John the Evangelist Catholic High School
7-12 · 935 students
St Michael's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 537 students
Nowra Hill Public School
K-6 · 131 students
Nowra High School
7-12 · 777 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 aligns with national, but the participation rate of just 40.4% is strikingly low, with 3,781 residents not in the labour force. University qualifications at 17.7% sit 12.4 points below national, the widest negative gap in this batch. Only 15.1% were born overseas (6.5 points below national), and non-English languages are spoken in very small numbers, with Nepali (26), Arabic (21), Punjabi (21) and Italian (21) leading. Community/Personal workers (605) outnumber Professionals (447), an occupational inversion that reflects the healthcare/service economy. The 13.7% needing assistance rate is high, more than double the national average.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.4%
Houses
13.7%
Townhouse
4.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Renters (47.8%) nearly match owners: 29.5% own outright and 22.8% carry mortgages. Detached houses at 81.4% dominate, with semi-detached at 13.7% and apartments at 4.9%. Three-bedroom homes (47.4%) lead stock, with studios/one-bedrooms at 7.6% providing some smaller options. The median rose from $633,500 in 2024 to $670,000 in 2025, a 5.8% gain. The critical stress indicator is mortgage-to-income at 33.4%, exceeding the 30% threshold, because while prices are low in absolute terms, incomes are even lower. Rent-to-income at 28.9% is approaching but has not yet breached the stress line. Affordability worsened from 45.2% to 50.5% of income over the decade.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$554
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.3%
Unoccupied
350
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.4% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.5%
Couples, no children
6,575
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 27.3% (562 workers), a single-sector dependency higher than almost any suburb in this dataset. Public Administration (9.8%), Retail (8.8%), Construction (8.7%) and Hospitality (8.3%) follow. Community/Personal workers (605) lead occupations, ahead of Labourers (472) and Professionals (447), reflecting a service-oriented economy. Unemployment at 10.0% is well above the national average, and the full-time rate of 58.3% is below typical. All four SEIFA deciles sit at 2-3, confirming broad-based disadvantage. Real income grew 20.3% over the decade, but starting from a low base ($1,037/week), this has not closed the gap with national averages.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
7,563
Unemployed
252
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.3%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
40.4%
Employed
2,949
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.7%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
15.1%
Dwellings
3,835
Transport to Work
Car dependency at 83.1% is typical for a regional town, with public transport essentially absent at 0.4%. Walking/cycling at 7.4% is reasonable. The 7 schools provide breadth but with stark quality variation: Nowra Christian School (ICSEA 1,033, 572 students) and St John's (1,028, 935) sit above benchmark, while Shoalhaven High (862, 610) and Nowra Public (904, 517) are well below. The IRSAD decile 2 and IRSD decile 2 confirm significant socio-economic disadvantage, and the 13.7% needing assistance rate is among the highest in this cohort. Rent growth of 65.0% over the decade is compressing livability for renters.
Drive
83.1%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
7.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.66%/yr
(+393 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth averages 1.66% per year (393 persons) with a balanced migration profile: +96 internal and +78 overseas per year. The 24.7% population increase over the past decade is moderate. Medium projections forecast 26,466 by 2031, up from 23,716 in 2025. The gentrification score of 71 (advanced) is the highest in this batch, with signals including population acceleration from 10% to 15% annual growth. The senior share expanded by 2.1 percentage points, consistent with a mixed trajectory. Affordability worsened from 45.2% to 50.5%, indicating housing costs are rising faster than incomes.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+78
Net Internal / yr
+96
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +26% since 2011, Net internal migration +96/yr, Accelerating: 10% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Nowra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nowra a good suburb to live in?
Nowra offers affordable South Coast living with a $650,000 median, but household incomes at the 14.3rd percentile create financial pressure. The IRSAD decile 2 signals below-average advantage. Healthcare employment (27.3% of jobs) provides stable work, and 7 schools offer choice. Mortgage-to-income at 33.4% exceeds the stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Nowra?
The median is $650,000 (PSI-derived), rising 5.8% from $633,500 in 2024 to $670,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,500 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.4%, above the stress threshold. Median weekly rent is $300 with rent-to-income at 28.9%.
What schools are in Nowra?
Nowra has 7 schools across all sectors. Nowra Christian School (ICSEA 1,033, 572 students) and St John the Evangelist (1,028, 935) lead above the national benchmark. Nowra High (944, 777) and Nowra Public (904, 517) sit below. Shoalhaven High School (862, 610) ranks lowest, 138 points below the 1,000 benchmark.
Is Nowra safe?
Crime data is not available for Nowra in the current dataset. The IRSD decile 2 indicates significant disadvantage, a factor correlated with higher crime rates nationally. Unemployment at 10.0% is well above the national average, and 13.7% of residents need assistance, more than double the national rate.
Is Nowra good for property investment?
The 47.8% renter share provides a deep tenant pool, and 65.0% rent growth over the decade shows strong demand momentum. Gross yield is roughly 2.4% ($300/week on $650,000). However, the 8.3% vacancy rate and low-income tenant base (14.3rd percentile) create risk. The gentrification score of 71 (advanced) suggests ongoing socio-economic transformation.
How is Nowra's population changing?
Population grew 24.7% over the decade, averaging 1.66% (393 people) per year with balanced migration: +96 internal and +78 overseas. Medium projections forecast 26,466 by 2031. The gentrification score of 71 is among the highest nationally, indicating active socio-economic upgrading from a low base (IRSAD decile 2).
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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