Kiama, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Kiama NSW is 7,904 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Kiama is $799 per week ($41,548 per year). Median rent in Kiama is $478 per week ($2,071 per month). Kiama has a median age of 52 years, older than the national median of 38. Kiama has a population density of 807 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Kiama is England. The most common religion is No religion (40.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kiama is $2,167.

There were 89 recorded offences in Kiama in 2025-26, a rate of 11 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (31 offences).

Population
7,904
Census 2021
Median income
$799/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$478/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
52years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Kiama vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Kiama is $799 a week, 4% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 952nd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $478 a week, $93 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 30.4% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 52, 9 years older than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureKiamaTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$799/wk$765/wk +4%$766/wk
Household income$1,572/wk$1,704/wk −8%$1,637/wk
Rent$478/wk$385/wk +24%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,167/mo$1,965/mo +10%$1,733/mo
Median age5243 +9 yrs42
Rent share of household income30.4%22.6% +7.8 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Kiama, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Kiama Population

7,904 residents at the 2021 Census.

Kiama Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$799/wk
$41,548 per year
Ranked 3,624 of 14,663
Median Rent
$478/wk
$2,071 per month
Ranked 814 of 14,663
Median Age
52years
14 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Kiama Rent Prices & Affordability

30% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,572/wk
Median rent $478/wk
Rent to income 30.4%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Kiama against your income

About $6,812 a month
Median rent $478/wk
Left after rent $1,094/wk
Rent share 30.4%

Kiama Schools

3
schools nearby
2
government
1068
avg ICSEA score
1,471
total students
Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 363 students
1104
ICSEA
Kiama Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 347 students
1064
ICSEA
Kiama High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 761 students
1036
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Kiama, with a map

Kiama Map

Kiama, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Kiama

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.8% (3,780) Female 52.2% (4,125)

Population Density

807
people per km²
7,904 people · 9.8 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$2,029
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
6.3%
New Zealand
1.4%
United States of America
0.9%
Scotland
0.8%
Germany
0.7%
China
0.6%
South Africa
0.6%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
0.5%
Spanish
0.5%
Greek
0.4%
German
0.4%
Cantonese
0.4%
Italian
0.3%
Thai
0.3%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
44.3%
Australian
36.7%
Irish
15.6%
Scottish
12.4%
German
4.0%
Italian
2.9%
Australian Aboriginal
2.1%
Dutch
1.6%
Chinese
1.4%
Welsh
1.2%
Maltese
1.2%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
40.0%
Catholic
22.0%
Anglican
17.6%
Not stated
6.7%
Uniting Church
3.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.9%
Christian (other)
1.7%
Eastern Orthodox
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
53.5% 3,617
Separated
2.9% 194
Divorced
9.8% 663
Widowed
7.7% 522
Never married
26.1% 1,760

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
40.3%
Couple: children under 15
33.4%
Couple: no children under 15
15.5%
One parent: children under 15
6.1%
One parent: no children under 15
4.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
28.4%
2 persons
41.8%
3 persons
12.3%
4 persons
11.8%
5 persons
4.1%
6+ persons
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Kiama

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,239 occupied private dwellings in Kiama at the 2021 Census, 22.4% were rented, 45.4% owned outright and 25.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
5.0% 162 dwellings
Owned outright
45.4% 1,470 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
25.6% 828 dwellings
Rented
22.4% 726 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.4% 45 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
69.6%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
22.6%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
7.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.3%
2 bedrooms
22.9%
3 bedrooms
41.0%
4 bedrooms
24.7%
5 bedrooms
5.9%
6+ bedrooms
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
9.8%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
1.8%
$600-$799/mo
2.8%
$800-$999/mo
2.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
8.4%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
18.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
18.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.3%
1 vehicle
39.8%
2 vehicles
39.9%
3 vehicles
9.8%
4+ vehicles
5.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Kiama

