Woolooware
The headline contradiction here is wealth without the inner-Sydney price tag: household income sits in the 84.5th percentile nationally and the suburb scores decile 10 on three of four SEIFA indexes, yet the median house price is $970,000, well below comparable harbour and eastern-suburb markets. That advantage is broad rather than narrow, with IRSAD, IRSD and IER all at decile 10 and education at decile 9. The resident base is established but shifting: the median age of 39 runs 1.0 year below national, the population has grown 19% over the decade, and prices jumped 23% in a single year from $935,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025. At 2,721 residents per km2 across 1.86 km2, it is denser than a typical detached-house suburb because apartments make up 38.9% of dwellings.
Population
5,060
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,228/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
50
Median House
$970K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Affordability is the standout for a decile 10 suburb: the $970,000 median house price is far below comparable advantaged Sydney markets, and the stock is more house-friendly than most, with separate houses at 44.4% against apartments at 38.9%. Buyers chasing space have options, since 3-bedroom homes make up 29.8% and 4-plus bedroom homes 28.6%, a higher large-home share than apartment-heavy eastern suburbs. The catch is momentum: prices climbed 23% in one year from $935,000 to $1,150,000, so entry is getting harder fast. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold thanks to household incomes in the 84.5th percentile. Mortgage holders (39.0%) outnumber outright owners (33.9%), a sign of active buyer churn rather than purely settled long-term ownership.
For Buyers
Affordability is the standout for a decile 10 suburb: the $970,000 median house price is far below comparable advantaged Sydney markets, and the stock is more house-friendly than most, with separate houses at 44.4% against apartments at 38.9%. Buyers chasing space have options, since 3-bedroom homes make up 29.8% and 4-plus bedroom homes 28.6%, a higher large-home share than apartment-heavy eastern suburbs. The catch is momentum: prices climbed 23% in one year from $935,000 to $1,150,000, so entry is getting harder fast. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold thanks to household incomes in the 84.5th percentile. Mortgage holders (39.0%) outnumber outright owners (33.9%), a sign of active buyer churn rather than purely settled long-term ownership.
For Investors
A 27.1% renter share and weekly rent of $550 give landlords a working tenant pool, and against the $970,000 median that rent implies a gross yield near 2.9%, materially better than the sub-1.5% yields common in pricier eastern Sydney. The 7.8% vacancy rate is moderate and below the apartment-glut levels seen in some inner suburbs, which supports rent stability. Demand drivers are positive: the population grew 19% over the decade, net overseas migration adds 74 residents a year and net internal migration adds 116, an unusual case where both flows are inflows. Development is modest at 50 applications in 12 months, mostly dwelling houses and dual occupancies rather than large towers, so new supply will stay limited. With rent up 57.1% over the period and forecast annual growth of 1.31%, the case rests on steady yield plus capital growth rather than speculation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
324
Last 12 Months
50
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-13.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Woolooware iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Francis de Sales Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 175 students
Woolooware High School
7-12 · 788 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1.0 year below national, and the trajectory reads declining young: the young-adult share fell 3.9 points while the senior share rose 3.0 points over the decade, pointing to families maturing in place rather than fresh churn. Overseas-born residents reach 18.0%, which is 3.6 points below national, so this is a more Australian-born profile than the Sydney average. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,150), Irish (684) and Scottish (489), with Italian (278) the largest continental group. The top non-English languages are Greek (42), Portuguese (20) and Italian (13), small counts consistent with the below-average migrant share. University qualifications at 38.7% run 8.6 points above national, and average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, fitting a couples-with-children base that makes up 1,576 of 4,081 families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
44.4%
Houses
16.7%
Townhouse
38.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward active buyers: 39.0% carry a mortgage, 33.9% own outright and 27.1% rent. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners signals a market still absorbing new entrants rather than one frozen by long-held wealth. The stock is more detached than dense Sydney, with separate houses at 44.4%, apartments at 38.9% and semi-detached at 16.7%, and bedroom counts skew large, as 3-bedroom dwellings reach 29.8% and 4-plus bedroom 28.6%. The median house price rose from $935,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025, a 23% one-year move that outpaces most markets. Despite that surge, mortgage-to-income at 27.0% and rent-to-income at 24.7% both sit below the 30% stress line, because household incomes land in the 84.5th percentile, giving local buyers more headroom than the price alone suggests.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,131
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
172
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.2%
Couples, no children
4,081
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce spreads across sectors rather than concentrating in finance: Professional/Tech leads at 12.2% (253 workers), Construction follows at 12.0% (249), Healthcare at 11.9% (248), Education at 11.2% and Public Admin at 8.3%. By occupation, Professionals (766) and Managers (482) dominate, which aligns with the decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 2.9% and the full-time employment rate is 65.5%, while participation reads 60.8%, held down by 1,194 residents not in the labour force as the population ages. Real incomes grew 21.5% over the decade. The standout is the IER score at decile 10, the top tier for economic resources, higher than the IEO decile 9, which reflects strong household asset positions supported by a 73% owner-occupier base rather than education credentials alone.
