Woronora Heights
High household wealth and a detached-home profile define Woronora Heights more than rapid expansion. The suburb has 2,781 residents, a median age of 43, and household income of $3,250 a week, placing it at the 98.3rd percentile nationally. Separate houses account for 97.2% of dwellings, while 84.0% have four or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Woronora and Engadine, its 54.4% mortgage-held share points to a strongly owner-occupier, family-oriented market, while a 2.1% vacancy rate limits available stock. The trade-off is slower change, with the wider area forecast to contract by 8.5% over 10 years and trend at -0.67% annually.
Local council: Sutherland
Population
2,781
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,250/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Homebuyers are mainly choosing detached family stock rather than compact apartment housing. Separate houses make up 97.2% of dwellings, compared with just 0.3% apartments, and 84.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms. That layout suits couples with children, who represent 60.0% of families, but it also narrows the entry-level choice for buyers seeking smaller homes. Monthly mortgage commitments average $2,600, while mortgage costs equal 18.5% of household income and are not flagged as stressful. Compared with nearby Woronora and Engadine, buyers should expect a strongly established, owner-occupier market, with 41.4% owning outright and 54.4% paying a mortgage.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are mainly choosing detached family stock rather than compact apartment housing. Separate houses make up 97.2% of dwellings, compared with just 0.3% apartments, and 84.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms. That layout suits couples with children, who represent 60.0% of families, but it also narrows the entry-level choice for buyers seeking smaller homes. Monthly mortgage commitments average $2,600, while mortgage costs equal 18.5% of household income and are not flagged as stressful. Compared with nearby Woronora and Engadine, buyers should expect a strongly established, owner-occupier market, with 41.4% owning outright and 54.4% paying a mortgage.
For Investors
Woronora Heights has a small rental pool, with only 4.2% of households renting, weekly rent of $750 and a 2.1% vacancy rate. That combination can support tenant competition because relatively little stock is available, although the detached-house concentration may raise maintenance and acquisition costs compared with apartment-led markets. Eight development applications were recorded over 12 months, with examples focused on alterations, additions, decks, earthworks and retaining structures rather than a large new dwelling pipeline. Overseas migration is the primary migration driver, but the -0.67% annual trend and aging trajectory point to slower demand growth than in expanding family-growth suburbs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+60.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Woronora Heights has an older and less migration-driven population than the national profile. The median age is 43, which is 3.0 years above the national figure, while 14.1% of residents were born overseas, 7.5 percentage points below the national comparison. University attainment is 33.2%, or 3.1 points above national levels, supporting a professional and administrative employment base. Household size averages 3.2 people, 0.7 above the national figure, because couples with children account for 60.0% of families. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 1,146, 388 and 301, while 86.4% stayed at the same address over five years, indicating lower turnover than a more mobile suburb. Christianity counts 1,842 residents and no religion 832.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.2%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached and family-sized, with 97.2% separate houses, 2.4% semi-detached dwellings and 0.3% apartments. Four or more bedrooms account for 84.0% of homes, compared with 14.5% for three-bedroom dwellings, so the stock is larger and less flexible than in unit-oriented suburbs. Ownership is also concentrated: 41.4% own outright and 54.4% hold a mortgage, while only 4.2% rent. Weekly rent is $750 and rent-to-income is 23.1%, below the mortgage-to-income figure of 18.5% only in a different cost structure, with neither measure flagged as stressed. Compared with smaller-home markets, the suburb suits established households more than first-home renters.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $750.
