Primbee
The standout feature of Primbee is its combination of an older age profile and low-growth housing market. Its 1,623 residents have a median age of 44, four years above the national average, while 81.5% of dwellings are separate houses. Population trend is -0.09% annually, supporting a settled rather than expansion-led outlook. Compared with nearby Lake Illawarra, Primbee reads as a smaller, more detached setting, with 24.0% working from home and 69.2% driving to work. The trade-off is affordability pressure: household income sits at the 34.1st percentile and mortgage costs absorb 32.8% of household income, above a comfortable borrowing range for many buyers.
Local council: Wollongong
Population
1,623
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,341/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
Primbee suits buyers seeking a predominantly detached-house setting, particularly households wanting 3 or 4 bedrooms rather than apartment living. Separate houses account for 81.5% of dwellings, while 46.4% have 3 bedrooms and 27.6% have 4 or more. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,904 and mortgage stress at 32.8% of household income make borrowing capacity important, especially because household income sits at the 34.1st percentile, below the national midpoint. Compared with apartment-led suburbs, maintenance and land costs may be more significant here, while the 350 weekly rent provides a useful alternative benchmark. Buyers should compare exact streets, renovation needs and flood or waterfront exposure before committing.
For Buyers
Primbee suits buyers seeking a predominantly detached-house setting, particularly households wanting 3 or 4 bedrooms rather than apartment living. Separate houses account for 81.5% of dwellings, while 46.4% have 3 bedrooms and 27.6% have 4 or more. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,904 and mortgage stress at 32.8% of household income make borrowing capacity important, especially because household income sits at the 34.1st percentile, below the national midpoint. Compared with apartment-led suburbs, maintenance and land costs may be more significant here, while the 350 weekly rent provides a useful alternative benchmark. Buyers should compare exact streets, renovation needs and flood or waterfront exposure before committing.
For Investors
The rental case is mixed rather than purely growth-led. Renters represent 31.1% of households, with weekly rent at $350 and a vacancy rate of 9.0%, giving tenants more choice than in a tightly supplied market. There were 20 development applications in the past 12 months, mostly involving existing residential properties, so activity points more to incremental renewal than a large new dwelling pipeline. Population trend is -0.09% annually and migration is described as Balanced, which is below the pace of stronger regional growth markets. Recorded rent growth of 56.8% may support income returns, but investors should test current rents, insurance and maintenance costs because detached homes can carry higher upkeep than apartments.
Development Activity
Total DAs
116
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+64.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Primbee
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Primbee has a median age of 44, which is four years above the national average, and its average household size of 2.4 is 0.1 below the national figure. University attainment is 24.2%, or 5.9 percentage points below the national comparison, while the overseas-born share is 19.2%, 2.4 points lower nationally. English ancestry is most common at 519 people, followed by Irish at 158, Scottish at 144 and Italian at 117. Christianity accounts for 952 residents and no religion for 542, while Greek and Macedonian languages are recorded for 31 and 19 people. Compared with larger nearby centres such as Lake Illawarra and Warrawong, Primbee has a more settled, older household profile, reinforced by 84.3% of residents staying at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.5%
Houses
10.6%
Townhouse
7.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Primbee's housing stock is strongly detached, with separate houses making up 81.5% of dwellings, compared with 10.6% semi-detached homes and 7.9% apartments. The bedroom mix is concentrated in 3-bedroom homes at 46.4%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 27.6%, while 2-bedroom dwellings account for 18.6%. Ownership is split between outright owners at 41.8%, mortgage holders at 25.8% and renters at 31.1%. The outright ownership share is higher than in many newer mortgage-heavy estates, helping explain the older age profile, but the 32.8% mortgage-to-income ratio indicates pressure for current borrowers. Compared with apartment-oriented suburbs, Primbee offers more conventional family housing but fewer compact options.
Mortgage / mo
$1,904
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $350.