Unemployment
1.9%
Labour Force
5,816
Unemployed
113
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.5%
Part-time
31.6%
Participation
60.8%
Employed
2,508
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.7%
Postgraduate
7.9%
Born Overseas
18.0%
Dwellings
2,011
Transport to Work
The setting is firmly car-oriented: 86.6% drive to work, well above the national reliance on cars, while only 4.3% take public transport and 3.7% walk or cycle, reflecting the suburb's position south of the harbour away from heavy rail corridors. On living standards it scores at the top, earning decile 10 on IRSAD for overall advantage and decile 10 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 13.4% and only 3.3% (159 people) need daily assistance, low for a median age of 39. Rent-to-income at 24.7% keeps tenants below the stress line. No schools are recorded inside the 1.86 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off in an area where 73% own their homes.
Drive
86.6%
Public Transport
4.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.31%/yr
(+131 people/yr)
EstablishedWoolooware is growing steadily, not flat: annual population growth runs 1.31%, about 131 people a year, and the 10-year change is a strong 19%. The population has climbed from 9,350 in 2023 to 9,989 in 2025, and medium forecasts push it past 10,371 by 2031, so continued expansion is expected. Both migration flows are positive, with net overseas migration of 74 a year and net internal migration of 116, a balanced inflow that is rarer than overseas-only growth. The gentrification stage reads early signs at a score of 38, with signals including population up 26% since 2011 and accelerating internal migration. Affordability worsened from 45.2% in 2011 to 47.5% in 2021, consistent with rent growth of 57.1% over the period as demand outpaces the modest 50 development applications lodged in the last year.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+74
Net Internal / yr
+116
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +26% since 2011, Net internal migration +116/yr, Accelerating: 1% → 24%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Woolooware compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woolooware a good suburb to live in?
Woolooware ranks in decile 10 on IRSAD, IRSD and IER, the top advantage tiers nationally, with household income in the 84.5th percentile and university qualifications at 38.7%, 8.6 points above national. The main trade-off is fast price growth, with the median house price up 23% in a single year to $1,150,000 in 2025.
What is the median house price in Woolooware?
The median house price is $970,000, well below comparable decile 10 Sydney suburbs. Prices rose 23% from $935,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $550 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0%.
What schools are in Woolooware?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.86 km2 Woolooware boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 38.7%, which is 8.6 points above the national figure.
Is Woolooware safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Woolooware in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and only 3.3% of its residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a very low-disadvantage area.
Is Woolooware good for property investment?
Rent of $550 a week against the $970,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.9%, better than the sub-1.5% common in pricier eastern Sydney, and the 7.8% vacancy rate is moderate. Population grew 19% over the decade with positive overseas and internal migration, supporting both yield and capital growth.
How is Woolooware's population changing?
Population growth runs 1.31% annually, about 131 people a year, with a 19% rise over 10 years. Residents climbed from 9,350 in 2023 to 9,989 in 2025 and are forecast above 10,371 by 2031. The profile is maturing, with the young-adult share down 3.9 points and the senior share up 3.0 points.
How much development is happening in Woolooware?
There were 50 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, modest for a growing suburb. Most are dwelling houses and dual occupancies rather than large towers, consistent with steady 1.31% annual population growth and limited new high-density supply across the 1.86 km2 area.
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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