Thirroul
With 49.2% of residents working from home, Thirroul combines a coastal lifestyle with a high-income, established housing base. Its population is 6,348 and median age is 43, which is 3 years above the national figure, while household income sits at the 87.6th percentile. Separate houses account for 75.6% of dwellings and outright ownership for 41.2%, supporting a settled market. Compared with nearby Bulli and Austinmer, Thirroul appeals to buyers seeking a village-scale centre, beach access and rail connectivity, but its ageing trajectory and worsening affordability matter for younger households.
Population
6,348
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,281/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
79
Homebuyers face a market shaped by detached housing and relatively large dwellings rather than a high apartment share. Separate houses make up 75.6%, with 41.4% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 37.7% containing 4 or more. A monthly mortgage commitment of $2,600 equals 26.3% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with the 20.1% renting share, the 41.2% outright ownership rate points to a mature owner base. Buyers should price renovations, insurance and commuting carefully because well-located houses are likely to attract stronger competition than smaller attached stock.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a market shaped by detached housing and relatively large dwellings rather than a high apartment share. Separate houses make up 75.6%, with 41.4% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 37.7% containing 4 or more. A monthly mortgage commitment of $2,600 equals 26.3% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with the 20.1% renting share, the 41.2% outright ownership rate points to a mature owner base. Buyers should price renovations, insurance and commuting carefully because well-located houses are likely to attract stronger competition than smaller attached stock.
For Investors
Investors get a meaningful rental pool, with 20.1% of dwellings rented and weekly rent at $540, but a 6.9% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied rental market would usually show. Rent growth of 52.8% supports recent income momentum, although 78 development applications in 12 months may add future choice for tenants. The annual growth trend is 0.57%, and overseas migration is the primary driver, so demand is more likely to depend on incoming households than rapid local expansion. Compared with a strongly owner-occupied market, the rental share is useful, but investors should test holding costs, building quality and vacancy sensitivity rather than rely on rent growth alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
537
Last 12 Months
79
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-3.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Thirroul
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Thirroul has an older and more highly educated profile than Australia overall: median age is 43, 3 years above national, and 47.6% of residents have university qualifications, 17.5 percentage points above the national comparison. English ancestry counts 2,831 people, followed by Irish at 1,004 and Scottish at 898, while 3,101 report no religion and 2,782 Christianity. Overseas-born residents comprise 17.6%, below the national comparison by 4 points. Household size is 2.7, only 0.2 above national, and 82.0% stayed at the same address, helping explain the suburb's stable profile compared with a high-turnover market.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.6%
Houses
12.8%
Townhouse
10.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Thirroul's housing mix is firmly detached: separate houses represent 75.6%, compared with 10.8% apartments and 12.8% semi-detached dwellings. Ownership is also strong, with 41.2% owned outright and 37.1% under mortgage, while renting accounts for 20.1%. Three-bedroom homes make up 41.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 37.7%, matching the suburb's family-oriented stock and 49.3% share of couples with children. Rent equals 23.7% of household income and mortgage costs 26.3%, with neither category flagged for stress. The 41.2% outright share is higher than the mortgage share, pointing to more equity depth than in a heavily leveraged market.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $540.
