West Wollongong
A $960,000 median house price next to a median age of 35, five years below national, marks West Wollongong as a younger working family pocket rather than a retiree enclave. Prices jumped 13.0% in a single year, from $902,500 in 2024 to $1,020,000 in 2025, faster than most Illawarra markets. University qualifications reach 42.1%, which is 12 points above the national figure, helped by the suburb sitting beside the University of Wollongong, yet household income lands only in the 58.1st percentile nationally. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 63.1% across a compact 2.07 km2, and 37.0% of residents rent, a tenant share well above the owner-occupier mix you find in established outer suburbs.
Population
5,223
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,672/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
29
Median House
$960K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $960,000 median sits below Sydney equivalents but reflects a fast climb, up 13.0% from $902,500 to $1,020,000 across 2024 to 2025. Buyers are mostly chasing detached homes, which make up 63.1% of dwellings, with apartments at 19.3% and semi-detached at 17.1%, so house supply is the deeper market. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 45.8% and 4-plus bedroom homes are 25.6%, pointing to family-sized stock rather than starter units. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,123, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3%, just under the 30% stress threshold, so affordability is stretched but not breached. Outright owners (31.0%) and mortgage holders (31.9%) are evenly split, a sign the market mixes established residents with recent buyers rather than skewing to one camp.
For Buyers
The $960,000 median sits below Sydney equivalents but reflects a fast climb, up 13.0% from $902,500 to $1,020,000 across 2024 to 2025. Buyers are mostly chasing detached homes, which make up 63.1% of dwellings, with apartments at 19.3% and semi-detached at 17.1%, so house supply is the deeper market. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 45.8% and 4-plus bedroom homes are 25.6%, pointing to family-sized stock rather than starter units. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,123, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3%, just under the 30% stress threshold, so affordability is stretched but not breached. Outright owners (31.0%) and mortgage holders (31.9%) are evenly split, a sign the market mixes established residents with recent buyers rather than skewing to one camp.
For Investors
A 37.0% renter share and weekly rent of $370 give landlords a steady tenant pool, larger than the owner base in many comparable suburbs. Against the $960,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 2.0%, modest but typical for a capital-growth market. The 5.4% vacancy rate is healthy and points to genuine tenant demand rather than oversupply. Proximity to the University of Wollongong underpins rental demand, because student and staff households keep turnover and re-letting steady at a 24.2% mobility rate. Development is moderate at 27 applications in 12 months, including secondary dwellings and dwelling alterations rather than large new supply, so existing stock stays scarce. With prices up 13.0% year on year, the investment case leans on capital growth more than the 2.0% yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
219
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-37.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in West Wollongong iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Edmund Rice College
7-12 · 1054 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below the national figure, and the family profile is active rather than aging, with couples raising children (1,761 families) outnumbering couples without children (905). Overseas-born residents reach 25.6%, which is 4 points above national, a moderate migrant share led by English (1,647), Irish (575) and Scottish (496) ancestry. The top non-English languages are Arabic (64 speakers), Serbian (60) and Mandarin (41), reflecting a small but mixed Illawarra resident base. University qualifications at 42.1% run 12 points above national, lifted by the neighbouring University of Wollongong. Average household size is 2.5, level with national, consistent with the family-heavy mix where 3,873 total families anchor the population of 5,223.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
63.1%
Houses
17.1%
Townhouse
19.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits almost evenly: 31.0% own outright, 31.9% carry a mortgage and 37.0% rent, so renters edge out each owner group, unusual for a detached-house suburb. The stock is 63.1% separate houses, with apartments at 19.3% and semi-detached at 17.1%, which keeps the market house-led. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 45.8% and 4-plus bedroom homes 25.6%, while smaller 0 to 1 bedroom units are just 6.3%, confirming family-sized supply. The median house price rose from $902,500 to $1,020,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 13.0% one-year move. Mortgage-to-income at 29.3% sits just below the stress threshold and rent-to-income at 22.1% stays comfortable, a balance that reflects how the $960,000 median remains attainable relative to incomes in the 58.1st percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,123
Rent / wk
$370
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$759
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.4%
Unoccupied
111
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.4%
Couples, no children
3,873
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is concentrated in essential service sectors: Healthcare leads at 20.2% (369 workers) and Education follows at 17.0% (311), together more than a third of jobs, which reflects the pull of Wollongong Hospital and the university nearby. Construction (8.9%), Public Admin (8.2%) and Professional/Tech (7.7%) round out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (674) lead, followed by Community and Personal Service workers (333) and Managers (272), aligning with the health and education skew. Unemployment is elevated at 6.4%, above the typical metropolitan rate, and participation reads 54.2%, held down because 1,431 residents are not in the labour force, partly students. Full-time employment runs at 62.3%, so part-time and casual work is common in this services-heavy economy.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
54.2%
Employed
2,164
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.1%
Postgraduate
12.4%
Born Overseas
25.6%
Dwellings
1,952
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 86.3% of commuters driving, well above the national average, while public transport use is just 3.4% and walking or cycling 4.0%, a trade-off for an area set back from the rail line. The compact 2.07 km2 footprint sits beside the University of Wollongong and Wollongong CBD, putting jobs, hospital and campus within a short drive. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, though the educated profile, with university qualifications 12 points above national, suggests strong demand for them. Volunteering runs at 15.9% and 6.1% of residents (299 people) need daily assistance, a modest share consistent with the younger median age of 35.
Drive
86.3%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
4.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How West Wollongong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is West Wollongong a good suburb to live in?
West Wollongong suits younger families and university households, with a median age of 35, five years below national, and university qualifications at 42.1%, 12 points above national. The $960,000 median house price is attainable relative to Sydney, though car reliance is high at 86.3% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in West Wollongong?
The median house price is $960,000. Prices rose 13.0% in a year, from $902,500 in 2024 to $1,020,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $370 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,123, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3%, just below the stress threshold.
What schools are in West Wollongong?
No schools are recorded inside the West Wollongong boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs and the University of Wollongong nearby. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 42.1%, which is 12 points above the national figure.
Is West Wollongong safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for West Wollongong in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 6.1% of its 5,223 residents need daily assistance and the volunteering rate is 15.9%, both consistent with a stable, family-oriented community rather than a transient one.
Is West Wollongong good for property investment?
Rent of $370 a week against a $960,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.0%, modest but typical for a growth market, and the 5.4% vacancy rate signals healthy tenant demand. With prices up 13.0% in a year and the University of Wollongong nearby, returns lean on capital growth over yield.
How is West Wollongong's population changing?
The population stands at 5,223 with a median age of 35, five years below national, pointing to a younger family and student base. Mobility is high with a 24.2% turnover rate, and development activity of 27 applications in 12 months suggests gradual densification rather than rapid expansion.
How much development is happening in West Wollongong?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months across the 2.07 km2 suburb. Most are dwelling alterations and secondary dwellings rather than large new projects, consistent with gradual densification in a market where separate houses make up 63.1% of stock.
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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