Woonona
Coastal scarcity shapes Woonona more than scale: 12,374 residents fit into 6.8 sq km, with separate houses still 63.2% of dwellings and a $1,212,500 house median. Compared with nearby Bulli and Corrimal, its profile reads older and more owner-anchored: the median age is 43, which is 3 years above the national benchmark, and household income sits at the 65.5 percentile. The suburb is anglo-leaning and locally rooted, because overseas-born residents are 15.2%, or 6.4 points below national.
Population
12,374
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,816/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
96
Median House
$1.5M
12m to Jun 2026 (PSI)
Homebuyers are paying for a house-led coastal suburb rather than a unit market. The $1,212,500 median house price is supported by 63.2% separate houses, 17.0% semi-detached homes and 19.2% apartments, so detached stock remains higher than compact options. Family-sized layouts dominate, with 41.9% 3-bedroom homes and 32.7% at 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage repayments sit at 28.0% of income, below a stress flag, which matters because the median monthly mortgage is $2,200.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for a house-led coastal suburb rather than a unit market. The $1,212,500 median house price is supported by 63.2% separate houses, 17.0% semi-detached homes and 19.2% apartments, so detached stock remains higher than compact options. Family-sized layouts dominate, with 41.9% 3-bedroom homes and 32.7% at 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage repayments sit at 28.0% of income, below a stress flag, which matters because the median monthly mortgage is $2,200.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed signal: demand exists, but Woonona is not a high-churn renter suburb. Renting is 25.3%, lower than the combined 74.7% owned outright or mortgaged share, and weekly rent is $395. Vacancy is 5.3%, so near-term leasing discipline matters. The stronger lead is renewal activity, with 90 development applications in 12 months, because duplexes, secondary dwellings and medium density projects can lift dwelling choice without changing the coastal land constraint.
Development Activity
Total DAs
592
Last 12 Months
96
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Woonona iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Woonona Public School
K-6 · 519 students
Woonona East Public School
K-6 · 200 students
Woonona High School
7-12 · 767 students
Demographics
Woonona skews older and more locally born than the national profile. The median age is 43, which is 3 years above national, while the overseas-born share is 15.2%, or 6.4 points below national. Education is relatively strong: 34.7% hold a university qualification, 4.6 points higher than national. English ancestry leads with 5,242 people, followed by Scottish at 1,550 and Irish at 1,526, because the suburb's migration pattern is less diverse than inner Wollongong.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
63.2%
Houses
17.0%
Townhouse
19.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tenure is unusually settled for a coastal suburb. Owned-outright homes account for 38.1% and mortgaged homes 36.6%, higher than the 25.3% renting share, so listings can be thin when long-term owners stay put. Prices moved from $1,200,000 in 2024 to $1,230,000 in 2025, a 2.5% lift, with the latest quarter also the peak. The mix is still family heavy compared with an apartment-led market: 63.2% separate houses and 32.7% homes with 4 or more bedrooms.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (12m to Jun 2026 (PSI))
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (January to March 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $395.
$778
Bond data Mar 2026 · houses $975 · units $570
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$788
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.3%
Unoccupied
262
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.6%
Couples, no children
9,886
Total families
Economy & Employment
Woonona's workforce is weighted to stable public and care sectors, which helps explain its above-average SEIFA position. Healthcare employs 866 people, or 20.8%, followed by education at 691 and 16.6%, public admin at 453 and 10.9%, construction at 408 and 9.8%, and professional or tech work at 316 and 7.6%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,583, ahead of 754 managers. Unemployment is 4.1%, while all 4 SEIFA measures sit in decile 7, above the national middle.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
11,148
Unemployed
420
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
33.7%
Participation
51.8%
Employed
4,997
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.7%
Postgraduate
9.7%
Born Overseas
15.2%
Dwellings
4,632
Transport to Work
Everyday life is car based despite the rail corridor nearby: 89.9% drive to work, compared with 2.1% using public transport and 3.6% walking or cycling. School access is practical because 3 government schools cover primary and secondary years. Woonona Public School leads at ICSEA 1070 with 519 students, followed by Woonona East Public School at 1037 and 200 students; the local range is 1030 to 1070. IRSAD decile 7 adds an above-average socio-economic base.
Drive
89.9%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.58%/yr
(+121 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is modest rather than explosive. The trend forecast adds 121 people a year, or 0.58% annually, while the medium path rises from 21,264 in 2026 to 21,869 in 2031. Migration is externally driven: average net overseas migration is 106 people a year, higher than the -36 average net internal result, so local outflow is being offset by arrivals from abroad. The gentrification measure is 0 and labelled Not gentrifying, although the shift series is mixed, with 56.0% rent growth and 23.5% real income growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+106
Net Internal / yr
-36
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Woonona compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woonona a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers who want a coastal, owner-heavy setting with practical schools and family housing. It has 12,374 residents, a median age of 43 and IRSAD decile 7, above the national middle. The trade-off is car reliance, with 89.9% driving to work and only 2.1% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Woonona?
The median house price in Woonona is $1,212,500, with the price series moving from $1,200,000 in 2024 to $1,230,000 in 2025. That latest reading is the peak, and the 2.5% gain is lower than a boom-style move but still shows resilience.
What schools are in Woonona?
Woonona has 3 local government schools: Woonona Public School, Woonona East Public School and Woonona High School. Their ICSEA results run from 1030 to 1070, with enrolments of 519, 200 and 767, which is above the national middle for school advantage.
Is Woonona safe?
A current suburb-level crime rate is not available, so safety should be checked against recent NSW police or BOCSAR maps before deciding. Local context is still relatively stable: 38.1% of homes are owned outright, 36.6% are mortgaged and IRSAD sits in decile 7, above the national middle.
Is Woonona good for property investment?
Woonona can suit investors who value land scarcity and renewal more than high renter turnover. Renters are 25.3%, lower than the 74.7% owner or mortgage share, vacancy is 5.3%, and 90 development applications in 12 months point to active infill and upgrade activity.
How is Woonona's population changing?
Population growth is steady. The forecast trend adds 121 people a year, or 0.58% annually, and the medium path moves from 21,264 in 2026 to 21,869 in 2031. Net overseas migration averages 106 a year, higher than net internal migration at -36.
Is there much development in Woonona?
Yes. Woonona recorded 90 development applications across 12 months, which is high enough to matter for local housing supply. Recent examples include 2-dwelling dual occupancy, multi-dwelling housing and secondary dwelling proposals, so change is more infill than broad new-estate 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 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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