$885
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,000 · units $585
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$974
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
169
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.3%
Couples with children
39.9%
Couples, no children
10.4%
Single parent
1,780
Total families
Economy & Employment
Thirroul's economy is anchored by education at 18.6% of industry employment, healthcare at 16.4%, professional and technical work at 11.6%, construction at 9.7% and public administration at 9.1%. The occupation profile reinforces this service base: professionals number 1,104 and managers 512, ahead of trades at 379. Unemployment is 3.5% among a labour force of 3,186, while participation is 62.7% and 1,702 people work full time. Household income ranks at the 87.6th percentile, consistent with IEO and IER deciles of 9 and IRSAD and IRSD deciles of 10. Compared with the national midpoint, this is a materially advantaged socioeconomic profile, although 1,067 part-time workers point to a mixed work pattern.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
3,186
Unemployed
110
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.3%
Part-time
34.7%
Participation
62.7%
Employed
3,076
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.6%
Postgraduate
15.4%
Born Overseas
17.6%
Dwellings
2,295
Transport to Work
Livability suits residents who can work from home, but it is less oriented to daily public transport. Work from home is 49.2%, compared with 44.5% driving a car and 2.1% using public transport; 2.8% walk or cycle to work. Thirroul Public School provides 1 local government primary option, while families should check enrolment zones and nearby secondary choices against the exact address. IRSAD and IRSD are both decile 10, while IER and IEO are decile 9, placing the suburb above the national midpoint. A 4.2% need-assistance rate and 18.8% volunteering rate add context, while safety should be assessed through current street-level information for the exact address.
Drive
44.5%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
49.2%
Population Forecast
+0.57%/yr
(+69 people/yr)
EstablishedThirroul is an established area with a positive but measured annual growth trend of 0.57%, driven primarily by overseas migration. Across the wider area, population change is 13.0% over 10 years, above a static-growth path. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 5.1 percentage points, while the young share fell 1.0 point and the working share declined 3.3 points. Affordability is marked Worsening, moving from 51.9 in 2011 to 54.2 in 2021. Compared with a younger growth corridor, this points to demand from incoming and established households rather than a broad youth wave. The gentrification labels are mixed: Active with a score of 51, but also Not gentrifying with a score of 0.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+106
Net Internal / yr
-102
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -102/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Thirroul compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thirroul a good suburb to live in?
Yes, for buyers and residents who value a coastal setting, established housing and working from home. Thirroul has 6,348 residents, a median age of 43 and 49.2% working from home. Its IRSAD decile is 10, although public transport is only 2.1%, so lifestyle fit depends on whether you need frequent transit or can use a car.
What is the median house price in Thirroul?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales for postcode 2515 rather than inferred from the housing mix. Thirroul is 75.6% separate houses, with 41.4% 3-bedroom and 37.7% 4-plus-bedroom homes. Buyers should compare land size, condition and sale dates before setting a budget, and test repayments against the $2,600 monthly mortgage cost.
What schools are in Thirroul?
Thirroul Public School is the 1 named local school, and it is a government primary school. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address, while families seeking secondary education should compare nearby government and non-government options by travel time and eligibility. The suburb's 2.7-person average household size is consistent with a mix of couples, families and smaller households.
Is Thirroul safe?
Assess Thirroul street by street using current NSW Police information for postcode 2515, visiting the exact area at different times and considering lighting, traffic and access to services. A suburb-wide label cannot establish whether one pocket is safer than another. The population is 6,348, so conditions can vary between busy coastal streets and quieter residential pockets.
Is Thirroul good for property investment?
Thirroul can suit a long-term investor, but the case is not risk-free. Rents are $540 a week, vacancy is 6.9% and 20.1% of dwellings are rented. Rent growth reached 52.8%, while annual growth is 0.57% and 78 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Compared with a tightly held owner market, rental demand is useful, but due diligence on price, maintenance and future competition is essential.
How is Thirroul's population changing?
Population change is positive but increasingly older in character. The wider area recorded 13.0% population change over 10 years and the annual growth trend is 0.57%, with overseas migration the primary driver. Thirroul's current population is 6,348, while its senior share rose 5.1 points and young share fell 1.0 point. Compared with a younger corridor, future demand is likely to include more older households and established owners.
Is there significant development activity in Thirroul?
Development activity is material, with 78 applications in the latest 12-month period, including an attached dwelling application and modifications involving independent living units. That is more activity than a quiet, static market would typically suggest, but application counts do not guarantee completed homes. Buyers and neighbours should check consent conditions, timing and the effect on parking, privacy and local traffic before drawing conclusions.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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