$640
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $690 · units $500
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$669
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
64
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.8% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.0%
Couples with children
37.5%
Couples, no children
20.8%
Single parent
437
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Primbee's largest listed industry at 19.0% and 81 workers, followed by Education at 14.8% and 63, Construction at 11.0% and 47, Public Administration at 8.9% and 38, and Other Services at 7.5% and 32. The largest occupation groups are Professionals with 120 people, Trades with 113, and Clerical and Administrative workers with 101. Unemployment is 4.8%, participation is 52.3% and 585 residents are outside the labour force. Socioeconomic measures rank below the state midpoint: IEO is decile 1, IER decile 3, IRSD decile 2 and IRSAD decile 2. The combination of care and education employment with low area rankings suggests a mixed workforce, where professional jobs coexist with broader educational and economic disadvantage.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
708
Unemployed
34
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.7%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
52.3%
Employed
674
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.2%
Postgraduate
6.9%
Born Overseas
19.2%
Dwellings
643
Transport to Work
Daily life in Primbee is car-oriented: 69.2% of workers drive, compared with 2.1% using public transport and 0.7% walking or cycling, while 24.0% work from home. That pattern can suit residents with cars but is less convenient than a transit-rich suburb for households without one. There is 1 local government primary school in the suburb, providing local primary access; families seeking secondary or specialist options should check enrolment zones against the exact address. IRSAD is in decile 2 and 8.3% of residents need assistance with core activities, so access to health, support and everyday services matters. A suburb-level crime rate is not available for comparison, so recent incidents, lighting and traffic conditions should be checked street by street.
Drive
69.2%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.7%
Work from Home
24.0%
Growth Outlook
Primbee's growth outlook is slow and increasingly shaped by age rather than expansion. The annual trend is -0.09%, while the wider area's 10-year population change is 1.5%, well below high-growth regional corridors. Migration is classified as Balanced, so neither overseas arrivals nor internal movement is identified as a dominant source of change. The shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.7 percentage points and the working-age share down 2.1 points. Gentrification signals are limited: one measure gives a score of 0 and the stage Not gentrifying, while another shift measure records 40 and Early signs. Together, these indicators point to modest housing renewal and rising rents rather than rapid demographic replacement.
Population trend: Wollongong council area
Primbee sits in the Wollongong council area. These are the council area's residents, not Primbee'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 Primbee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Primbee a good suburb to live in?
Primbee can suit buyers wanting a quieter, detached-house setting near the Illawarra waterfront. The median age is 44, 81.5% of homes are separate houses and 69.2% of commuters drive, so it fits car-oriented households better than transit-dependent renters. Compare the exact street, services and school zone before deciding.
What is the median house price in Primbee?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales in postcode 2502. That matters because 81.5% of dwellings are separate houses, while 46.4% have 3 bedrooms and 27.6% have 4 or more, so the dwelling mix can materially affect any suburb median.
What schools are in Primbee?
Primbee has 1 local government primary school, Primbee Public School. Families comparing primary or secondary options should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, because boundaries can differ between nearby suburbs. Travel planning is also important because only 2.1% of residents use public transport.
Is Primbee safe?
There is no suburb-level crime rate to support a simple safe or unsafe label. Review recent incident patterns by category and time, inspect lighting and traffic around the 3.22 square kilometre area, and compare nearby streets before signing. Primbee has 1,623 residents, so small-area rates can be volatile.
Is Primbee good for property investment?
Primbee may suit investors seeking detached rental housing, with 31.1% of households renting and weekly rent of $350. However, the 9.0% vacancy rate is not especially tight, population trend is -0.09% annually and migration is Balanced. Test the purchase price, insurance, maintenance and achievable rent before relying on yield.
How is Primbee's population changing?
Primbee has an aging, slow-growth profile. The annual trend is -0.09%, while population change across the wider area is 1.5% over 10 years. The senior share has increased by 3.7 percentage points and the trajectory is labelled Aging, suggesting demand will favour accessible homes and services more than rapid new household growth.
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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