Employment

Employed full-time
28.8% 1,743 people
Employed part-time
19.8% 1,196 people
Unemployed
2.1% 127 people
Not in labour force
49.4% 2,989 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
37.2%
Managers
17.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
13.6%
Community & Personal Service
11.3%
Clerical & Administrative
10.7%
Sales Workers
4.1%
Labourers
3.1%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.3%
$300-$399/wk
1.6%
$400-$499/wk
7.3%
$500-$649/wk
5.3%
$650-$799/wk
7.0%
$800-$999/wk
6.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.2%
$4,000+/wk
12.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.3%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
5.8%
$300-$399/wk
4.1%
$400-$499/wk
3.5%
$500-$649/wk
4.3%
$650-$799/wk
9.3%
$800-$999/wk
9.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
10.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.8%
$3,500+/wk
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
68.5%
Did not go to work
20.2%
Walked only
4.8%
Car (passenger)
3.3%
Truck
0.9%
Train
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Other
0.4%
Bicycle
0.4%
Bus
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
60.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
28.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
6.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
5.8%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
32.1%
Certificate III/IV
28.3%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
20.2%
Postgraduate Degree
11.4%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
6.3%
Certificate I/II
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
18.1%
Health
15.2%
Engineering
14.0%
Society & Culture
13.6%
Education
13.2%
Architecture & Building
9.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.3%
Creative Arts
4.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.0%
Agriculture & Environment
2.5%
Information Technology
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
30.5%
Secondary: Government
19.4%
Vocational Education
14.7%
Pre-school
12.7%
Primary: Catholic
10.4%
Secondary: Catholic
6.1%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
88.9%
Has need for assistance
7.1%
Need for assistance not stated
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
618
Arthritis
369
Heart disease
314
Asthma
236
Diabetes
211
Cancer
194
Lung condition
180
Kidney disease
117
Stroke
112
Dementia
60

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.3% 903
Did not provide
85.7% 5,425

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
20.8% 1,321
Not a volunteer
79.2% 5,018

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.7% 44
Current ADF: Reserves
0.3% 19
Previously served
3.4% 219
Never served
95.6% 6,067

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
26.9%
1 child
10.5%
2 children
34.2%
3 children
20.4%
4 children
6.4%
5+ children
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
46
1951: 1960
146
1961: 1970
247
1971: 1980
180
1981: 1990
148
1991: 2000
117
2001: 2010
230
2011: 2015
141
2016
33
2017
29
2018
25
2019
36
2020
17
2021
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

15.3%
moved in the last year
44.5%
moved in the last 5 years
3.9%
unemployment rate (Census)
49.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
6,241
Moved from NSW
712
Moved: same area (SA2)
289
Moved from overseas
45
Moved from VIC
24
Moved from QLD
20
Moved from ACT
18
Moved from TAS
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.3%
5: 14 hours
33.3%
15: 29 hours
16.8%
30+ hours
9.9%
Did not do domestic work
19.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
84.5%
Step family: no other children
10.7%
Blended family: no other children
4.3%
Intact family: other children present
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Kiama Crime Statistics

89 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
31
Other Against Property
14
Other Against Person
11
Assault
10
Property Damage
10
Sexual Offences
5
Traffic
4
Drug Offences
3
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Kiama

The closest suburb to Kiama is Kiama Downs, 3.6 km away.

Kiama Downs
3.6 km away · income $872/wk · rent $490/wk
Jamberoo
7.1 km away · income $838/wk · rent $498/wk
Gerringong
7.1 km away · income $802/wk · rent $500/wk
Shell Cove
7.9 km away · income $931/wk · rent $600/wk
Flinders (NSW)
10.2 km away · income $822/wk · rent $490/wk
Shellharbour
10.8 km away · income $741/wk · rent $420/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Kiama

What is the population of Kiama NSW?

The population of Kiama NSW is 7,904 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 807 people per km². Kiama is ranked #896 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Kiama?

The median personal income in Kiama NSW is $799 per week, or $41,548 per year. The median household income is $1,572 per week. Family income is $2,029 per week. Kiama is ranked #3,624 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Kiama?

Median rent in Kiama NSW is $478 per week ($2,071 per month). Rent represents 30.4% of household income, which is considered moderate. Kiama ranks #814 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Kiama?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kiama NSW is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Kiama?

The median age in Kiama NSW is 52 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Kiama a good suburb to live in?

Kiama is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 7,904. The median income is $799/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (30.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 12124. All dollar figures in AUD.