$850
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,000 · units $720
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,016
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.1%
Unoccupied
18
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
60.0%
Couples with children
32.0%
Couples, no children
7.7%
Single parent
828
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce combines public-facing services with professional employment. Healthcare is the largest industry at 14.7% and 165 workers, followed by Education at 13.9% and 155, Public Administration at 11.4% and 128, Professional and Technical services at 10.7% and 120, and Construction at 9.7% and 109. The main occupations are Professionals with 365 workers, Clerical and Administrative staff with 288, Managers with 259, Trades with 228 and Community and Personal Service workers with 180. A 72.5% participation rate and 2.4% unemployment rate indicate a relatively engaged labour market, while 56.9% work full time. Household income of $3,250 weekly sits at the 98.3rd percentile, and SEIFA scores place education and occupation in decile 8, income and employment in decile 10, and disadvantage measures in decile 10, all above national conditions.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
1,653
Unemployed
40
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.9%
Part-time
33.0%
Participation
72.5%
Employed
1,613
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.2%
Postgraduate
7.7%
Born Overseas
14.1%
Dwellings
862
Transport to Work
Woronora Heights suits households that value space, established streets and car-based routines. The suburb covers 2.6 square kilometres with a density of 1,069.9 people per square kilometre, while 50.8% drive to work, only 1.7% use public transport and 43.3% work from home. That pattern makes home-office space and road access more important than frequent transit, compared with inner-city neighbourhoods. Families should check nearby school numbers, sectors and enrolment zones against the exact address, since boundaries can cut across suburb lines. A volunteering rate of 14.7% supports local participation, while 2.6% need assistance. SEIFA disadvantage measures sit in decile 10, higher than most areas nationally, although safety decisions should rely on current incident maps and visits at different times because a current crime rate is not available.
Drive
50.8%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
43.3%
Growth Outlook
Woronora Heights is an established, slow-growth suburb with an aging trajectory. The annual trend is -0.67%, and population change across the wider area is forecast at -8.5% over 10 years, so expansion is weaker than in high-growth corridors. The main migration driver is overseas migration, but this has not outweighed the shift toward older households: the senior share rose 8.7 points, while the young share fell 3.3 points and the working-age share fell 2.6 points. Affordability is classified as worsening, moving from 63.9 in 2011 to 72.1 in 2021, while rent growth reached 47.6%. Compared with a rapidly changing suburb, gentrification appears limited, with a score of 0 and a stage of Not gentrifying, despite a separate early-signals score of 30.
Population trend: Sutherland council area
Woronora Heights sits in the Sutherland council area. These are the council area's residents, not Woronora Heights's.
Residents 2025
241,327
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
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 Woronora Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woronora Heights a good suburb to live in?
It suits households seeking larger detached homes, established ownership and a quieter suburban setting. The median age is 43, 84.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms, and 43.3% work from home. Compared with denser suburbs, car dependence is higher, with 50.8% driving and 1.7% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Woronora Heights?
Check a current local sales source for the median house price because values can move quickly. The housing context is clear: 97.2% of dwellings are separate houses, 84.0% have four or more bedrooms, and 54.4% are held with a mortgage. A 2.1% vacancy rate also points to limited available stock.
What schools are in Woronora Heights?
Use NSW school and enrolment-zone tools for the exact address to confirm nearby schools, sectors and catchments. Travel planning matters because 50.8% of residents drive to work while only 1.7% use public transport. School boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries, so address-level checking is more reliable than relying on the suburb name.
Is Woronora Heights safe?
Review current police incident maps and visit streets at different times before deciding. Woronora Heights covers 2.6 square kilometres and has 2,781 residents, so street-level conditions can vary within a compact area. It is better to compare recent local incidents than rely on a broad suburb impression.
Is Woronora Heights good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking established detached housing and relatively strong rents, with weekly rent of $750 and vacancy of 2.1%. The rental pool is only 4.2%, which can support tenant competition, but annual growth is forecast at -0.67% and eight development applications in 12 months indicate a modest rather than expansion-led pipeline.
How is Woronora Heights's population changing?
The wider area is on an aging and slow-growth path. The annual trend is -0.67%, while 10-year population change is forecast at -8.5%. The senior share increased by 8.7 points, the young share fell 3.3 points, and the working-age share fell 2.6 points, so change is more likely to come through household aging than rapid new development.
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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